Reviews of Borealis Grille & Bar (Kitchener) (Restaurant)

Ciara

Always a good experience at Borealis in Kitchener. Chicken sandwich was great. Service was fast and friendly and I appreciate their effort to source local ingredients.

George Vamos

It was not too busy inside, great food drinks

Adam Neves

Loved the atmosphere of the old schoolhouse. Our server was friendly and engaging. The food was delicious. I had the pear and walnut salad with blue cheese and the new chocolate bar dessert. Yum!

Dirk (Dirk)

I see this place has NOT changed, we were there a couple of years ago and it was terrible, for an upscale restaurant so to speak you would think it would change but NO it did not...I don`t get it your restaurant sucks guys and you do know there are many to choose from in this city..right....so WHY would I go back to a restaurant that the food is bland, cold, a minimal serving, a plate of lettuce and a small piece of meat does not cut it, a small bowl of soup the size of a baby bowl should NOT be served, refills are super slow, coffee is luke warm, the service is super slow although kind in their own way being apologetic BUT still this is not cool with me. There should NOT be a shift change where customers seem to be punished and waiting 45 extra min for their food..I did not go there to spend 2 hours waiting for my food. In my job I always give the customer more than what they bargain for it makes them happy and I know I have a repeat customer.. In today`s society its all about customer service or go under.... Have A Great Day.....MINUS 10

ian peers

Just for the place and ambience giving 3stars . Definitely needs to have more vegetarian options

Steve Gallant

Great atmosphere and amazing food. The desert porshion was a little small. Service was just right came and checked on us enough but not too much or too little.

Jillian Santi

Awesome little restaurant - food was great, the service was fantastic! Totally recommend it - worth the visit!

Sarah

The food is good but what is most enjoyable would be the atmosphere and the craft beers. My wife loves the cocktails that they offer which is always a bonus.

Octavian C.

Nice staff, but awful food and smelly unflattering old environment. Did not enjoy the experience at all. I am quite surprised with the good reviews! My burger smelled like meat gone bad and the fish taco was salty and tasteless.

Alvaro Fernandez

Always wonderful. Great service and amazing food. One of the best restaurants in KW. Enjoy.

Dave West

Amazing food, healthy, local, friendly smiles and great service. This place has everything. I highly recommend it!

Holli Bernier

Was disappointed this time a bit. Service still great but cornbread appetizer was still frozen in the middle and meals were ok. Will still go back but this time not as thrilled as other times!!!

Fred Fulkerson

The atmosphere and service was great, but the food was just okay. I had the fish, which was kind of overcooked.

Stephen Gammage

Really good! Their selection of drinks is solid, I had some of the Side Launch on draught myself (if you're a fan of sour hopped ales, try it! I've been a fan for a while) and the sweet potato fries were a substantial helping for the price paid. The salmon on the menu came out fairly dry, but flavourful, not my favourite thing I've had there. Tried the "Chocolate Bar" which is basically a huge bar of chocolate ganache on Graham cracker crust, that was truly fantastic. The wait staff were all superb :) only reason for the lack of a fifth star was the salmon entree.

Rui Pinto

Delicious and well priced. I actually wish it came with more veggies though as it was that good.

Alexis Chacon

Really love this restaurant! Great service, cool atmosphere, and food is excellent. We booked the Wine Cellar for our group of 12, it was perfect.

George Silva

Had lunch at Borealis with a customer. I'm very impressed with the initiative of this restaurant. Rather than an organization taking about what the restaurant industry could be doing regarding healthy food, less impact on the environment and supporting the local economy and farmers, Borealis is on point. If that impresses you, wait till you try the food. I had the Old Smokie burger, what a refreshing difference to the burger. Very clean, delicious and I felt better after the meal, compared to other burgers available around town. If you haven't already, go check out Borealis!! :)

Steve

Service was very poor, and they said there was a Wedding downstairs (poor staffing - I assume a wedding group didn't show up without a reservation). My wife and I both got steak (Medium Rare) and both came well done. Bland flavor. Server noticed that we weren't eating the food so my wife explained that they were both terrible. They replaced hers with a better plate... I was stuck eating mine. It was my birthday.

Ben G

Borealis has delicious food that is always fresh and never disappoints. I love the atmosphere and service, and they are doing a great job of keeping guests safe with their COVID protocols. This weekend we visited for lunch and had an awesome server named Luigi. Thanks so much for the great food and service, will definitely be back again soon!

DeeCee Howlett

Service was a bit slow but friendly. Appetizer was delicious. Burger was thick and juicy but was lacking in the cheese department. I asked for sweet potato fries and received regular fries instead. ????

Derrick Edwards

Great food, friendly staff, easy curb-side pick up.

Brent T

Service very friendly, and not overbearing. Enjoyed a very tasty set of fish tacos, which were expertly integrated with lightly battered and spiced fish. Highly recommend this place!

Bubbles & Balloons

This restaurant was right across from my hotel so I decided to take a visit when it came time for dinner. The food was excellent, I didn't try anything too exotic. I had the nacho's which didn't come with any meat so I added short rib which was amazing. The beer tap menu is over 20 long, and I had the Wellington brew. It was great to compliment the short rib for digestion. The service was also excellent. I got a great vibe from the staff who genuinely cared how I was enjoying my meal (shout out to Sarah B.). I give 5 star reviews when I cannot think of anything to improve. Excellent choice when you visit Kitchener.

Walton Hill

Always enjoy visiting Borealis in Kitchener. Enjoying it with Friends who have never been there, even better. They loved it also. Food and service always excellent.

Tija Pres

This restaurant has an excellent selection of menu items that change seasonally and highlight local food growers! Their staff is excellent, the ambiance is quaint, and you'll be sure to return!

Bayside Auto Repair

Food has always been fantastic whenever we've eaten here, as has the service been great and friendly! Came for our anniversary and was pleasantly taken back by the little gift they gave us to use towards our next visit - such a nice and personable touch! Will definitely be back.

Tabatha Dominguez

Will not be back due to food. Everything is drenched in oil, quinoa was mush, very dry sausage with bad texture, poor/stale ingredients. Felt like everything was tossed together after sitting in a heated buffet bin all day. Quantity over quality for the entrees. Flatbread appetizer was only food that was decent as it was the only thing not stale. Desserts felt like they came out of a fridge after being frozen for a month and thawed. Not worth the money. Atmosphere is very different between rooms, one side feels more like a basement. Slow service despite non-busy night.

Briana R

Great service, lovely looking restaurant and an extremely interesting menu. We really enjoyed our meal and would definitely return.

Nathan Taylor

This was our first time visiting. I can't wait to go back. The nachos were some of the best nachos I've had. They were so good we were too full to eat out meals. We ordered the turkey burgers and must say those were so amazing, even tho we are them for lunch the next day. Amazing service to top it all off.

Richard Yang

I came here for a large private event first, and then later for a small personal dinner. The event was well-run, but the small dinner later on was the experience that really stood out to us. The food far surpassed our expectations, and our server was exceptional. He was incredibly friendly, engaging, sincere, fun, and kind. We loved the food and drinks we ordered, their quality and creativity were very good. And our attentive, well-mannered, tactful server elevated our experience with his high standards of customer service. We hope to return soon and have the same server ideally!

Cindy Fung

Awesome staff. Excellent menu and Everything we have tried has been very good. The menu is not your ordinary pub menu... Its better and with a few rare dishes.

Nathan Schiller

We had good night out w friends. Turkey burger and fried chicken was good that we tried. Staff all great. Seats in school section best. Bar area 2nd. Side room eh. High quality good w slightly higher than avg pricing.

Jordan Maxwell

Nice place! Great food for people who like to try different cuisine!

James A

Just enjoyed a delicious Mother’s Day brunch takeout from Borealis Kitchener. They haven’t disappointed me with any of the curb side orders during this trying time. Happy to support them. The Chef and staff have definitely got this figured out. Kudos to you!

Azim Hoque

Good food and great service. Better than your average restaurant chain for quality and flavor. Always a solid choice.

Neil Robinson

The food was good but the service was incredibly slow maybe it was an exceptionally busy night for them.

Matthew Johnson

We had our wedding rehearsal dinner here with about 30 people and they did a fantastic job. The food was so delicious and they were very accommodating of my dairy allergy. The staff was great and friendly from the time of booking to the actual event. I highly recommend hosting your event here!

Jeremy Waugh

Absolutely delicious, creative dishes, generous portions, amazing service. Molly was an amazing server, food was surprisingly delicious considering how healthy it also was. Don't have to sacrifice flavour for healthy anymore.

Silas Boronka

Kids nachos and a pound of wings. Love this place! Good for kids .

Kate Simon-Hendel

Wonderful meals made with locally sourced ingredients. The building itself is built partially inside an old schoolhouse, with exposed brick, original floors, and interesting photographs of the location from bygone days. Staff is friendly and efficient. We often do Wednesday Date Nights as they are a great; dinner for two for $49 and they offer free corkage on VQA wines. It's a hell of a deal.

Brad Shaw

The place has a very nice atmosphere and lots of space including a great patio. The food was great, with a handful of vegetarian options. You can tell they take the time and quality produce to make what they serve. What's even better is that they try to source local vendors as much as possible. The service was a bit slow but our server was very kind and gave us a coupon at the end!

Alafia Breary

Great local food. Fast service. Large selection of high quality local beer

Dan Scott

Borealis is our go-to date night spot - priding itself on a local menu that changes seasonally - the food and ambiance doesn't disappoint. We have hosted two large events (baptisms) at Borealis and I am always beyond impressed with their service. They go above and beyond to guarantee that guests are taken care of and meet all the needs of the hosts to ensure the event runs smoothly. There are four spaces to enjoy your meal including, the old school house, the Thompson room (elegant and modern), the bar, and the patio - complete with weather protection and heaters. Ask for Luigi if you would like to be transported to Italy for the evening - hands down the best server I have ever had.

Michaela Ramsden

awesome place. free wifi lots of parking great decor and layout staff is super friendly, attentive and professiona food was amazing, fresh and server quickly had the date for 2 menu and was very pleased!!! will definitely be going back

B Inthavong

Good food and pleasant service. Reasonable pricing. It did take 50 mins for us to get our food which was a bit crazy considering they weren't overly busy. Would go again if in town.

Ravyn Guindon-Van Roon

Restaurant is good. Servers try to do their best, decoration and atmosphere are very good. Food is alright overall with some innovative plates like the Sausage Bowl where it had so many ingredients but it actually worked, good job on that one.

Helen Henderson

Can’t give it 5-star only because my company usually treats us at the Keg, which is quite better. The beer selection is great however. But the main food selection is not impressive, but for a first-timer, the appetizers are quite good. I wish the main course can be improved.

Guy Rotem

They do a great job of showcasing the fresh locally sourced ingredients by not over seasoning. Service is pleasant. However I was served a pork belly with jelly like skin. Having skin that is neither rendered or crispy at a time where it's on every menu in the province is hard to overlook.

Sorabh Mishra

Always fresh and delicious. The fried chicken is always fantastic. Service top notch.

Fernanda Jakeman

The food is consistently amazing. The server we had was impressive in his knowledge of food preparation when determining a dairy allergy... delightfully so. Fish and chips would be a no go, since buttermilk chicken is also fried in the same oil. Grilled chicken sandwich no cheese.. dairy allergy noted ) Keto options ( beautiful burger no bun, and Cesaer no croutons, or cesaer salad with grilled pickerel.. ) The outdoor patio is covered and relaxing. Love supporting Local. Did I mention the food is incredible?

Trevor McLarnon

I took my wife for a date night to Borealis and it was excellent. The food was great and fair priced, also our server, Luigi, was polite and funny. I got the aged strip loin in a bacon sauce.....soooo yummy. I recommend anyone to go for a nice meal whether it is date night or a regular day.

Michael Lawrence

Great fresh, local food. Never disappointed

Ricardo Oliva

Pretty expensive but good food

Kate Laing

Must stop here kind of place. I had the braised beef short rib. It was melt in your mouth tender. Also enjoyed the fried chicken tacos. Hot sauce was spicy and flavorful.

lynn Wong

I don't say this often enough. But place was fantastic!! I had the blackened fish, it was the most delicious fish I have ever had. If you like spice than that would be perfect. My wife had the veggie burger. She said it very delicious, she even made her own black bean patties at home. Are family also order the steaks , they said it was very soft and tender meat, that was full of flavor.

Carolina Querqui

My first time dining there and the meal I ordered was fantastic. The waiter we had was also spot on with checking in on us just the right amount of time and also not being overbearing or upselling.

Julian Hartman

Great atmosphere, friendly service and excellent food at reasonable prices. Luigi is an amazing waiter - professional, helpful and funny. Borealis is our "go to" place whenever we're in Kitchener.

Will Bub

Food was pretty good. Service was pretty slow. Waitress seemed annoyed when I was asking for another drink. In my opinion it's her job to notice my glass is empty and offer me another.

Patricia Martin

Excellent service and food!!!

John Morrissey

Good food, service and atmosphere. Interesting history of the building. Slight delay in service while a neighbouring table of 8 was paying individual bills.

Matt Hills

I can’t say enough about the amazing experience my family and I had at Borealis. We were celebrating my moms birthday and were so lucky to have the famous Luigi take care of us for the evening! We decided to go with his recommendations of short ribs, trout, and the pasta special and everything tasted amazing! With the level of service we received we honestly thought he was the owner !! We know he isn’t now because if it was his restaurant the name would be The Taste of Italy(my mother is still laughing) Borealis is very lucky to have someone like Luigi on their team !! We will be back very soon!

Scott Bell

Great experience here for a second time. We had Luigi as our server and I've never been more impressed at a restaurant before! The service and food was top notch.

Lisa Glutting (lisel_pisel)

Locally sourced and excellent food. Bobs not a bad guy either!

Mandy Bairos

We've been a lot of places for New Year's Eve in years past, but the Borealis menu and service were the best by far. Highly recommend!

Aaron Turner

They only serve local "beer", taste like S@#T. Food way over battered and overpriced. It looks like you are getting your money's worth(NOT). My chicken breast had more batter then breast. Did I mention the S@#TTY beer. First and LAST visit.

Julia Kaitlyn

Great food, fast service, our waiter Luigi was the best! Will definitely be coming back here.

BlueJay Ende

Our go-to spot for drinks and some light fare. The last time we were here, the burger was a little overseasoned or overdone, but the server made up for it by being absolutely fantastic. I can't recall his name (Marco or something like that?), but I remember he spoke multiple languages and quizzed my husband on his knowledge of a few of them--what a great personality to encounter and a great end to our night! Always a great spot to hang out, and my favorite drink has got to be the Cool as a Cucumber or Cider Mojito (even as mocktails they taste amazing)--a must-try!

Brent Cerqueira

Been a few times. Always enjoyed the food and the visit. Went tonight and it was different. We had Luigi as a server. He was awesome! Amazing personality, shared personal experiences and had great knowledge of the restaurant. We had a wonderful time. Thanks to all of the staff: - back of house that makes the food look and taste great! - front staff, making sure we had a great time. Again, special thanks to Luigi, for making our night extra special. Thank you #teamBorealisKW

Ceri Higgs

New falafel salad is top shelf!

Dan Duran

Best salad n service was awesome!

Brennan Hill

Recently ordered takeout for the first time here as I was driving by Kitchener and saw such a high rating I figured it was worth the stop. At first I was slightly disappointed at the portions, but figured it wasn't a big deal if the food tasted as good as I thought. However to my surprise, when midway through eating my meal, I found a piece of plastic. Looks like some part of my meal was straight from a plastic package. What happened to their slogan focused on fresh, local meals? Overall highly disappointed, and would never go back to this place.

Yuri “Yuri” Gladtsynov

Fantastic food, exceptional service. We had a great night celebrating a family birthday! Highly recommend.

Mark Fox

Great Service and Fish Tacos! I even went again!

Kayla Witmer

Had a bunch of appies and they were very tasty. Server was really friendly and helpful. And had the Harvest Ale, their house beer. Super tasty.

Scott Martin

I enjoyed the food and drink. The server, Luigi, was attentive and funny.

Karima Kassam

The four of us ordered a burger, turkey burger, and fried chicken tacos. Overall was good quality, heat, and taste, but coffee afterwards was lukewarm

Corey Duguay

The good is consistently good. This time I had the buttermilk chicken and it was fabulous.

Rob W

Took almost 2 hours to get our COLD food on a dead Sunday night. Looked like the microwaved some chicken and threw it on a taco, forgot salad dressing and took their sweet time to even bring the bill so we could pay. First and LAST time ever going - we would have been better off at Taco Bell and saved 18$ a plate

Nancy Runge

We have dined here on several occassions and have not been disappointed. On this occasion, we had the pleasure of being served by Luigi. He was exceptional. His attention to detail and his ensuring we had a positive experience at the restaurant has prompted me to write this review. It was a great time with friends and we enjoyed our meals thouroughly as well as shared some laughs with Luigi! Well done Borealis!

Matthew Verhulp

The New Year's Eve prix fixe menu had nice options and all the food was delicious. The service was good for a busy evening. Good beer selection as well.

James Maljaars

$22 hamburger?!?!? Fine... but not this one. Fries were not cooked, the burger was dry, and the bun was burnt. Terrible Experience

stacey markle

Nice restaurant and friendly staff. The burgers are pretty average but they don't have a poutine... Who doesn't have a poutine? Fried chicken is the best. But again, who doesn't have a poutine. Gotta take a star away just for that.

Alain Gaudrault

Food was top shelf as expected. Happy to see the fried chicken became part of the regular menu.

Ashley Kushnir

Fantastic food, excellent staff. Covid safe protocols. Loved it!!

Larkin S.

Had dinner there on a Sunday night. Not too busy...seated right away. Server pleasant takes our orders...had some nice apps, was good.......after that..............waited close to an hour before main course came....the place was not even busy!!...when my burger came out it was cool....not even warm.....like it was sitting there for 15 mins. food was very subpar...gave it a 2 star just for the server who knew for some reason it took close to an hour

Marios Matsias

Excellent food and service, has a variety of great menu options, including vegetarian dishes, and features local foods.

Shannon Lathey

We met a friend for lunch and a visit. We were impressed with the (dare I say "quaint"?) architecture of the place. We were greeted immediately and warmly and seated at a table with a bench at the back and two chairs. The service was attentive, friendly, and efficient but not intrusive and the menu selection was quite wide. Food was high quality and generous.

Andrew Burton

It was 3.5 stars... I was hoping for 5 stars. In fairness, we were there with 33 people... But... The soup was delicious, but not overly hot or large. The steak was cooked exactly to med/rare wasn't overly flavourful and was tougher and cooler than I would have liked. The fruit cobbler wasn't overly flavourful either. The wait staff (3 of them) for such a large group were very good. I will go again as a couple or foursome and see if the food is better. Thanks for reading.

Dianne Gedney

Went here for my birthday recently, food was delicious. Service was a bit slow, but it was very busy so we didn't mind waiting a bit extra, especially after the food was served. I had the maple salmon and it was delicious. The potato soup they had that day was superb as well.

Aurora Di Pasquale

Local sourced food that taste amazing. The chicken tacos with everything made from scratch is an experience you want to have. Many things on their menu are made from scratch. The flavors are out of this world. Such a delight! Even some of their drinks they make their own and it is refreshing

J E M

I highly recommend Borealis. Luigi always takes it to another level. We love his service, character and the food is always outstanding! 5 star experience. Stopped here for Sunday lunch on the spur of the moment and so glad we did. The restaurant itself is really interesting. Old photos on the walls and remnants of old plaster and wainscoting from the original schoolhouse. We enjoyed the chicken sandwich and falafel tacos and both were excellent. Service was very friendly and quick. Sarah the manager was delightful to chat with. Will definitely return to try the out for dinner. Highly recommend!!

Kyle Reid

Had reservations for 2 at 7pm, wasn't seated until 730, waters took 20 mins and our server paid a lot more attention to his other tables then he did our table. My girlfriend ordered a medium rare steak and was served a rare steak. Very underwhelming experience, was anticipating better.

John Lee

Nice friendly restaurant. Friendly staff. Good food!

Jennifer Perry

Fresh ingredients. Local. Efficient service. Quality of food was excellent. My husband and I got a bacon jam brie appetizer to start with. It was delicious and unique. We got the steak frites and trout with polenta. My husband loved the steak. It was cooked exactly medium rare and my trout was beautifully presented. Highly recommend this place. They have a date night with a great deal. 1 app 2 dinners and dessert. What more could you ask for!

daniela gosselink

Good food friendly staff we had a good time

carl cunningham

Great food and drinks. Staff is super friendly and attentive.

Grant Atwood

Lovely atmosphere. Great service. Delicious food. And it's locally sourced. What's not to like?

Claudette Hutchinson

really cool atmosphere, and unique menu. They put cucumber in the water...never experienced that before! different with an elegant flair. Enjoyed thoroughly....yrs later had lunch with friends and had to add that there is a theme of locally grown food on menu of which there is an abundance of being in the heart of ontario's breadbasket. Everyone was very happy with their meals, one was a vegetable bowl. I had the seafood bowl which was really good! If you have it make sure to get bread to sop up the sauce at the bottom of the bowl.

Chris Manser

Nothing was wrong here, good came out fast and tasted good, there was also no wait to get in on a Saturday evening.

Matthew Patten

Dine in

Israel Cefrin

Very nice centry place atmosphere. Food was good, not exceptional...which is fine. Fairly limited menu, but based on what they advertise...fresh local cuisine...it covers the bases. Great service and a lovely experience. I'd like to go again in the summer.

Francis Loh

It is evident that the ingredients are very fresh and high quality with great variety of dishes for all types of people. Very authentic!

Mike Smith

Great food, service and ambience. Love the Date Night promotion, really affordable option for couples. I appreciated the server which took my wife's drink off the bill when it wasn't what she expected. Excited to go again.

Chantel

My girlfriend, her parents and grandparents, and myself stopped at Borealis for a late lunch on our way from Waterloo to Toronto after seeing quite a few vegan options online and were very happy with the experience. We entered the restaurant and asked if we had a reservation. After looking around and seeing about 5 people in the whole space, I imagine that one wasn't particularly needed for lunch, but possibly for dinner. Even without a reservation we were seated quickly by the host. The server was very friendly and knowledgeable with the menu and on-tap beers. The ambiance of the restaurant was also very nice! We were seated in a side room overlooking a patio and the nature-inspired artwork and natural light on the decor was very comfortable. I ordered the fish tacos and side salad to have something light before the drive and was extremely satisfied with the fresh ingredients. We split sweet potato fries, which were also cooked well. The service was quick and the server was almost too nice (like, strangely friendly). Being on the road for a long trip after, Borealis was certainly the highlight of any restaurants we stopped at. Unfortunately, they've set the bar for fish tacos, which no one has yet to beat! Definitely recommend stopping in! I don't give 5 stars to just any restaurant :)

Adam Zmudzinski

This place is straight up amazing. Totally reasonable price for what your getting. They serve legitimately local produce and do not fail to have some interesting flavors. I don't like to give 5 star reviews, but this is easily my favorite restaurant in the region. The food served here rivals the Cambridge mill, staff is very genuine and friendly. Atmosphere is incredible and very clean. It's actually really hard for me to criticize this place, I'm seriously impressed. Get out there and support your local businesses! F$#k covid!

Alek Timcisin

Stopped here for lunch with my sister on a Sunday afternoon. It was very quiet in the restaurant, which was nice because we could chat and hear each other. Our food was delicious and came quickly. Would highly recommend for a good weekend lunch spot to catch up with friends.

David McMurchy

Fantastic service. I ordered a vegan dish and came out very hot and was very flavourful. Would go back for sure!

Lexi Beaudoin

Went here for a birthday gathering and loved it. The price was fair and the food was excellent. The quality of service was second to none in Waterloo region. Loved the atmosphere and can't say enough about the staff. When we arrived and When we left we were given an abundance of "hellos, and have a wonderful evening" Again cannot say enough good things about the staff and the food.

Heather Mcaulay

Enjoyed the food (seafood linguine, and a caesar salad), drinks were very good, and the waitress was polite and knowledgable of the dishes. I would recommend the restaurant

Poppy Barrett

Always a 5 star! Great food, fantastic atmosphere and friendly staff!

Tracy Sorrill

Ordered through uber eats, that part was fine but quinoa salad with no quinoa and sausage bowl with 3 tiny slices of sausage . Too bad I've been to the restaurant many times, but won't do this again now.

Dr. Sabrina Diaram-Strand

Excellent Service and very friendly staff! I work in sales and am a regular at Borealis as it is a great atmosphere and has great food - perfect spot to take clients. They have awesome specials like date night wednesdays! Thank you for always offering such a great experience! Luigi is a regular server of mine and he always goes over and beyond when it comes to delivering great customer service!

Morven Bellinger

Ensure you get reservation. Seated quickly. There was a large wedding going on innother room, so staff a bit distracted and food delayed. Manager came, and made right. Food was good, drinks very good. Would return.

Urvashi Vyas

Friendly staff, excellent service, tasty food, spotless bathrooms and best of all my wife and kids loved it.

John Ukos

Food is good something for everybody the decore represents the food and Kraft beer that represents our local agricultural heritage. Ample parking.

Miranda Fox Porter

This is some of the best local food you can get!! This is a place me and my family visit frequently throughout the year because of how good it is! One of the best parts about visiting Borealis is their server LUIGI! He is the funniest and most dedicated server I have ever met, there is no one better in this world than Luigi. He will make your night and we always ask for him to serve us and you should to on your next visit, trust me it will be worth it.

Ron Wright

Such a wonderful meal, and great service. A totally worth it stop

Liz Rego

Staff is AMAZING. A+ drink and food recommendations. Food is absolutely out of this world. Worth every penny, even if it can seem a little pricey. Fresh produce, great quality food.

Brittany Colley

The food was delicious, the service delightful and the environment super inviting, clean and full of positive energy!

Anne Soppelsa

Always a great option for a meal out. I've never been disappointed.

Borys Boyko

Good and service were very good. We were very tired and hungry and they served us quickly and bills were delivered quickly and burgers were big and juicy and delicious!!! Just the right amount of fries and good local beer selection!

Octavian Ciubotariu

Came for a date night and was not disappointed :) my husband enjoyed his steak and the fried chicken burger was fantastic! Will definitely be back for another date night (hopefully on a Wednesday!)

Tim Snider

Great food and beer. They source their ingredients locally and get their beer from local craft brews. Knowledgeable and kind staff. I've been here a dozen times and I've had a great experience each time I've come.

Mark Godin

Excellent and unique food with excellent service.

Brianna Hillier

Sausage bowl was delightful. Nice atmosphere. Great service.

Justin Quesnel

Such a cute location and amazing food. The service was great, my husband and I come here every other weekend.

stewart smith

Honestly the best meal my husband and I have had eating out in ages. We are from out of town (Aylmer) , went there on a Sat. For lunch. Nice atmosphere and impressed with the locally sourced food and drink. The cornbread we had for an appetizer was great. We both had the pickeral fish and chips. Big portion of fish, not hidden in batter. Fries are great. The really pleasant surprise was the co,e slaw. My husband hates Cole slaw but ate every bite of this as did I. Fresh, crunchy with a light dressing. Delish. Will be back again next time we are in the area. Server was great..forgot her name but she was tending the bar. Skip the chains and head here for fresh food!

K B

A little disappointing Had the steak special and it was tasty but the minuscule European style serving of vegetables left me thinking about what I would have for a snack afterwards The service was good Tried the soup of the day and found it bland and pasty - sent it back, a rare move for me, and tried the Cesar instead. T’was equally disappointing both for it’s incredibly small size and lack of any real taste. The fact that they don’t include bacon or anchovies Makes it hard to call it a Caesar Again the main course steak was tasty and cooked properly to my order and my wife’s sausage and chicken bowl was also well done if not overwhelming in its size.

jennifer golding

Good food, can get a bit loud when busy. Menu is a bit limited and a little frustrating if you aren't a root vegetable person as they pre-make things so you lose other important ingredients. And there are root veg in most mains so...

Jane Greenup

Nice to get out and enjoy a great meal and service. Only one room being used but just walked and got a table right away for 2. Niagara wine with fried chicken & fries with an amazing dessert to share. Not the same ambience as before Covid but the same great menu at a reasonable price.

Candace Raymond

Service

Lexi Simon

Excellent service and food is great. Steak is cooked as requested (medium rare).

Jesse Villemaire

Service was excellent. Food was good. Would have liked to see more lunch options instead of 4 different taco options on the menu.

Marc Wilson

Very enjoyable and delicious food even during this nonsensical time.

Emily C

An amazing place, local ingredients super fresh too! I definitely recommend this place.

Devon Jones

I've eaten at this location a couple of times, but I wanted to eat a few meals before I wrote an honest review. This is definitely one of my favorite restaurants to go eat at, the food has always been perfect and tasted delicious. Keep up the amazing work

Hugh Fox

Staff are incredibly friendly. The locally sourced food is top notch. I constantly go to Borealis because the local craft beer selection! My favourite place in Kw for sure!

Siobhan Watters

A masterclass in service. Food was impeccable as well. One of the top restaurants in KW no question.

Able Android

Nice atmosphere. Service was good. Food not as good as I've had in the past. And wine was room temperature. Have had better experiences and generally good. I like that they support local farmers and will return.

Maxine McCurdy

Great local cuisine and craft beer. Highly recommend. Wish I could eat here every night!

Johnny Waddles

Nice place. Friendly service. Excellent food!

McLibby 33

First night out post COVID here at Borealis was exceptional. The whole team was so accommodating and made us feel so welcome, not to mention the tasty food. Clearly, these guys are experts at both culinary arts and customer service. You can definitely tell they are taking health and safety precautions seriously as well. We’ll definitely be returning!

Sherif Samy

Patio was good $12 dollar caesars should only be $5 (nothing special) Food was overpriced but somewhat good, I had the chicken tacos which didn’t have enough chicken, but tastey regardless, not filling-no sides, small portion. Wife had chickpea tacos/lettuce wrap served on a wooden pallet which made a mess. Was served a glass with lipstick on it still. Not very impressed.

Katt Foxx

Great food, atmosphere and service.

Daniela V

During the lockdown this is my go-to spot for takeout when I'm out and about. The food is of high quality (sourced locally) and the staff take good care of you. Will be returning many times!

Kevin Swayze

Awesome atomosphere, friendly staff and the food was absolutely delicious. The ingredients were very fresh. We went for dinner on a Saturday night and had a reservation. My only complaint is the ploughman platter, it seemed to be highly overpriced for what is received (two small pieces of bread, two small slices of cheese and a small portion of preserved meat with some pickled items and a small quantity of fruit for just under $17). Otherwise was very impressed with our meal. Highly recommend the Tourtiere and half Cornish hen entree.

L. L.

My husband and I have been wanting to try this place since it opened years ago. We finally got a chance to go and were beyond impressed. Heather our waitress was amazing, the food was exceptional, the ambiance was amazing and Heather and another gentleman staff member gave us a tour and spoke of the incredible history of the place. 10/10 would recommend

Garry Richards

Love it! Nice place and amazing food

Paul Rak

Great service and atmosphere. Food always fresh, tasty, and beautiful. Thank you so much for eating local.

Derek A

Mixed up our reservations and tried to stick my 80 year old mother outside, so much for online reservations.

Eduardo Peixe

A bit overpriced for the portions served. We had high expectations coming to restaurant however were underwhelmed by the food. Presentation was great but taste was a bit bland. Service was quick and friendly.

Lori South

Always an amazing experience! Great service, delicious food. I will forever recommend this location to my friends and family, as long as they keep up the good work!

Jacqueline kobow

Fantastic service! We hosted a function in their private space and the service was above and beyond expectations. Kirsten was extremely helpful in planning the event. Tiffany was a wonderful server. Very warm and personable staff.

Carter M.

Great food, even better service. It'll be a treat if Luigi is your server.

Kevin Marlatt

Very nice restaurant and bar. Good choice of food items. Locally sourced meats, vegetabled, wine and craft beer. Friendly staff and reasonably priced

Pavol Chvala

Service was fantastic. The food was delicious and made with fresh local ingredients.

Mark Peters

Great service. Good selection. Will def be back

Tri-City Tree Service

Always excellent! Its local, its fresh and it's one of my favorite restaurants in KW.

Trinity Cromer

The staff here are amazing. Had a wonderful conversation with the lady who served me.

Kim Spencer

Food was great, waiter was professional, drinks were amazing! Amazing experience!

Frances Morawski

Excellent selection of food with a unique focus on local sourcing of ingredients. The atmosphere is captivating and warm; the dining area offering a seamless integration of century-old converted schoolhouse charm and tasteful modern touches. Curteous and knowledgable staff add to the wonderful experience at this restaurant. Meals and drinks are reasonably priced and served with an appropriate amount of time to socialize with your fellow friends and family. Overall an excellent place with a welcome variety of subtle differences from your average chain restaurant experience. Note that the menu changes depending on seasonal availability of local ingredients.

FB Girl

Food, people, atmosphere are all amazing. Will definitely be going back.

Peter Venables

The food was average. I had the burger with salad. What gave it low marks is the service. When my cup of water came and I drank it, it tasted werid, I realized it was because they didn't thorough wash the glass. It had lipstick on it. The second turnoff for me was the slow service. We waited quite a while for the food to arrive. It seems like they can't handle the lunch crowd efficiently. I won't be coming back! sorry!

Jonathan Porter

Never had a bad meal here, and loved the poster in the corner of the Tom Thompson Room. Climate change is happening, whether some of our political leaders want to acknowledge it or not.

Gord Cluthe

Nice quiet patio, fried chicken was quite good.

Akinyemi Olaleye

Great atmosphere! Food and service were good. Antojitos were very dry-could use a recipe adjustment!

Dayna MacDonald

Great service, amazing food, highly recommend

Stefan Lemoine

Food was excellent and the time to get it was pretty good. Waiter was a English chap who gave excellent service. Downside was dessert menu was pretty weak, but the rest of the expectations were met.

Trevor Fairey

. The produce they use is always so fresh. Great and unique menu choices

Sandi House

As always, food was great. Great atmosphere.

Arielle Fortier-Lazure

Not only amazing food but great service. They went above and beyond for me making sure there was no dairy in the dish I wanted. It was greatly appreciated. Will definitely being going there again.

T. G.

Had a really horrible experience here in Nov. Ordered 3 dishes for pickup, one of the dishes was missing from the order (which I only discovered after driving 25 minutes home with the food). One of the other dishes (buttermilk fried chicken) was horribly oversalted and barely edible. So we were left with one dish for 3 people, and had to go elsewhere to get dinner instead after having wasted an hour and a half between ordering and getting home with the food. What's worse is that I tried to contact Borealis several times in the week after the incident about getting a refund and they never even bothered replying. I emailed through the form on the website and left 3 voice mails. Terrible experience, will never give them my business again.

Kelly Barber

Food was exceptional. Only reason for 4 stars was the order was incomplete and had to return for missed item. To the credit of Borealis they provided 2 complimentary desserts for our troubles.

Alfy R. E. Meyer

The service was great as was the food (and beer). For an environmentally conscious restaurant with locally sourced ingredients the price was far better than I anticipated. I'll definitely go back.

william mcknight

Loved it, amazing service. Totally catered to our large gluten free and Halal group. Thank you Luigi and Chef

Tayler Morrison

Great food, excellent drink selection, amazing service and a really good atmosphere. One of our go to spots in KW or Guelph

Lindsay Leigh

Dine in

David Gustafson

Food was delicious and the atmosphere is fantastic. The only reason this isn't 5* is because the service was a little slow but I would go back

Vanessa Isla

We like a lot going out. Yesterday we came to this delicious place which friends told us about. We enjoyed a lovely evening there with superb meal and an experienced team and a talented chief cook. We put this restaurant in our phone list and we shall surely return very soon. We warmly recommend.

Nathan Lee

Always a great experience. Awesome staff. Super knowledgeable with the menu and accommodating to gluten free. Thanks

melissa cappa

Such good food and service here. Loved how fresh and delicious everything that we tried was. Lots of great menu options. As well as drink options too.

Anton Benjameen

Brick patio, and excellent service. They need more vegetarian options, and non-alcoholic drink options

Kerri Jantzi

Super quick and friendly service! Love the food and the atmosphere. Made better because it’s local & they source locally!

Tom Arnold

The food was amazing the cost was great. The waiters were nice and seemed happy enough. Only issue I have is our cups both had lip marks them. My husband does not wear sparkly pink lipstick and I made sure after.... All and all of will be coming back please wash your cups better.

Kory Jeffrey

Had a special "Date Night" with the wife on October 12th, 2016. Made "special" reservations for our evening; however, there was a slight delay! Our important requests was having a booth table, the other was having Luigi as our server. There was the initial delay of getting a booth as some patrons, although have already paid their bill, we're still occupying the table. The second issue was not being able to have Luigi as our server as that was not his table he would wait on. Well my wife, Stephanie, prefers booths; moreover, would decline service if not being served by Luigi personally. While being disappointed by waiting, and now not being served by Luigi, the night was looking really bad for our "Date Night". But then the evening Hostess was able to make arrangements, talked to Luigi, and they came over and spoke to us and ensured us that Luigi would take care of us. As always, Luigi does NOT disappoint! Prompt service, extremely professional yet very personal, passionate and so kind! He went above and beyond to offer us the best Borealis Grille & Bar (Kitchener) had to offer! Luigi ensured our food & drinks were to our enjoyment, and offered plenty of options for us to try and enjoy! He kept our experience perfect! The food was great! But the service Luigi offered us was perfect bar none! Thank you Luigi for yet another, perfect "Date Night"! - Benedict Sr. & Stephanie

Peter Monsberger

Great restaurant , food is amazing ! Everything tasted super fresh . Service was excellent as well. Highly recommend.

Akumagba Irene

I visited yesterday and it was such a lovely experience. I don't know what I love more, how the place is setup or the dessert. The server and the person at the front desk were absolutely lovely people. I did have to book a reservation and you need to show your proof of vaccination and ID. It's actually fancy looking to an extent but the price of the food here was okay. I had the steak and then we shared the White Chocolate Mousse. The cocktail we had was good as well.

Paul Scanling

Neat place, good food. Good service, would come back again.

David Thornton

Ontario Fruit Ice worth going back for!! Raspberry was delicious!

Ty (Daniel)

Meal was ok? My Caesar cocktail was served in a wine style glass which I would recommend in the future, use a large mouth glass, as when you drink, if you don't lick the rim off, it gets on your nose. Menu options are limited due to the "local" feature. pricing doesn't reflect portion sizes! Server was great, very attentive.

Julia Lisetto

outstanding food and service. shout-out to Luigi. you've got a gift man.

Mike

Had a really tasty salad there for lunch. They were quick to take our order and quick to bring the good out, even though it was busy. Would go there again.

Nathan Loube

Fantastic service. Our server was inobtrusive, but very attentive. Food was tasty.

Jason Shaw

Good value on date night. Decor and atmosphere is very nice

MT

The Old Smokey hamburger is the best burger (in Canada) that I've ever had.

Chris Priester

Very nice restaurant in old refurbished school house. Lots of seating and lots of parking. Food is all home grown (local) and environmentally friendly. This is not for the picky eater as their entrees were quite different. For instance I had the chicken sandwich with rhubarb chutney and goat cheese. It was on a multi grain bread. Quite tasty. My wife who won't try anything different had their fish and chips. Others in our group had the cheese burger which they said was good. My only complaint was this was an expensive meal for a lunch, one sandwich, fish and chips, a coffee and a coke all for $55.00 including tip. I am use to around $30.00 for a lunch.

Bjorn Wiik

Very nice dining experience, great outdoor patio and the food was very good. A little expensive but it's worth it because of the quality

Martin Kunze

Service

Mike Lopez

This one's tough. I want to like the Borealis but after having been there twice, I feel 3 stars is all I can give it. I like the idea of locally sourced food, though I am kinda curious as to how they define "local", because our waitress listed "places like BC" among the local sources. Does 3000km away really count as local? The first time my husband and I went there was in May 2016. My husband asked for the steak but they were out of steak, so he ordered the salmon instead. I don't remember what I had, but I do remember that neither of us were impressed with our choices. The second time we went was for my husband's birthday this year. This time they had steak. Unfortunately it was tough, thin and had way too much gristle. I had ordered a salad with arugula, roasted squash, dried cranberries and a honey vinaigrette with added striploin. The striploin was good but the salad itself was way too sweet. Even half the amount of cranberries would've still been too much. The dessert was good and since it was my husband's birthday, we received a 10$ gift certificate which was nice. However, since we were kinda let down by the food for a second time, we're not in a rush to redeem it.

Brent Maxwell

I so wanted to love this place, and even gave it a second chance, but unfortunately two poor experiences with service leave a sour taste. Food was delicious, but service leaves much to be desired with staff lacking knowledge of the menu, impatient, and inattentive. Hopefully this can be improved upon so service matches the excellent menu offerings.

A M

First time there tonight. Loved it service and food perfect

Josh the Squash

Fantastic food, great quality and local ingredients. Good decor and layout with clean facilities. Service by Luigi was phenomenal! Would highly recommend!

Matin Foomani

Food was very good, friendly service.

Marc McNamara

Love the food, and even better that it is sourced local. The staff have always been friendly and never had an issue with anything.

Frank Barlow

Locally owned restaurant serving locally grown food. The quality of the menu, ingredients, and food is very bard to match. A great place to go for a nice date or bring friends / family for a nice visit.

Mike Davies

My partner and I love Borealis! The staff a great and the food is always good.

Gabby Borgerink

Amazing every time my boyfriend and i go! The service is good, but it is the food that puts this restaurant over the top. When you pay for a meal, it is definitely worth every penny! The display alone makes every dish look amazing, but they taste ten times better. The seasonal menu changes never cease to amaze us! Thanks for the great dinner, will definitely be back again!

Alicia B

Decent sized menu featuring some recognizably local items beyond Toronto (is that less than 100km away?) Lots of "fluffy" ingredients that sound better on the menu than they taste. Decent selection of wine and beer. 4 stars for the variety, atmosphere and service while pushing something trendy.

S. Copeland

Always good food here. Not the fastest service though

Alton Pinto

Fried chicken and potato salad is amazing Went here again during covid restrictions. Protocol all followed and felt safe. Had amazing service from Luigi. He was very attentive and helpful

Helmi Ansari

Amazing food. Portions could be a bit larger. Taste was on point. Good craft beer selection, as well as cocktails. Great experience will return, but not with a big appetite.

Jaymie McAyles

This place is OK, they tout being super local but the dishes are hit and miss. My wife and I have been there twice and each time one of our meals tastes really good and the other is blah. Cornbread is delicious but the beer they are dispensing is a little flat. Careful if they try to seat you in the bar as they did on our first visit and tried to on our second. It is crazy noisy and nearly impossible to hold a conversation across the table.

Sam Forwell

Server was excellent. Despite the new, more strict covid regulations the staff were upbeat and diligent. Food taste was what I expected from borealis.

Peter Wolf

I don’t really understand the hype of this place. The service isn’t that great, the food is ok and the place just seems crowded to me with not much of a good menu to choice from

Donald McCallum

Unique and interesting. Price wise it compares to a Kelsey's. Quality wise it puts The Keg to shame. From the wheat berries in the Duck Confit, to a beautifully flaky crust on the Elk-pork Tortierre, this place has a small town price on technically excellent cooking What struck me the most was the service. The server knew people, knew about their lives and talked about her own. It is a rare thing to not just see a place where the clientèle keep returning, but where the servers stick around to build that kind of rapport

Quintessential Energy Focus - Tina BQ Tran

Tiffany our server was absolutely amazing, she fulfilled our specialized order to perfection and ensured we had a wonderful guest experience. The kitchen made our food undeniably delicious and the managers did not hesitate at any request we had. Excellent atmosphere, food, and experience. We can not wait to return

Eric Brouwer

I love going to Borealis. The atmosphere is amazing with a great history (being an old school house) and the food never disappoints. Our server Heather was cheerful and made great recommendations on both wine and food. Overall a wonderful lunch or dinner spot- one of my favourites! Great food and great service! Our server Luigi went above and beyond to make us feel welcome and really added to the whole experience. Food came out quick and just how we asked - especially when it came to making changes for some of the dishes. Thanks!

Robyn Stevens

Pretty girls. Good beer selection. 40 minutes for four burgers that were ok. Beautiful old schoolhouse. Go for beers anytime

Anthony

Always a great experience. Good food. Attentive service.

Jeff Gingerich

Service great, food incredible, dessert amazing

Angela Bortolus Longo

Good food, prompt service, and strict observance of COVID protocols. They do check to make sure you have your full COVID vaccines, so bring your proof of vaccinations. The fried chicken and blackened chicken antijitos were my personal favorites.

Lichtywara

Very good quality food sourced locally. They do need fresh cut fries :)

Derek Lackenbauer

Fantastic food and customer service as always! Alie was our server. Many thanks.

Melissa Rafiq

My fiance and brother threw me a surprise birthday party at Borealis in the wine cellar downstairs... All i have to say is WOW! The venue was amazing and the staff were exceptional!!!!! The management and wait staff catered to our every need. The food was to die for! I was blown away by the entire night!!! I HIGHLY recommend Borealis to anyone!

Todd O’Donnell

Service was great. Food isn't special. I ordered the shirt ribs.. not something that I would suggest for anyone here. Not tender. Not soft. Full of gristle. Dessert was two spoonfuls. No value there.

Keelan Stephen-Masters

I've been shying away from eating staples like burgers and fish and chips for a while now as most places have them on their menu but do a terrible job at making them. Then friends recommend I trust Borealis and wow, just wow! This place restored my faith in the burger, along other classics. I can't wait to return!

Andrew Jay

Consistantly high quality food and service

Karen Herrera

Great food and service. Prices are on the higher side and I feel COVID killed the dining vibe. Unfortunately ambiance sucked.

Lyubov Lytvyn

Great taste. Loved the salmon like never before. Very sweet waitresses.

Gul Murjani

Our favourite dinner spot! Love that they strive to be as sustainable as possible and serving local food. Last time I was there I had the seafood bowl and loved the green curry sauce. They have great options for everyone and love their daily specials - date night is a great time to try it out!

Steve Henry

Awesome selection of local food and beverages! Very pleasant atmosphere and attentive staff. Would highly recommend going. Went on a Thursday which the special was fried chicken and it was amazing.

Justin Perchaluk

Nice menu options, good food and excellent service. Their sweet potato fries are a special treat. A nice atmosphere for dinner and pleasantly on the quieter side, at least where we were seated out on patio.

sophia kiss

My first visit started off with a good recommendation by the waitress for a local craft beer Elora Lodestar Ale which was terrific. I then never saw her again until I was paying the bill. Seemed like service here is random people dropping food off with no consistency or follow up. Lunch menu is fairly limited and they had no special on a Saturday afternoon. I really enjoyed the elk sausage anjilitos to start with which was followed up by a chicken taco, fish taco and salad. The salad came dry with no dressing and the fish taco also had no sauce and was tasteless. The chicken taco was good but not much different than what you could get elsewhere for a few dollars less. Overall for a costly solo lunch my experience was best described as OK. Unlikely to return.

Ray Colvin (mrslivefit)

I ordered the sea food bowl and it was delicious. Their lunch time is limited but the our meal tasty.

Karin Lorento

Dinner

Lara Saliba

What an interesting menu! The portion sizes were small for the price, but the food was very flavorful. Would definitely recommend for a special night out.

Damian Sarzynski

We've been to Borealis three times, and each visit was great. Tonight's was one of our best restaurant meals ever. My wife and I shared goose antojitos (the daily special) as an app, and split brisket-topped mac & cheese and fried chicken tacos for the main. All of these were stellar. Our server was pleasant and funny, and the food was out promptly. I ended up ordering two additional tacos, not because I was still hungry, but because they were delicious and I wanted to stuff myself to the gills. We topped off dinner with a pair of cheesecake desserts, which were also worth savouring. No weak links. My wife and I eat out a fair bit, and like to try new places. Borealis is interfering with that, because we keep going back.

Hasan Riaz

Service

Madina Homayoun

Borealis was great! Highly recommended. They know how to pack food to make sure your meal ( that already started off great) is still great once you get to dig in!

Christopher Grant

About Service: Although I have been a customer and a great fan of Borealis in Kitchener but I have never left a review. I always refer people for Borealis` legendary burgers! I believe they are the best in the entire region. I was there on Thursday and experienced a fantastic service. Borealis has always served me (and i think does for everyone just the same) very well and I always leave satisfied. But on Thursday I experienced a new level of commitment. The waiting staff from the hostess to our waiter was fantastic. Chris did a great job. He is new to Borealis and I met him for the first time. BRAVO! Keep up the good job Chris and thank you for the service.

Anne Dixon

Always great service, attention to detail, amazing local food options and great atmosphere in this unique school house. Also great gluten friendly options.

Nicole Delisle

Great food, amazing service, nice decor.

Andrea Kuciak

Amazing local food. Gluten free options too!

Colin Gauthier

First time went for work lunch, neat and exciting atmosphere. 3 points because there could have done better with the dish. 3 of us ordered the salmon and mussle dish, taste really good but was couple of mussle, very little shreds of salmon and lots of potato/veg chunks. Was bit disappointed at that.

Karen O'Donoghue

Hosted my annual team planning session today at Borealis. They let us in early just after 9am and had breakfast and coffee for us. Room in basement is gorgeous and ideal for a small team. Lunch was great but best of all was service from Heather throughout the day. Great thing is we are back tomorrow with my other office!

Daryn Dyer

Food was excellent. Although there were many servers, there could have been more. It got very loud at one point because they really pack people in, so the ambiance was lost.

Benedict R. Peregil Sr.

Huge shout out to Dan from our hotel for recommending this great restaurant ! Our server Colleen was extremely helpful with the menu and wine pairings. Food is top quality and sooo delicious. My new motto is - if you're not sure about what to order- ask for a recommendation from your server!

Susan Booth

I took my wife here for Valentines and it was a perfect date. The decor is fantastic. The service is pleasant. Their beer is amazing.

Kate

We came before they opened but they let us sit in the bar with a glass of water until they were ready. Great food, terrific service. Highly recommend it.

Gregorio Garcia

Food was disappointing had the fried chicken it was burnt come with a barbecue sauce that really just tasted like ketchup just kind of boring won't be back again

Rick Joseph

Visited Borealis for our anniversary and my wife's birthday, the food was excellent and timely, the service was awesome and they even provided us with some complimentary champagne and dessert

Rafael Escobar

I love the atmosphere and table service at Borealis. Although some items on the menu have a higher price point, the items on the appetizer list are unique, filling, and affordable. I recommend the Panko crusted goat cheese and PEI mussels. The kale Caesar salad is also a great lower price point option!

Charles Coutu

We had a breakfast meeting for my large colleague group and the team was great. I just wish they had some power solutions (extension cords/power bars) as most of the folks that came had devices they needed to plug in.

Brynn McIntyre

Lovely place and prices are decent. Services from our waitress Natasha was awesome. We came as a family and everybody liked the dishes we ordered (duck, elk, mac&cheese and veggies curry). Good portions. The BBQ chicken wings as appetizer was a different story though. They tasted like tomatoes sauce got dumped on steamed chicken wings.

Mike Patchett

First visit and a basic burger is charred along with its bun. Can't adjust water temp in washroom and it was ice cold. The coffee and fries were good.

Phil Miller

Went there at a very busy lunch time before Christmas. Service was excellent (server Luigi) food (buttermilk chicken & cornbread) as to die for and they atmosphere was very pleasant. Full stars for a great place.

Jacobe “Jacobe”

Very interesting menu. I think the concept is, they serve what's in season.

Nate Sawyer

Excellent food. Good service. Interesting history of building.

Angus Chan

went there tonight for dinner, had the strip loin steak and it was terrible, but to the restaurants credit they removed it immediately, brought me an interim Caesar Salad, while I waited for them to bring me a new steak. within 10 minutes I had a fresh steak, tender and done to my liking. When the bill came out, I was not charged for either steak, nor the Caesar Salad and I received a 25 dollar voucher for my next visit. Now that's what I call standing behind you name and product. Will definitely return .

Gavin White

Amazing burgers very high quality food . Had lunch twice and word definitely go back . They use really high quality ingredients.

Richard Abbott

Awesome food. We wanted local and we got local and it was delicious. The hostess and our waitress, Courtney, were the best! Highly recommend this restaurant.

James Morgan

Fist time here and loved the menu! Combination of unique dishes and modern comfort food. Service was outstanding. Will definitely order takeout from here as a treat during lockdown

Erik Gray

Had an awesome time here on Friday evening. Food & drinks were spot on and our server Connie was super friendly.

Shianna Hofstetter

Great food, menu, service! Attention to flavors in menu items was appreciated. I ordered the sausage bowl - great flavour - presentation was a little lacking - looked like a stew - a little on the dry side - and not enough sausage. It might seem like I'm nitpicking but attention to detail is what makes a dining experience. I definitely would recommend this restaurant!

Alyson Morgan

Great staff. Monday night deals. Great food. Thanks.

Rob Thomas

$35 to split a soup, get a salad, and a Pepsi. Overpriced and the tomato and feta salad was not great. Service was fast and friendly. Decor is a bit off like an abandoned farmhouse.

Richard Davis

Great atmosphere, delicious food, and stellar service. We had the pleasure of being served by Ernest I believe his name was - he was super friendly, very knowledgeable, and attentive. Our table was well taken care of. We'll certainly be back! (Reasonably priced for the food/service as well!)

Andrei Peana

Love coming to this location. The service and food is always really good!

David Schooley

Amazing experience. The food was great, very tasty, but our server, Luigi made the night! Will 100% go back!

Candice Grizzle

Amazing, friendly service without being intrusive or annoying, decent beer selection, lots of local options and vegetarian options. Nachos were sooooo good, and a huge serving. Tried a friend's burger and fries, which were also great

Vanessa

We enjoyed a great dinner at Borealis over the weekend. We had couple drinks on the patio earlier and didn't realize what kind of restaurant this was. Dinner was really good. The food is truly delicious and not just hyped up as "local" and "Ontario fresh". very flavourful and delicious. The atmosphere is interesting as its a high end food restaurant with casual feeling bar so there was a big mix of customers, some celebrating special occasions and us just having some food and drinks. The final bill was a bit of a hit, but it was a good experience. I would love to come back just to try the different shareables and make that into a meal just to explore the flavours.

Josh Weir

Went for the new menu and loved it. The seafood bowl was ringed with delicious and fresh mussels and just the right amount of green curry to make it sing. Although very busy the service was attentive and friendly. the fish and chips were created with 2 generous portions of sustainable white bass, crispy chips and coleslaw made in house. We will be back soon!

Dan Martin

Service was great, disappointed with the food. Very expensive for what you got. Came home and had to make something else to eat.

Topher Ellis

Excellent, as always. Wonderful wait staff. My wife highly recommends the Short Rib Linguini w/blue cheese sauce.

Raegan Zinger

Always great service from all the employees from the moment I walk in the door. They truly make you feel like family. The food is also delicious!! My only complaint is that they don't sell their hot sauce by the bottle, it is honestly THE BEST hot sauce I've ever had.

Jason Mastrandrea

We have bragged about this restaurant to our family and friends, but last night's service and meal was a real disappointment. The menu choices seem to be getting less and less appetizing. The food was awful and over priced! We waited in the bar area for a table for half an hour before seated upstairs. There were tables empty so not sure why we had to wait and then sat there for about 20 minutes until I finally asked someone to serve us. We won't go back. There are too many nice restaurants in Waterloo that are much better priced and has better quality and service.

Nick Tom

I don't know what's going on here, but the menu is very basic and food quality has drastically decreased.

David Wilmering

Last night we met at Borealis to celebrate the retirement of one of our coworkers. We had dinner in the private dining room. The food was delicious, the service great, and our celebration was fantastic! Thank you for a wonderful evening!

sam Kunuram

Went for early dinner/late lunch empty restaurant, yet they seated me in an area where multiple employees passed by bringing up tables and chairs from downstairs for most of the time I was at the restaurant. I ordered the fried chicken, it came burnt, the skin was blackened and had a burnt taste. I was hoping it was just the skin but it wasn't, it was burnt tasting right through.

Linda Lau

The food here is amazing. You won't be disappointed.

Lucas Kaehler

Great food that's locally sourced.

John Williams

Always the best food here. The servers and rest of the team always make you feel super welcome and go above and beyond!

Karl K

Last nights (2015/16) New Years fixed menu for $65 was bland at best. My prime rib was cooked the way I liked it but lacked taste. Total let down. The only menu item I enjoyed was the cheese cake. It'll be a long while before I go back.

christine kieswetter

Last week we stopped in at Borealis Grille & Bar - Kitchener! We were treated amazingly well, it was an incredible experience. We tried a few of their appetizers including their cornbread with honey as well as their blackened chicken antijitos. The antijitos were so so fresh and flavourful served on a bed of sour cream. The cornbread melted in our mouths. The honey and sea salt are a nice touch. To conclude our experience we were given samples of beer. They have many local craft beers to choose from. We love that they are obsessively fresh and local. One thing we really enjoyed while eating our appetizers was the cooking shows on the TV screens.

Trudy Smith

Shared a ploughman platter and nachos with a group. Loved all the vibrant flavours. Blue cheese was really tasty, so we're the pickled beans. Should have asked for more bread to go with it.

Jeffrey Ng

Service and food was excellent, I leveraged the Open Table App to make Reservations, was very easy and simple. I really liked the option for indoor or outdoor seating on the Reservation app. The server was very attentive and friendly. Food was very flavourful, seasoned. I would definitely return. The chocolate bar dessert is three triangle chocolate tortes, very delicious.

Erez Zukerman

Excellent service and delicious food. Casual yet upscale feeling atmosphere. We'll be back for sure!

Jeffrey Frederick

Absolutely fantastic as usual. I definitely recommend the hot wings and the old smokey burger

Mohannad Hussain

Food was awesome. Service not good. But we still had to pay 18% gratuity.

Quick Sandwiches

I loved it until they took away my favourite meal. The butternut squash ravioli was so good.. and it was removed from the menu

Tony Fortunato

Fresh, local, lovely! Can not go all the time, prices are not accessible to all. Should have something on the scheduel liw price.

Doug Lewis

Just had takeout cod nachos fish fried chicken. The cornbred which I usually live was burnt and dry. Needless to say very disappointing

Andrea

This is my go to restaurant when I have a guest visiting town. It has become my local favorite Grill and Bar for many reasons! We've celebrated large Christmas dinners here and they'll even accommodate many private functions at your request. Borealis also has a welcoming atmosphere, a great menu and an impeccable staff! I'm looking forward to visiting again soon :)

Chad Allison

nice location. good food. attentive staff our waiter Luigi was very good always made sure your glass was full even if he was obsessed with it being on a coaster.

Adam

Amazing local food. Very interesting atmosphere , elegant and trendy , service was fabulous !! Would def come here again. Fish and chips were fantastic and burger well put together ! Added: came back a few months later, drove an hour from London just for the amazing service, food, and atmosphere

Rasool Tahmasebi

The smoked cheddar and bacon burger is amazing. I think I did not know what bacon tasted like up to now. Nachos were very nice as well.

Caelan Groleau

A great place. Haven't been in years. Disappointed they don't have a cease with horseradish. Had dinner and drinks. Same great quality.

Jeffery Bennett

Our 2nd visit - miserable experience. Food was AAA++ but the hostess dropped the ball. Somehow she left us at the bar for 50 minutes where we watched others be seated before us and received no apology; short-story-long we filled up on booze, only ate half our meal, and took desert to-go. Again, no explanation and no part of our bill was compensated. We also had the pleasure of watching the floor manager (I think? the tall large black gentlemen without a tie) clear tables and ask "how was your meal?" with every other table but ours. If they actually read these reviews - I was really hoping to speak with you 1-on-1 instead of coming to the internet. KUDOS to the chef! This review does not reflect the food quality.

Eric Law

Food and drinks were excellent. They have home made beer-mustard which is excellent and you can buy in bottles and take with you. Portions are plentiful and service was good. The main building used to be a school and the second floor keeps some of the atmosphere. Well done.

Craig Gray

Tasty food. Nice space. Innovative menu. Good local focus.

Krysti Beckett

Place is nice. Decoration is good. Service is great. Food is OK.

Caleb Morcinek

Amazing food, amazing stuff and service!! Please try it you won’t be disappointed!!! I love this restaurant!! Thank you Borealis!!!

allen gatzke

Good spot for a quick lunch. Great service. Grilled chicken burger was good-nothing special but also not horrible.

Igor Foox

The food was delicious! Good service!

Jess Huston

Ordered a veggie burger and it was the worst I have ever had. Very thick patty that was not flavoured and the texture was of playdough. Barely any sauce or dressing to distract from that. We waited the entire meal, my husband was finished by the time our waitress came to even ask how it was. By that time we paid the full bill just to leave and not speak to the chef. It is our anniversary today so that was quite the disappointment. I absolutely love and support local eateries but I will not be back again.

Jason Hearle

Everything was great. Had the Cornish hen. Only advice is better musical vibes. Teen pop is not the best dinner music. Lol

Gary Hazlitt

It was great. I expected a small fancy schmancy burger but it was tasty and filling. Love eating local food. Great staff. Will definitely come back.

Kevin MacKenzie

Staff was friendly. Our dinner and drinks were fabulous. We'd definitely eat here again.

Bruce Farrer

Great tasting food! Excellent service. Sourced locally.

Ben Holmes

Dinner

Jesse Kindl

Outstanding food and one of the best atmospheres I’ve been in.

Ashley Baker

Awesome place! Great meal! Friendly staff. Great atmosphere!

Colin Lamb

Nice place delicious foods

Milt Flynn

excellent service, not a huge menu...but very tasty, good sized portions

Deanna Koller

Great food and wonderful service. Our server Matt made excellent recommendations. We’ll be back for sure!

Grant Eveleigh

Amazing food, amazing drinks and the staff treated everyone like family. I’ll definitely be coming here again in the near future.

Will T

We enjoyed a good meal there under one of their deals. Ordered a drink from their alcoholic menu and it was awful. I wouldnt trust any of their drinks. Food was great though.

Andrew Grundy

Food is awesome. Ambient noise is a little loud bud adds to a social atmosphere. Had dinner on the Wednesday"date night" menu; so didn't have access to the full menu, but the options on the special were tasty and filling. Staff were great, professional and polite.

Teresa Yeung

I walked in and was greated by Neil, a fantastic asset to this restaurant, I felt welcomed as soon as I walked in the door.

Julie Palmer

Great selection of locally grown and raised food. Generous portions to fill your appetite. Great place for a quiet meal wit your loved one. Awsome patio to enjoy your favorite beverage.

Josh Windsor

Consistently good farm to table good service and value

The2xF

Just OK, not great. Had the fish tacos. Lacked a bit of flavor as only a trace of tartar sauce with bland lettuce. Asked for more sauce, plus a lime wedge which elevated the flavor and made it tasty.

Dylan Dunstall

Bad experience. Unpalatable food and poor service. Waitress not showing pleasant manners. Not recommended if you want to eat well and be treated nicely.

Margaret Walker

When I walked in we were greeted by friendly staff who led us in to the dining area to the left where we were greeted by our server Chris, who was very patient while our our party of 6 took a while to order. Food took a bit to come out, but was very good. I had the old smokey burger with a side of ceaser salad and my only complaints are that the burger patty was slightly dry and could have been seasoned more, and the ceaser salad could have had more lemon. Overall, a really nice atmosphere and staff and I would love to come back again.

Rick Csöff

Lovely place. Amazing staff. Food so good.

Okterfdcser Pokfeczser

Had an absolutely wonderful time here. This location has amazing prices, delicious food, and a great atmosphere for dining. My server Ernesto was AMAZING and extremely kind and friendly providing great recommendations as well.

Kathryn Schnarr

An excellent experience! Dined outside under toasty heaters. The food was predictably awesome and our server, Tiffany, was extremely attentive and friendly. It was a mild winter day and the patio experience was great. Look forward to doing it again soon.

Keil Sherwood

This place is always good, whether for a team lunch or a romantic dinner. The food is tasty and "local"-ish. The service is usually OK, but sometimes can be a bit spotty. They are always friendly though.

Marc Bailey

Excellent local food and great service.

Kim Richter

Amazing experience! Food was delicious and service was very friendly. We are a family of 5, and we felt welcomed!

Alex Brooks

The food was delicious and the presentation was fantastic. Our waiter Luigi made for an incredibly memorable evening. One of the best dining experiences in the region

Donna Beecraft

Good place, food could be a little better. Not really anything special in my opinion.

Melissa Klompstra

This spot was recommended by our hotel the Kitchener Inn and Suites just across the road.... When entering we were greeted promptly and escorted to our seats in the old school house area....very unusual and the large pictures on the walls that provided the unique historical history of the building....great ambiance... Waitress took our drink order promptly allowing us time to take in the pictures...Drinks were returned quickly and our food order was taken...my turkey burger and the better half’s fish tacos were again were delivered quickly....We made great choices!! Very tasty and nicely presented...We didn’t feel we needed a dessert but put a butter tart on a dessert menu and someone can’t say no....and lucky us but there was a dessert special for two....We are also impressed with their concerns for the environment with sourced food supplies, composting and ongoing reduction of waste, hydro and water....So glad we followed the recommendation of Kitchener Inn and Suites..... When settling up the bill with our attentive waitress Cassandra we found out she knew our daughter!!!.... Small world...Will be back soon...

Kevin F

Of the four in our party, three of us had good meals. Unfortunately the meal that was a burger was hard & way over-cooked and I used the steak knife provided to cut it up to eat. I have had a good experience here before , so will reserve final judgement! :(

Barb Kirk

The servers were all really nice and we had a great time. The food was great and the portions were big. The drinks menu also had some unique options that made getting one actually worth it. They have some great vegetarian options too and I liked that I could add tofu to my meal. Fries were also on another level

Rosie Watkins

We got the baked brie which was sloppy and overpriced. Then I had the salmon. It was sockeye and thus not like Atlantic which I had never had. Still very small piece and not tasty. $24.95 is too much though and it did not taste fresh. Will not come back. Many better restaurants are available before you spend$50 on a meal. The beer taster of 4 beers was nice.

Mary C.

Amazing appetizers and a great atmosphere Very friendly staff

Karen Oliveira

Friendly warm service, cozy atmosphere. Twist on your standard upscale bar food..all locally sources food and drink. Definitely worth a try sometimes they offer 3 course meal dinner deals. Can be on the more expensive side for a full meal out with drinks.

Michael Budd

A group of 5 of us enjoyed outstanding meals and service here. We particularly enjoyed the sausage bowl and the duck! We liked the interesting flavour combinations and the variety of vegetables in our meals.

Allan Martin

The food was excellent... All locally sourced foods... And the service was great!

Lester Andrews

Big portions.

Brian Roberts

Absolutely amazing service. Our server who I didn't catch the name of (switched during our visit) was very attentive, polite, and knowledgeable on the food. Possibly the manager (?) Dave went completely out of his way for us while I had to leave and return to the restaurant for personal reasons to make sure the food was on time. Could not recommend Borealis more. The local dishes are fantastic and it's great to see support for local companies in the food industry.

Brian B

Good selection of beer. Had the burger which was delicious. Quick service. Friendly staff. Great place to visit.

Rob Maltby

Great menu and great service. A good place to get a meal.

Michelle Bellamy

Honestly the best meal I've ever had at a restaurant. The dessert was to die for. My boyfriend and I went for date night great deal! The service was impeccable, the staff super friendly. Very well set up for social distancing. All round amazing experience.

Ben & Linda Wiebe

Great food from local sources, a great feeling!

Avid Banihashemi

The food was delicious and the selection of local beers was excellent. Portion size could be improved. I had 1/2 a cornish hen. I could've eaten a whole one.

Jo Wettlaufer

Well we arrived at 5:20 for the first time, ordered our food, the steak and also the tortiere. But after 50 minutes, by 6:10 pm the food never showed up. We left very disappointed. We mentioned how long we had waited to the maitre d on the way out.

M F

Went with a work group, service was good and so was the food but I was expecting the food to be great. Presentation was appetizing but the food was a bit bland. Others expressed similar comments. The limited menu we had agreed upon to improve the flow of the evening might have had something to do with it.

Blade Groleau

Food was not hot. Brie cheese was cold when delivered in both brie apps we rec'd. Server must have been on break and food sat on counter for too long before serving. Last 2 visits were downhill from past great experiences. Still good atmosphere

Arthur G

Amazing food. One of the best places I've eaten by far! Fish tacos are crazy good! Will be back soon that is for sure!

Megan Denney

Not only do we love the local food but the service was very accommodating with a new born and large party.

Patrick Rodriguez

If you're in Kitchener, skip over the Moose Winooski and go here instead!! Great detail is taken to sourcing and creating exceptional dishes made from completely local ingredients - even the bar list boasts Ontario's finest wines, beers and distillations. Friendly service, well-timed food, didn't feel rushed or like service was compromised for lunch. We will definitely be back!

Lois Dana

Despite our first time being a memorable experience, sadly last night's was not. Having a reservation didn't matter much either. Seated late, neglected, poorly prepared food, and all around lousy service was the experience for the 10 of us last night. When it was brought up to the manager, it was countered with, well we gave you free deserts (which none of us took) and a $10 voucher for your next visit. Why would we return after being seated 15 minutes past our reservation time, no service, not even water for 15 more minutes? Didn't take a drink order, just right in to dinner order. Food came cold, and the salmon was dry. Didn't even get our water glasses refilled until after we finished eating. When we did speak to the manager, we were made to feel it was our fault. As we watched people seated after us finish their meals and leave before we were even served, it left a very bitter taste in our mouths indeed.

B_Mad

We had the Quinoa & Arugula Salad, Caramelized Onion + Brie Flatbread, and Chicken Wings with the Signature BBQ Sauce. Each had its own little twist. And they had the Covid distancing protocol very well implemented. We went there for a light lunch and dined inside (very well spaces)

Tomas Guidolin

Meal type

Spencer Jaschkowski

Always great food! Amazing staff. Highly recommend this restaurant!

Iudita Curescu

Beef short ribs were not great. Rather overpriced.

Krueger444

Overly expensive, not flavorful. Like the idea of local eats as well as the atmosphere but for what you get for the price, not very good. Also was freezing cold both times I've gone.

Rick Schell

Food is absolutely amazing! Servers are great and efficient. The cucumber in the water is unique and really good. All local food ingredients my fiance and I were happy.

W C

Great food and atmosphere.

Eric Jackson

Very good

Tracy Harding

Meal type

Kayla Stumpf

Great restaurant. Food was really delicious and the menu is chalked full of great options! Would be 5 start rating, but the Caesars we had were a little weak...

Jessica Villanueva

Was looking forward to trying Borealis. We placed an order on Ubereats and the order said accepted. Then all of a sudden it said “Borealis has cancelled your order”. No phone call, no reason? I tried to call and no one answered.

Jamison Van Dyke

Tried to visit this evening only to find a closed for special event sign on the door ???????? I had gone on the website first to check for plant based menu options and no notification came up. Now that I have gone back on site I see a notification but only on main page when I scrolled down a bit - would have been nice if that was the first thing to pop up.

That Gurl

Dine in

Nadine Eby

I absolutely love dining at Borealis! It has become one of my favorite places to eat... anywhere.

Jayne Bailey

Fried chicken was burned but my wife pasta plate was ok... service was good and location

Kevin Saatchi

Amazingly local! Best service I've ever had in a restaurant. Make sure you have Luigi as your waiter!

shari farrell

Lovely place to have an elegant meal.

Brock Besley

Well done! Great food. Friendly staff and beautiful presentation.

Francine Noiseux

The only complaint it took too long to get the coffee food was good and plenty of food.

Bob Owen

Food was very good. Nice selection, and the price wasn't crazy expensive. Our waiter was very friendly and a unique character. He is clearly experienced, and takes his job seriously. He added value to the experience. Only downside was waiting for what felt like 15-30 mins, even though we had a reservation. Would go back.

Rod Fuller

Went there for lunch around 1330 on a monday, ordered burger with fries, service was perfect, food tasted amazing. Highly recommend this place

Mona Ben Aoun

Took the boys out for lunch, not a single drop of alcohol we were told. Odd. Edited after reply from establishment. I could see lots that I would love to drink. That wasn't the issue. The server told me there was no alcohol in the establishment at the time. Won't be returning. Thanks.

Alyssa Shortt

I came here with a reservation for a group of 8. We were seated promptly. The staff was friendly. The food I had was just ok, but the rest of the group thoroughly enjoyed theirs. I had the burger and the meat was pretty overcooked. Everyone who had the fried chicken or the friend chicken tacos loved it. Perhaps I'll try one of those next time.

Charlie Semple

Whenever we have gone to Borealis, the experience has truly been 5 stars. No matter what we select on the menu, it is always very well presented with excellent flavour and flare. Today, however, we ate from the Valentine's Day menu and found the salmon main to be sub par for what we expect when dining at Borealis. The fillet lacked creativity and flavour and the base was disappointing in both presentation and taste. My wife's bison main was superb. Appetizers and desserts were also very well done. Ambience and service were great, as usual. We will be back for sure but will avoid that salmon dish if we see it again. :) Four stars today.

Carl Clappison

Great food locally sourced, has good non alcoholic options other than pop and water. Good service and atmosphere. Reasonably priced

Andrew Hammer

Great selection. Prices are somewhat high. Great place to take your friends for "Real Canadian" food.

Shelby

Any meal I've had a Borealis has been splendid. Great appetizers, great wings and nachos and superb burgers. The service is prompt, friendly and consistent. The lounge and conference room are very comfortable. I like the huge patio space in the summer. Overall Borealis is one of the best restaurants in the KW-Cambridge area.

Yvonne Parker

Let me start by saying that the service was amazing. But there is more... Vegan options? Fantastic to say the least. My wife and daughter who are both vegan raved about portion size and flavor. They really enjoyed their meal. My son and I had the deep fried chicken, fries and corn bread. It was to die for. Price was fair, great setting (old rustic look), I will recommend this place over and over.

Tracey Tink

Luigi is always so much fun when we get him. Totally enjoyed our meal as well. Keep it up!

Antonio Kovac

Great burger and pasta

Brendan Cooper

Great service, love the local food angle plus the feel of the place. An old school? Perfect.

J May

Awesome food, great atmosphere and amazing service. How can you not say yes to this place. One of my many nearby favourite places to eat.

Todd Shaver

Good food at reasonable prices for the atmosphere

Joe Pansolin

Great service and food, consistent and delicious everytime

Nasha Kroutil

Still a go to for going for that touch more upscale without the snootiness. Nice food, good wait staff.

Jon Marvin

The food is always excellent, as is the service. You can't go wrong with anything off the menu!

Mark Hartburg

I really wanted to like this place, they buy local food and that is great. I went three times trying my best to like it. But all three times the fish was bad. I ordered three different fish dishes as that's the only meat I can eat and it was spoiled every time . Maybe they will get a chef with a sense of smell one day in which case I will gladly go back but until then no way.

Bonnie Brunet

This has to be the best restaurant I've been to. Best tasting food I've had from a restaurant ever

George Whalen

Excellent service, incredible food, the changing menu makes visiting borealis exciting. Can get very busy but that is a testament to their quality. I would recommend calling ahead for a reservation if you want to guarantee a seat quickly.

Scott Miller

It was excellent as usual. My favourite restaurant

Jennifer C

Trying to be fancy like the Keg. Food is way over priced and way too salty. Vegetables were under cooked. The fish and chips had 2x batter than fish (it looked like you were getting a big piece). Service was mediocre. Pan seared trout was dry. Won't be back.

Julie Stewart

Amazing food, all sourced locally. Their house beers (Harvest Ale and Harvest Lager) are excellent. Service is too notch as well.

Dave Ml

Nice atmosphere, good food, locally sourced food is their mainstay. I would recommend to to friends that prefer organic fare.

Christina Frantz

Fantastic local food, crafted with care. Date night is a steal. The menu is meat heavy; if you are veggie-inclined, try the sweet potato flatbread. Sweet, crunchy and savory, perfection with a pint!

kristen walters

Staff and atmosphere was great. Food was delicious. Found the portion size a little on the small size for the price

Kevin Stemmler

Good food and friendly staff!

Rollande Lemieux

Great wings night in a historic schoolhouse. Awesome service. Going again soon!

briancindy Chambers

Great service and some great food too. Great job folks.

Holly Ballard

Menu was disappointingly small and there was a shocking lack of vegetarian options. The quality of food at Borealis is used to be what I attribute to excellence and I was a little shocked at the quality. It was Meh. Honestly, I probably wouldn't choose to go back unless they release a fully updated menu.

Chany

Went for dinner as a couple a few weeks back and has an excellent meal. Red Sangria is one my favourites. We shared a few apps and the tacos and everything was delicious. Loved the atmosphere and the service.

Fabrin Bugarin

Been here a few time. Food always pretty good. Most staff is friendly and welcoming.

Scooty

Amazing food and amazing service, our server Luigi did an amazing job! We will definitely come back!

Catherine Gomes

It's nice to know a restaurant cares for environment and sustainability. High quality and surprisingly reasonable price gourmet food... I strongly recommend this restaurant...

Alta Rockefeller

Great atmosphere, incredibly delicious food.

parker davis

Lots of options. Food is fantastic, great drinks menu. Atmosphere is inviting and the server we had, had excellent knowledge on the history of the building. (Old school house)

Lindsay Reed

Lunch was less spectacular than dinner. Lots of healthy choices, which was good, but none of us went in that direction. Good salads. My black bean burger was fine, but maybe a bit thick. I suspect that a veggie burger needs to be thinner to create more crispiness. Maybe two thinner patties? Service and presentation 5 stars. Sitting on the patio comfortably on October 6th. Amazing. I'll keep coming back. This is my go-to place in south Kitchener.

jaimeandre80

From the moment we walked in and we’re greeted to the moment we left ~ AMAZING!!! We enjoyed drinks at the bar (try the spiced old fashion ~ you’ll love it!), shared a bottle of wine and ordered off of their Valentines Day menu. The service, meal and ambiance was absolute perfection!!!! Can’t wait to go back ????

Jackson Snell

Great collection of bear.. Enjoyed my meals and had a great fun...

Luke Nietsch

Great place! Amazing private room for about 20 people downstairs behind the bar. We packed in a few generations for Mother's Day and it was perfect. Our kids were able to run around a bit without disturbing other patrons (maybe an obstacle for servers).

Dave Van Manen

Heather was an excellent server and the food was delish. It wasn't my first time and wont be my last. We had the chicken flatbread and a smokey burger. Yum!

Doug Stever-Åkesson

Great place! Food and service was superb! Thanks Luigi

Lindsay Smith

Good place to eat had the bison and liked it a lot, had an issue finding wgat to eat for me and the girl as it is a unique menu.

Donna Duipmans

Just got back from having lunch at the Borealis. My son, who's visiting from Asia took me there for a belated Fathers Day lunch. Neither of us have ever eaten there before. I happened upon their site looking for a pub style restaurant with good food and good selection of beer. We had both at the Borealis and will definitely return. The food was excellent, the beer selection impressive (all local craft beer - I had a 4 sampler) and the ambience/decor very traditional and warm. Check-out their pictures. As for the waitress' who served us, they were polite, prompt, knowledgeable and very pleasant to deal with. As for value, I have no complaints...after all, my son paid the bill; I left the tip. LOL.

Shirley Smith

The price for the portions you get here are terrible. They charged $15 for 6 chicken wings and $9 for a tiny little salad that was something I could do a better job of for less at home. Top it off with an 18% gratuity already added to the bill for their large group requirement. They also do not allow the option of the full menu when in a large group, which only provides most of their more expensive options. Would not eat here again.

Nikolina Manda

Great selection of beer on tap. Nice enough staff. I ordered the fried chicken tacos and they were absolutely dreadful. 90% of the "chicken" was deep fried batter balls, and the little bit of chicken I actually got was dry. I wont be back.

James R

I really want to enjoy this place. The concept is so aligned to how I would like to eat however the food was just so salty the last time I went and the couple of other times just not as flavor filled as I would expect for the standard and quality of the ingredients. Many who I have joined for meals speak the same. I do enjoy the kombucha cocktails.

Toban Jestin

Excellent food and service!

Derek Martin

This spot used to be mine and my fiancé’s favourite restaurant. We haven’t eaten here in over a year due to Covid so we were excited to get out again. We found the selections were not as impressive and the portions were much smaller. I ordered the braised short ribs and half of my already small piece of meat was fat accompanied by 4 small potatoes. Most of my meal consisted of the bed of rapini. I left hungry still. For a $30 dish, I thought the portions would be bigger and the quality of meat better. The last time we ate here, they had a much bigger menu with great quality options like PEI mussels and elk. The service however was great, we had a great server so we don’t want to takeaway from that part of the experience. I hope they bring back better options on their menu as we really used to enjoy this restaurant.

Scott Woodard

Mr Brown has always made our visits so special and the food is the best. When we ask Mr Brown for any food our drink questions he has the perfect recommendations

Andrew Calderon

The chicken was amazing!! Only thing is I would put a little less honey in the honey garlic sause

Jesse P

Very high quality food at a very reasonable price. We went on a busy night so it was a little bit slow but not to the point of inconvenience. Great variety and it's cool that it's all local.

Gary Brown

Highly recommended by friends and it did NOT disappoint!!

Richard Wallace

Good selection of local foods and the environment is nice. The selection of beers is always great and the vegetarian options are a little limited but are always good.

King Bennon

I want to give a huge thank you to Dave Brown, Manager and Ernesto,Server, for making our dinner a wonderful experience!! You spoiled us. Thanks and we will see you again. :) Water was great today!!

Jess Penner

Always delicious. I had the sweet potato and quinoa bowl, and my husband had fish tacos. Both great.

Vinny C

Nice and clean place. Friendly staff with beautiful patio good for summer time. Impprtant thing is that only local beers are served here.

Ian Morton

First time visiting this location. Was there for a business lunch. Server was exceptionally friendly, and attentive. The meal was satisfying. I would go back.

John Rogez

Great local menu. The venue is great and suits all different dining parties depending on where you are seated in the restaurant. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable. Lots of gluten friendly options. I have never been disappointed with a meal here

Adriana Elle

One of the best meals I’ve ever had!! Fantastic menu, great drink options, and very pleasant and polite serving staff. My girlfriend and I will ABSOLUTELY be returning because we need to try more of the menu! Very highly recommend!

Christine Moran

Went here for a family Friday night dinner. Was able to book the day off on open table, seated promptly. Food was amazing, recommend the bruschetta appetizer and the aged cheddar burger.

Howard K

The food is fantastic. The servers are awesome and the restaurant looks incredible. Would definitely recommend this place to everyone.

Michelle Bertin

Very inconsistent. I ordered seafood bowl when I was in over Christmas. Lots of seafood. Shrimp. Whitefish. Salmon, mussels but the green Curry sauce was extremely hot. I ordered same on Friday and had a little salmon and mussels with alot of very good veg. The green Curry was flavourless.

Alyssa Brian

Service

Devin Walsh

Excellent place with local ingredients

Caroline E

We came at a slow time and waited over 40 minutes for our order. People who arrived after we did got their dishes first. When we finally asked after around 40 minutes, we were told that there was a shift change in the kitchen. So disappointed. We've been here before but I don't know if we'll come back. The food is good, but service matters too. We got a $10 certificate at the end. What really marred the experience is the lack of communication. If after 15 minutes someone came and told us there's a shift change in the kitchen and food will take 30 more minutes to arrive, we'd at least know. That, and the fact that people came after we did and got their orders before we did. Meh.

Delicious Health

There were six of us that came here for early Mother’s Day celebration. The starter soup was the daily feature, carrot and potato purée, which tasted very bland and watered down. The baked brie was on the savoury side instead of sweet. It was still good, but I would have preferred the bacon to be crispier. The main dishes were a lot better than the appetizers. We had the seafood bowl, burger, elk pie, and the bison which was the daily special. The seafood bowl was delicious and full of flavour. The burger was juicy, but nothing special. I heard good things about the bison and pie as well. However, the salmon was a bit disappointing. For dessert, we got creme brûlée, cheesecake and seasonal cobbler. The creme brûlée was warm, but the tea flavour was definitely there. The cobbler was not too sweet, which is a good thing. The cheesecake was well received as well. In conclusion, the food can be good, but it is dish dependent.

Komal Sandhu

Great fresh mostly local food. 2 for 1 appetizers on Monday. All Niagara wine list. Servers were very friendly. Decent scotch selection

Cliff Munro

The baked ricota with caramelized onion is a must try.

Simran Kaur

Horrible experience. I was going for a friend’s anniversary and I called ahead to ask for their vegan options. They told me they could modify things on the menu and asked what I was interested in. I said a vegan version of the chicken curry if possible, and they said no problem. I ended up getting undercooked vegetables in a bowl with dry curry spice on them. Gross. I will never go there again. Can’t believe after calling ahead, that happened.

Noel Phillips

Never disappointed! The food is great ans high quality. Love the ambiance too.

BustedWall Studioz

Great food! Our waitress was so friendly and helpful. A great experience!

Sergio Severs

Amazing place, shout out to our Server Matt, coming back just because of him!!!

Ross G

Best potato chive soup I have ever had! Arugula and quinoa salad was delish as well!

The Washingtons

Good selection of foods and beer, all locally sourced. The burger was awesome. I would definitely recommend.

gord potter

Went to Borealis for my birthday lunch. I had an exceptional experience thanks to our waiter, Luigi. Luigi was hilarious and personable - 100% meant for his job!

D O'Krafka

Great food. Every time I've eaten here I have not been disappointed!

Sean Winter

Dine in

Nadina Donkersgoed

The service was awesome the food not so much, appetizer was delish the mains were bland

MaryAnne Morency

I always enjoy this restaurant with local food choices, excellent service and daily specials. I would rate this classy restaurant 5 star, but my friend and I were disappointed with our nacho appetizer. We had to ask for sides of sour cream as we found it dry! A little skimpy on cheese too!

Richard Ahong

Hit it up on a Tuesday night. Special was wings and Mill Street pints, so had a pound of salt and pepper wings and a couple beers. Was good and the price was right. Closed a little early though (10pm).

Tracey Coates

Celebrating a Birthday with the family had a great time with amazing service and meals.

Janet S

Great place for a date night! Menu for New Years was amazing, with even multiple options for vegetarian options! Will be going again.

Rachel D

This location has a different feel from the Guelph one bit is still worth the visit. The food was excellent and the ambiance was good. The general location is very surreal as well. There has been a lot of development in the area and it has a cozy feel to it. I would go back without hesitation.

Lisa Jones

Great restaurant. Food and staff are first rate. This is a place we enjoy coming back to often. Always a great experience.

Jeff Mckay

The food is delicious but the tiniest portions I've ever seen in my life... I paid almost $20 for an appetizer and I'm not even over exaggerating... it was no bigger than a toonie. A tiny goat cheese thing. It was so yummy but way overpriced and the staff was not friendly at all, assumingly because I'm young, and this is a 'high scale place'. Wouldn't ever come back, they made me feel super uncomfortable and unwanted.

Tim Schlueter

Amazing food, even the side dishes are delicious. Interesting cocktails. Highly recommended, definitely will visit again.

Heather Aubie

I was really impressed by this place. The building has a great history and they are eco-friendly, with locally sourced food. Yum. What really made our night was our server, Luigi, he was absolutely phenomenal. He anticipated our needs all throughout the evening, making us laugh, and was a true gentleman.

Scott Corbin

Great service. Amazing food.

Mike B

Bartender Erin was amazing. Great knowledge of local craft brews and solid recos on the menu. Love that they're b Corp certified. Cool spot. Awesome ethos. Def worth a visit.

Deborah Berry

Kitchener has really low standards to rate this place high. To get ketchup, you must ask 3 times in 10 minute intervals. My rare steak came out well done. I had to take it back, and when they gave me a new one.. the food was clearly not prepped properly. It came with the steak and none of the sides it did at first. I was charged $1.95 to use their Tobasco sauce... Their ribs were so dry and hard we couldn't separate them with a steak knife. I would never...ever... come here again.

Onno van Santen

Great food, fantastic service!!

Angie Farquhar

Great choice for 100 mile diet. Limited menu selection but well prepared.

Keith Etherington (Beard)

LOVE THIS PLACE! 1 of my go to places when i am meeting friends. I have never been disappointed with the food or service here

Northern Fox (NorthernFox)

The service was a little slow for the amount of patrons in the restaurant. The menu is large and offers a lot of variety. The food was prepared quickly and was very good!

Shannon D

Good food and great service. I'd avoid taking a booth seat, however, as the benches don't isolate movements of the patrons in the adjacent booths.

C F

Nice staff but food not great!

Breanna Ryder

Nice warm atmosphere , not noisy and tables are nicely spread out

Fiona Montgomery

My Fiancé and I went on Saturday Nov 28th for my birthday. We were served by Luigi. Let me tell you, this man is not only the most authentic Italian I have ever met, but also the most authentic server I have had the Honor to be served by. He was genuine, funny and made our visit worth raving about. Initially our visit started on a bad note. Due to the mandated laws, we had to wait until the last customers left. They were slotted for 1.5 hrs, as is everyone else. After waiting 30 min past our reservation, Luigi made ever effort to make our night special. He deserves every Ounce of recognition for his outstanding service. Thank you! Sincerely, Caleb Morcinek

Ken DOWNEY

Amazing first time experience. Food and decor were amazing. Free $7 desert for a birthday

Kyla K

Had the short rib fettuccine with blue cheese and mushrooms. It was tasty but the short ribs were almost non existent. May have been a good thing since I barely made it home with stomach cramps and you can imagine what else. I understand this can happen. Have been happy enough with the food before this. I have to say we had a lovely waitress who was fun, chatty and attentive. Our reservation was at 2 on the patio. My friend had the same dish and so far she is fine. Had cereal for breakfast so I know it wasn't that.

Michael Mehagan

Always a great place for dinner, and I love that they are family friendly! The food is amazing, and the prices are great, and the portions are great! Everything about this place is great, and it boasts a very comfortable, non-pretentious atmosphere. The staff is always friendly and accommodating, and we always look forward to returning.

malcolm horton

Dinner

T Drake

Great environment, friendly staff. Very good food. Fries were AMAZING.

Terri-Ann Brent

Very good meal. Cornish hen. My wife had Salmon.

Give Em Hell Bell

Really great food and phenomenal service. This place is top notch. A great place for a birthday party or other event with lots of friends.

Andrew Kennedy

The staff was very nice and it was dog friendly.

Joe M

Meal type

Rebecca Cunningham-Dunlop

Great food and great staff. Worth the price you pay.

Michael Scott

Great a spot. Great food. Enjoyed the friendly service.

Tey Re

This restaurant is a favorite of my family. Excellent locally sourced ingredients. The homemade mac and cheese are my kids favorite, but the fish and chips with their homemade coleslaw is awesome. The slaw changes depending on what vegetables are available in season which always makes it a treat.

mark demmery

The food was excellent we highly recommend the salt and pepper chicken wings, do not order the caesar salad, the veggie tacos were also excellent and the burgers are cooked perfectly, i would definitely come back here again.

Emma Duma

Excellent food & service. Nice atmosphere - quiet 2'ish. Very pleasant server! Will be back.

Annette Henry

I highly recommend this restaurant. We had their lunch. What brought us here was the vegetarian options they offered. Everyone was really impressed with how great all the food was. We got everything from the burger to the seafood bowl. The service was also great. I'm sure I'll back again

Dave Young

Just had my bday dinner there and it was a very nice place. The staff worked very hard and the food was well prepared. Will definitely go back. Serving locally grown food and drinks is a great idea. Thanks to all the staff who served us.

Mike Morawski

Loved the food and service!

Tabatha Wadman

Great atmosphere, excellent service and tasty eats! Highly recommended.