Reviews of PUBLIC Kitchen & Bar (Restaurant)

kaydee

Absolutely amazing experience tonight! From the moment we entered until the moment we left, the service was impeccable. Very down to earth and so professional. The food blew us all away....a table of 4. Some favourites include the pork belly, the mushroom and arugula dish, the lamb skewers, and the amazing tinned squid and razor clams. Can't say enough about the food, the experience, the owners, and the passion they all bring to this restaurant - try it immediately!

Kent Moffett

The best restaurant in KW hands down.

Anurag Sharma

Great food and great service. I will definitely be going back

Emily Cyr

Great place for tapas!!! Great food and great service. Read online and others had issues just after their new location opening. I believe that has been taken care of. Chef was the sius chef from The Berlin as told by Joanna, the waitress. Mmmmm.....great food, open atmosphere, lots of light coming in, and we'll decorated. Will return again. Will send my adult kids that way soon too

Steve R

Really enjoyed the food and the service. 5 star Carpaccio and foie gras mousse.

Yunee w

Super tasty tappas with a good selection and helpful friendly servers. The place is popular and quite busy even on a Wednesday night so reservations are a must. It's a relaxing dinner that took about 2 hours for 4 of us, and we felt the pace was just right. We ordered 2 items each and shared everything but it was too much! Probably 1.5 items each would be good.

C Kwan

Seriously the best food I’ve had in a very long time. The service is impeccable and the atmosphere is welcoming and friendly. We will definitely be back! Make sure you get the fried chicken and brava potatoes! Omg yum.

임현태

Having a vegan crush day was a great idea and I'm not even vegan. The plates were presented beautifully which were delishious and very filling. Looking forward to a second vegan or vegetarian crush.

Jared Sonnenberg

Tapas(small plate) style restaurant. Went with a group of 7, so we were told we were getting the "chef's menu", which was a predetermined selection of food - taking into account any allergies(we had none) It's actually $40, not $35 as the website says, but you really get good value for your money considering the price of the menu options. Good range of food, and everything was delicious. Will come again for a special occasion!

Christine Walsh

Delicious tapas, very relaxing environment

Kerri Beirnes

I really enjoy Public and often recommend it to friends who are looking to celebrate a nice occasion. I have enjoyed the tapas menu 4 times and always look forward to going. The service is greatly appreciated! In comparison to Guilt, Public has very attentive wait staff. The wine list is impressive and pairs well with the food. I love the small and intentional vibe that gives lots of intimacy to the experience. One of, if not, my absolute favourite restaurant in KW!

Joseph Reddick

It was my 1st time there, and I liked the patatas bravas, but the carpaccio is ridiculous. I had exactly the same reaction as another reviewer (Mike H., February 2019): Where's the beef? $ 16 to eat mostly crispy onions (or so) made me really disappointed, although the atmosphere, service and beer options were ok. The steak costs $ 45, and menu changes on a daily basis, so you will not find all the items from the menu on the website.

laurie cadman

Amazing food! Great portions. We are always pleased with everything we order at The Public.

Vivian Phillips

Wow! Thank you for making my 11yr anniversary with my wife so special tonight. Everything was so good.

Mark Meinzinger

So tasty and everyone was so nice!!

Matt Kaita

Omg so good! Gambas, mussels, patatas bravas supremo...we were blown away by the tastes and presentation. We will be back! And we’re bringing friends next time.

Ben E

I love public! Service can sometimes be slow, but given that it is a very relaxed environment, I don't mind taking my time to eat meals here. I love the shared dish vibe, and everything always comes out tasting Amazing!

Andrea Sankar

Food is good, service is slow

Shelly McCullough

Very good meal, friendly service and clean

Bryan Peters

thank you kanye, very cool!

Matthew Harris

Excellent food and service. Location is small but they are moving in a few weeks.

Fiona James

Super friendly staff. Delicious tapas and a wonderful and cozy experience. A bit expensive, but not more than you'd expect.

Pink (Lea)

Great atmosphere, amazing tapas style good, great for a small group to share lots of options. Can get pricey for just two people.

Michelle Dittrich

Small place but really cool atmosphere. Reservations are key as they book up fast. Food is amazing and the staff were SO friendly. Very unassuming from the outside but amazing upon entry - Definitely would recommend.

Trevor Holmes

If I could give more stars, I would! My husband and I had dinner there and were delighted with every dish we ate. As a starter we shared the pot of foie gras, homemade, a real treat. Then we took the pulled pork and the pork presa, amazing ! We feasted so much as the meat was tender/melting, the side dishes, cocktails and vanilla panna cotta desert were délicious. The service was great and friendly. We will be back. Strongly recommended !

New Hamburg Fall Fair Info Account

Service was really good

Ben Yang

Cozy tapas style dinner spot, takeout lunch also a good option

Amanda Wilson

Takeout only, for now, great food variations/different dishes. Pre set meal items so you know what you're getting and to simplify things no less for the business. Excellent menu.

Mark Wolf

Amazing food and service. Love the tapas and sharing idea for a menu. Great ambienence - has both bright seating by large windows and cozy nooks for an intimate dinner.

C C

We just had cheese burgers and fries! OMG! So delicious....if we weren't full, we get another one! Awesome lunch!!!

Chantel Williams

I am absolutely in love with 90% of the menu, which does adjust regularly. If you like Oysters, aim for the Wednesday night $2 / shuck. The food always blows my mind, the selection of wine is reasonable, and their feature cocktails are next level. Keep in mind it's easy to spend quickly but I found the pricing appropriate to portion size. Definitely a must try if you're into the local food scene.

Eva Munch

Unique food options. Fairly high prices.

Kate Simon-Hendel

Vegan burger and loaded fries were amazing!!

Michael Hobson

Having dined in Toronto quite often, I find I'm quite picky in the KW region given there is not as much selection or quality restaurants. That being said, I had a lovely meal at Public. Every course was delicious. The service was excellent. This is one of my favourite restaurants in the region and I can't wait to go back!

Mike H.

An amazing experience. The food was perfect and they served the water out of these cute fish shaped jugs. I wish I could take those fish jugs home because they are literally the reason I go to public kitchen now!!

Jenn Emes

Just finished the Valentines dinner for takeout and it was outstanding! Beef bourgignon was tender and tasty. Dessert was decadent. Lots of food for a meal for two. So happy to see Public's standards are still so high.

Howard Lenos

This is the type of place you want to go to every time you get that night out, with your partner, or with friends. It's a great spot, with excellent service and the best meal I've ever had in the city. The cocktails are always a treat and so delicious too. It's a lively atmosphere and great vibe all around. Would highly recommend to locals as well as to those visiting KW!

B Inthavong

Amazing venue for dinner. Great reception and juicy menu. Nice staff as well.

Jannell Lo

Great food and atmosphere

Bruce Bowman

Very tasty late night bites and non alcoholic cocktails

L. Buhr

Amazing as always

Karl Nieva

Good food. A little noisy

Chad Seip

Joanna was fun and efficient. Good whiskey sour! Fab food.

Bryan Kuppers

My fav spot.

Ilia Baranov

Food and service is always second to none.

Dalia Hasan

Food's still fantastic and they've managed to keep the new location somewhat cosy by separating the large room into several sections. It's not as cosy and charming as the old place now - more on the chic side of things. Same staff, so same level of service.

Susan Dunning

Excellent quality and value for Spanish style tapas!

It's me Leah

Great food!

Meredith Wagler

A little expensive, foods not bad, don't expect a typical restaurant where you just get a plate of food for yourself, it's a tapas bar.

Michael Neame

I know it doesn't look like much from the outside, but looks can be deceiving we love this place. the tapas menu, funky beats and enthusiasm of the staff have made this my new favorite place to eat around the Waterloo region. I would suggest a reservation as we've tried to drop in and been turned away...

Jordanna Errey

If there was a sixth star they would get it!!! From a backyard set up, to the corner of Lancaster and Elizabeth and now to a space that suits Public perfectly. The food is unbelievable... Please do yourself a favour and eat here. The oysters are the best ive ever had. Period. the salmon, the beef, salads, sides, hand made cocktails i could go on and on and on... The staff is incredible, the owners are absolute gems and you will not be disappointed by just letting the server start bringing you plates. i don't normally gush and rave but this is quite honestly the best food i've ever had. Period.

Jacob Wiebe

Used to be good. Now at the Victoria Street Location, not so much. PCB has seemingly traded in the hip vibe and kitchy atmosphere (and portion size) for a confusing new, not so cozy atmosphere, akward service and smaller portion size. We were put at a two top, right in the middle if the room that's clearly not supposed to be there. We ask for another table but we're quickly shut down. We decided to take a seat at the bar. Good service a the bar. Ate 8 plates of Tapas, food is fresh. Nothing spectacular. A few glasses of wine. All just medicore I'm sorry to say. Sadly we will be taking our dinner dollar elsewhere.

Cuong Lieu

Amazing local tapas restaurant, one of my favourite restaurants in Waterloo region. Staff are professional and helpful in providing suggestions bases on your personal tastes. The food is fresh and well prepared, there are interesting dishes to try with a combination of textures and flavours.

Douglas Drake

Great little restaurant with great staff. Best scallops I have ever had!

Pascaline LORENTZ

Great food, service...my boyfriend took me for a surprise romantic night out. It was fabulous. Just go!

Virginia Santos

Food is always amazing, service is awesome and friendly. We love going to public for date night. It's such a great atmosphere.

The Smellie's

Excellent food and fabulous service!

Adam McCabe

Great small plates with creative menu. Reservations recommended

C W

Great food. Nice location. Need to work a bit on isolating the cold around the front door.

Joanne Lenos

Always an amazing time, great food and Celiac friendly. I will be back!

Caitlin Jenkins

Great place for foodies! Excellant food and service!

Victoria Genge

Went here with my 16 year old daughter and my son for her birthday it was amazing!!!! Everything was cooked perfect, amazing flavours and such a unique spin on things. We literally ate everything. Staff were super attentive and friendly, atmosphere was relaxing. The whole vibe was great. They managed to follow all protocol while still making everything enjoyable and comfortable. Can’t wait to visit again.

Kayla Gerry

To be honest the food here isn’t for me, but my family in Law loves this place. Customer service is great. Servers are super nice and helpful with picking food. We came here with a 10 year old and they tried there hardest to make something to her liking. Even if you don’t like the food the people make the experience way better

Rysharda Wolniczek

We went to the public kitchen and we were not advised that the featured fish dish we ordered had pork in it ! I am beyond pissed as the waitress can clearly see I am a hijab wearing woman, her ignorance was disgusting ! She offered alcholic drinks in the beginning and we told her we dont drink and I still can't believe that I was served a bacon dish in a restaurant in Canada a country known for the diversity . They need to hire staff that are more aware of their surroundings! I am disappointed and hurt that I had this awful experience wouldn't recommend this place

Tara Gagnon

The new location is beautiful. I was concerned they would lose the quaintness but their attention to decor and the layout offers a fresh experience. The kitchen is in full view which is entertaining while sitting at the bar. Our food was good as expected and the service was attentive and friendly. While I miss the old location, I understand the reasons for the move and the increased opportunities the new location affords. Looking forward to more nights at the bar!

Alyse Collins

Great new space, and they continue to deliver excellent food.

Jennifer Perry

This restaurant is the BEST in Waterloo-Kitchener! I'm French and I always struggle to find good food abroad, but THIS place took me back home in a spark or a spoon. Congrats, it was a wonderful experience! Thank You :)

Tyler Pamer

Was a little underwhelmed. One delicious tapa out of four ordered. The rest was OK. The atmosphere is nice but there is too much white noise. I might give it another try.

Vinita Marwaha

Used to love this place but their anti public health stance and policies make it impossible to support them any longer.

Sabrina Hutchison

Great food and good service. There was 8 in our group we all had great meals. I would recommend but you must go early as there is a lineup. this is a "fun place"; whether you're gathering with co-workers, meeting with friends or celebrating a birthday...the food is great and the wine selection is terrific. I think beer drinkers like it too. Never disappointed The food was very good....the timing was a bit off....it seemed to arrive at the table way too fast....we felt rushed. The wine list needs to be revamped....not a very good selection of good wines.

Jacob Yantzi

Wow. We are new to the area and are still feeling out the restaurant scene. We've hit up the usual spots, but this was our first night at PUBLIC, and I can honestly say that I've found our go to spot. Driving up to this home in the wall, with its quaint tapas atmosphere was made better by the excellent menu variety. On top of that, they boat a strong list of reasonably priced wines and great staff. No single dish stands above the rest (imo), and I'm not going to say that the creativity is off the charts. Instead, the chef has put together a list of tried and tested 'Canadian' tapas, all of which are expertly prepared and absolutely delicious. We had six dishes (smoked salmon, foie gras, mussels, duck confit wings, beef tartare, patatas brava’s, and the most amazing flourless chocolate cake I've ever tried) all of which were excellent. Overall, I know that I'll be back, and I would highly recommend the spot to anyone!

Chelsea Malleck

If I could have recieved my meal I would have rated the quality unfortunately our server was more interested in the other tables. Upon ordering our first course(cheese and a beet salad) the cheese plate came and it was great, but then we waited for 45 minutes................ nothing she didnt even come by our table. Its tapas we were going to order many many courses. You sit in a restuarant for 45 minutes and have wait staff walk past you and your empty table and no one says a thing. Meanwhile all the tables around us are being served dish after dish. Even the other patrons were inquiring whether we had ordered. Once she finally came by se stated that she had nothing else on order for us and asked if we were hungry, we informed her that we were still waiting on a beet salad so our server left to check the kitchen she came back and said the chef had lost our chit and that she re ordered it for us. We were done waiting we got the bill and left. Wont be returning or recommending. Oh and it was my Birthday dinner.

Carla Freeman

Great food. Great Staff!

Colleen Voisin

Menu is always changing and always serving the best tapas. Ingredients I do not like are somehow presented in a way that has me falling in love with them! Never dissapointed. Always reserve your table.

Bryson Rhodes

Best place in KW. Book early.

Mark Capone

Every time we visit we are blown away with the food quality and presentation. The atmosphere is amazing and the service terrific.

Greg Fields

First time to try. Just a drink and appetizers but quite good!

Osteoandi

Solid food, great service. Will go back.

Kirsten Veiledal

I went for Public’s lunch for the first time and LOVED it! The Gord’s Single Cheese Burger was awesome. It was delicious and the perfect size. So many restaurants go over the top with too many toppings or a gigantic patty and I leave remembering it was dry or bland. This burger was juicy, flavourful and simple. The sauce is fantastic. The Crispy Buffalo Chicken Sandwich was also killer! The poutine was a generous portion and I could tell using quality ingredients. The Crisp Green Salad, man! So good and again, generous portion size. I ordered it all again for takeout and the food held up really well until I got home. I could tel it wasn’t sitting in a heat window staying warm, it was made fresh for the exact time I ordered to pick it up. The owners are lovely! Carly is friendly, genuine and really these folks just want their guests to enjoy simple, quality food in good company. Highly recommend and can’t wait to go for lunch there again soon.

Rob Mitchell

Our favourite fine dining space in KW.

Luke Reimer

great food exceeded my expectations by miles if you're a foodie you gotta eat hear

Sarah P

The food was INCREDIBLE! The depth of flavour was like nothing I’ve ever tasted. Not only that, they were able to accommodate my dietary needs with no issue and the food was still amazing. The staff knew the menu inside and out and the food was truly cooked fresh because of how easily dishes could be modified. The chefs clearly take pride in their creations. Also the fact that it’s tapas is so fun! The cocktails were so unique and delicious.

Chloe Rolph

Fantastic food. Will keep going back if it's this good all the time.

Alison Clarke

One of the best spots in town for a night of indulgence. Don't be afraid to try the specials.

Patrick O'Donovan

This place is always gr8! Had the beef tartar, cauliflower, lamb, tuna wrapped in Prosciutto, then finished off raspberry (or strawberry) praline and panna cotta.

Sunil Kanwar

Best burger in town, and it's not even close. Make sure to try it. Bonus: I got their habanero hot sauce and whilst spicy, it's so tasty and delicious. Super great customer service as well. Support local!

Phil Cave

incredible dining experience and the food is ????????

Xay Sayavongsa

Eating at the restaurant reminds us of eating at home with our parents cooking, in that you eat what is served. You obviously have the choice to determine strong likes and strong dislikes as well as allergy concerns. Though there's something very heartwarming about opening yourself up to whatever the chef feels matches well from one dish to the other. I enjoy the surprise. That being said you can order precisely what you want from the menu if you choose. When you're in a group may do like to do the family style meal.

chad lloyd

Visited this (newer) location for the first time Feb 16 2018. Absolutely loved the experience. Wife and I had the honour of being our server's first solo table at Public and she spoke and served us as if she had been working there for years. Ordered 5 shareables (Smoked salmon on potato rosti, popcorn escargot, duck on fresh pasta feature, a beef rib feature, and poached pear with flourless chocolate cake) - not a single complaint about any of it! The highlight of the plates for me were the super tender beef ribs and the dessert but the entire meal was outstanding! Staff are super attentive and the atmosphere is amazing. The location is odd, but then again, so was the last one. All in all I would 100% recommend coming back!

Gordon McCague

We had 6 tapas. All them were either swimming in sauce or had an overpowering vinegar taste. None of the dishes we had were memorable at all. The worst was the beef strips (sorry...can’t remember the name). Took us a few seconds of looking at the plate and joking “Where’s the beef?” before we saw about 6 extremely thin very rare tiny strips. They were COVERED in sauces and what I can only describe as Dorito flavoured hickory sticks. The squirts and dollops of sauces were laid out on the plate in a manner that someone in a high school cooking class might do and label “fancy”. Hate to be so harsh, but this place is overrated and overpriced. I think the menu changes often, so maybe we just had hit one that wasn’t too our taste. Maybe make sure you find out the current menu before going.

Carley Reyner

We ordered four different dishes ( it is a tapas style restaurant after all) and each of them were packed with rich and diverse flavours. The rutabaga dish was my absolute favourite, but that;s not to say that the fried chicken ,scallops, and beet dish weren't superb! Each dish was unique and so flavourful, I wanted to lick each plate clean.

Alain Lehoussel

I had scallops. My friend had lamb shank. 3 medium scallops for $34? Really? No bread, no veggie...or salad.. nada. VERY unappetizing. If America doesn't stop supporting these outrageously overpriced restaurants, prices will go higher and higher. Good food doesn't have to be expensive. It's all part of human greed since the mid 2000's. Strongly suggest if you're staying at the overpriced hotel, find another place to eat.

Greg Lowe

Fine snacking at its best small portions of delightful food there butter sauce shrimp are to die for!

Ulises Herrera

Excellent presentation. Unique menu. Fabulous food both in presentation and flavors. A great dining experience.

Ashley Davis-Annett (a2 Adventures)

Excellent drinks! Delicious food, could not ask for more! The place is small so reservation is recommended, it can get very busy! The place is more on the hipster rustic trend and offers a great variety of alcohols. The menu is small but more than enough.

Peter Soliman

Interesting and innovative menu. Great authentic flavours and beautifully decorated space

Henry Troup

Excellent food across the board, great (and very considerate) service. The place was busy and our reserved table took an extra 20 minutes but they handled it in such a way that was not a bother.

Jennifer Webb

It was our first time visiting but definitely won’t be our last! Food was phenomenal, staff was awesome and the place had a great overall vibe. Can’t wait to go back!

Kathy Baldwin

Went a second time because we didn't enjoy our first visit a couple years ago but everyone always raves about it. Found the food pretty plain and not worth the hype. Wine and cocktail recommendations were good, service was not as good as I would expect from a place in this price range. Probably won't return.

Randall Culp

Good beer list. Could use some sours.

Geoff Suderman-Gladwell

What a fantastic place. Finally i have found a place i can go for r.e.a.l food. Great owners great chefs ....really nice. Only thing i do not like is i found this place just now. The bartender Shawn is relly fantastic ...professional real good. If i had a bar i ask him to rum it..hahaha.the chef cooked with a smile and the food tasted fantastic.i could taste passion im the food..not to mention the fresh ingredients!! I am Ken owner of ken sushi. I just love this place.

Ryan Brohman

The drinks are important in this place but I'm not a drinker. Food is good with good ingredients but not amazing. Shared plates and good atmosphere.

Patricia Ball

Food, atmosphere and and service is absolutely amazing.

Kevin de Jong

One of the best fine food restaurants I've been to. An underrated gem in the area.

J Smith

I wouldn't recommend this place.

Tara Kachroo

Great wings on Thursdays. Good cocktails, good drink selection in general, nice atmosphere. Small spot typically requires reservations. Menu options a bit limited for my own tastes but what they have they do pretty well.

Fani H

My all-time favourite restaurant ever. How lucky we are to have it in our own backyard! We find ourselves dining almost exclusively here when we're not interested in cooking for ourselves, because to go anywhere else feels like we're missing out. Their pivot to takeout during the pandemic has been flawless. But we so miss and look forward to getting back to dining in regularly! It's an unmatched experience. Somehow perfect for every occasion from a regular Thursday night to a wedding anniversary! We're always treated like family.

Melissa Durrell

Love the cocktails and the bread was to die for! Our server was great.

Andrea D'Ambrosio

A wonderfully inviting environment and host. A variety of dishes are sure to please any palate. Carly is deserving of all the praise that bestows her.

Mariam Lami

The fried chicken meal was awesome!

Ana Carvalho

Great food, excellent service, interesting wine list

Heather Lange

First time I've been since they moved from Lancaster. It was really disappointing. Seemed to me they are coasting on fumes and doing pale copies of the food they used to serve with care. The eggplant crostini was bland and under cooked. The pepper with cheese and polenta was floating in oil. The poached pear was more like a warmed pear, crunchy and full of core, on top of a poorly formulated crepe that was heavy, thick and nearly raw in texture. It seemed like they left the work to chefs who were trying to copy good recipes, but didn't really know what they were doing. I used to be very impressed by the food when it was in Lancaster Plaza, but now, I've crossed it off the list. Won't go back. Service was still very attentive. That's why I give it two stars instead of one.

George Anderson

Been here many times as it never disappoints. Both food and drinks were really good. Some items were better than others but overall everything was delicious. Sad that the salmon rosti dish only comes with two pieces instead of four like it did in the past. I still order it every time though. Highly recommend the brioche donuts for dessert. I would come again just for these donuts. Great service too!

Dominic Roussel

A great relaxed atmosphere. Take your time and enjoy a tapas style experience. This place is especially great if you love seafood. There are a selection of other choices too all delicious. 4 stars only because a few more non seafood protein options would have been better for us.

Derek A

The decor is a bit understated, but who cares? The food is incredible, tapas done right! Try the oysters when they’re in season. Be prepared to pay a bit more. $$$$

Raymond Simonson (Ray)

Fantastic food and excellent service. Tapas style, so plenty of variety.

Alexander Kaufman

The new location had me a bit hesitant. I was worried they would lose some of the atmoshohere/charm by moving into this plaza. I was wrong to worry! They did an excellent job of making it still fill somewhat intimate whole also likely quadruoling the seats from the old location. Menu has also grown and there are more options to share. Food quality and service is still great. Very glad that the move worked out so well.

Valentino Oprea

Had dinner there this past weekend with another couple. The server made sure we were aware the normally one orders sharing plates. She made suggestions and to quanity of number of plates. Also advised us if we ay have a misunderstanding of what were were ordering.

Simon Harley

A great date spot. Memorable and laid back. Unique shared food. Great drinks. Helpful staff, with lots of suggestions for people with restricted diets. Reserve ahead if possible. It fills up.

Leslie Kubursi

Great cocktails and delicious tapas. The atmosphere is very comfortable and the experience is quite unique as they take your full order and bring sharable plates one at a time in an order decided by the chef. My only criticism would be that the beef carpaccio had too many toppings for only four small pieces of meat, but the rest of the dishes were fantastic and the freshly grilled focaccia was great. If you're into seafood, the "squid in it's own ink" is a really good dish to try.

Walter Eckhardt

Amazing service and food!

Sean Wilson

Great tapas

Vince Bettencourt

Delicious food and cocktails. Far nicer inside than what you'd expect from outside. "Tapas" style but plates are larger than what I typically expect from that style. Five dishes for two of us was one more than we could eat, but we did gravitate towards ticket options (pate, croquettes, etc.)

Dr. Tara Hosie

Great service and delicious food! Will go there again!

Smikx Vule

Very nice atmosphere and interesting, varied and imaginative menu options.

Silke Force

Incredible food, the server was very helpful with my GF requests and the dining experience was everything.. felt like the world was normal just for a couple hours. THANK YOU!!!!

Shaykhan Dipraseuth

Every dish you try will introduce your tastebuds to delicious combinations of flavors, textures and ethnicities. It's freaking good!

Troy Dettwiler

One of the best restaurant i ever tried, amazing food and amazing hospitality specially thanks to Shawn

Erica Reid

We arrived at close to 6pm on a Wednesday night. We didn’t think we’d need a reservation on a Wednesday but …guess again. The host/server hesitated, then said he could seat us at a table of six but we had to be done by 7pm. They started shifting things and we said we didn’t want to have to rush. The other girl said we’d have plenty of time to eat before 7:30. “Oh, in that case”. We decided to stay and we were so glad we did. The party of six whose table we hijacked ended up calling and cancelling. Even better. Our tapas plates were as follows (+ or - if we recommend): Oysters +1 Good. They’re not something we eat very often, but they had some nice (and spicy) condiments and they slid down nicely! Smoked Salmon +1 To be honest, this could have been smoked salmon from anywhere, but what really made it tasty was the rosti and chive sour cream. Tasty, tasty, tasty. Three on a plate. Fennel Salad -1 You could have this kind of salad anywhere. It was a little oily for our liking, but that could have been just our plate. We should have said something but didn’t because the side-salad with everything else (salmon, sliders, chicken) was fine. Sliders ++1 OMFG. So good. We discussed afterwards that when we go back we’ll both get separate sliders. These were amazing. Two sliders per plate and a small side salad. Tacos (pork shoulder) -1 Kind of disappointed in the meat selection for the taco. These would be WAY better with something like shrimp, or a fish taco. The meat was a little tough, and rather dry. The cabbage slaw was a great taco topper though. Three tacos in all. Patatas Bravas +1 These little deep-fried potatoes were amazing. They were the last tapas to come out for us (before re-ordering). They were piping hot and we couldn’t eat them right away. The server said that deep fried stuff usually took a little longer. It would be great to order the sliders and patatas – that would be an amazing meal just right there. There were so many of them too! We took a breather, I ordered another drink, and then we had: Southern fried chicken +1 It was good, two full pieces of chicken plus two wings. The breading wasn’t too heavy and it didn’t have that Fast Food Chain greasy-ness to it. Probably wouldn’t order again, but that’s because we tried the sliders. Scallops -1 Rather bland. Wouldn't order again. Maybe it’s just because it was the last thing we ordered…no, it was something I could easily have made at home, so I would pass on these. My husband and I will be going back. There’s a few things we didn’t try that we’d like to as well. The ambiance is quite nice. The music selection was great and the volume was perfect. It’s a small place with only about eight tables, and most were deuces. The bathroom could use a very tiny make-over. The fifty cent peel/stick tiles in there could be drastically improved for less than $100. Aside from that the décor was perfect. Definitely make reservations. Definitely try this restaurant if you’re in Kitchener. Definitely try as many plates as you can. Definitely save room for desert…we didn’t and we wished we had. Oh well…definitely a reason to try this place again!

Candice Packer

The variety makes it fun

Mike Mertes

My wife and I adore this restaurant. Our favorite in KW. Amazing food. Inspired cocktails. Fantastic atmosphere. Wicked tunes. Exceptional service.

Ashok Chaurasia

Never had a bad meal there, ever. This spot is my not-so-hidden fav I turn to when showing off the city. Small plates, very tasty, very shareable, and quirky + subtle design. You muuuuust try the fried chicken. Mmmmmm.

Stephanie Raphael

Ok food but quite expensive. I kind of felt like I could have made pretty much everything we ate at home with no real problems.

Ben Barth

A couple years ago, I had went to Public Kitchen to celebrate my graduation. There was a stone in the lentils and it broke my molar. The supervisor working that night was very professional and handled the situation perfectly, apologized, comped our meal and gave me a card to contact for my dental bill. After I had gotten my tooth fixed and used insurance coverage, the difference was only $50. I had contacted the owner who had argued with me about paying the $50 saying that "the supervisor didn't have authorization to say that they would pay for my dental bill" and that stone in the lentils was random and not their fault. Her tone was very unprofessional, rude and arrogant. She eventually agreed to pay the $50 but made it very difficult to pick up the cheque. I had to follow up with her several times over many months to get the $50 for my dental bill. I will not be returning. It's too bad because the food and the staff were great!

Carrie DS

Just delightful with a group or on your own. Get ready for superb food.

Denise Largaespada

I've been going for 2 years and it's consistent. Only one waitress I avoid but the others as well as bar tenders, and cooks I an pleased with again and again.

Tingting Wen

The ambience, the staff, the service and b oh yes, the food were all amazing. The four of us were treated to Tapas that reminded us of our trips in Spain and Portugal. Thank you to Danielle in particular but l should also point out that virtually every staff member stopped by the table to confirm that we were enjoying every taste of every perfectly prepared dish. We are making this a must when visitors come for a stay and for any time our best friends are available.

skunes

We’ve been coming to this establishment since they opened up the original location on Lancaster and have been in love since. The atmosphere is great and the owners are just so down to earth. If you want a tapas experience that feels like home, this is your spot!

Rav Badial

I can say nothing negative. The small plate tapas style is fun and delicious. Everything was beyond what you would expect. The Pot-de-foie was amazing. I will be doing the take-out fried chicken dinner many more times. First time doing it with the 3 kids and we had leftovers! Also, it is run by a great couple and have hired great staff to support them. Please try it if ever in the area.

Marko Juresic

Great bar to catch up with a good friend. Cheese platter was delightful! Great service.

Darren Wilson

I've frequented Public Kitchen since it was located on Lancaster, and my friends and I would celebrate here during university. I've been to the new location three times and I have to say that although the food is still excellent and delicious, I think there is far less value for our money now. My partner and I shared the scallops ($21) and received two scallops and a bowl of polenta. At the older location we were accustomed to receiving a generous serving of mussels in a big bowl of broth, but now it is a much smaller plate and some extra shrimp added. I still think the food is delicious and the restaurant is the best in the region in my opinion, but would love to see them return to some of the things that brought us to Public Kitchen in the first place.

Greg Harrold

Great Tapas food. Everything we have tried is top notch. Great atmosphere! They don't rush you so this restaurant is a nice place to have relaxing meal and converse with friends. The owners and staff are exceptionally friendly.

Michael Robbins

I really wanted to love this restaurant - the food is absolutely phenomenal (no complaints there) - however, the service tonight was the most horrible I have experienced in a while. I arrived at the restaurant 10 minutes before my reservation with a group of 3. We were then told they were about 15 minutes behind which was fine but we waited for a little over half an hour. Two couples also entered after us and were seated before we were. After getting the food we received our bills and my two friends received a discount on their meal, however I didn't for some reason, and therefore did not leave a tip. I want to go back because the food was really good but the service isn't very appealing.

Roccozio “RestaurantRater”

So sad used to be a favorite place Food no longer good staff inexperienced and very slow. Will be while before trying again

Tiffany M

BEST FOOD & STAFF! FAV PLACE IN ALL OF TRICITIES

Eric Flegel

I've dined at Public since its first location opened in 2013 or something (even before the liquor license) and it is our favourite place to eat in Kitchener-Waterloo. So when I saw they had a NYE curbside pick-up menu I got very excited. It exceeded expectations! It was an absolutely *magical* NYE dinner from start to finish. I didn't think it was possible to have such an experience with take-out. Thank you Public for never failing to deliver top-notch flavour combinations, perfectly prepared and presented. It took us 3 hours to work our way through the various dishes, savouring each and taking a big long break before dessert. I think the foie mousse profiteroles were the most inspired this time... but the mint in with the pork belly was a real treat. Really everything was on point. I wish I could give more than 5 stars!

Dan Calvert

Food was amazing...we had an early seating though and felt very rushed through our meal. Didn't love how the hostess or manager dealt with the situation.

Dinah Davis

Every single dish was unique and amazing, of course the price is the one draw back, but otherwise one of the best experiences I've had in a restaurant recently

Elizabeth Renaud

A great place for tapas. Great atmosphere

Murray Child

One of Kitchener's hidden gems! I went, expecting a lot based on the high reviews they have and yet I was still surprised by three things. 1. The Service I've been to many "fine dining" restaurants that do not even come close to the level of service we received here. The wait staff was not only very observant and efficient but they managed to be quite engaged with our table while still managing to be unobtrusive. Quite a trick! 2. The Food The "tapas style" of dining can be a little daunting at first if you're unfamiliar. But once you understand how it works, you will be surprised at how pleasant the experience can be. The wide variety of small dishes means there is a lot of excitement that comes along with each new dish that is delivered to the table. Dinner truly becomes a social event as you and your table discover all the new flavors together. Without exception, each dish we tried was of a quality that inspired us to pick the menu back up and "play again" while we were "up on our luck". Before we knew it we'd ordered roughly half the menu and we were still winning. Not one bad dish found its way to our table over the course of two hours. 3. The Drinks I've ordered many a Manhattan in the KW area and haven't found very many places that I'd recommend for cocktails. Public's take on the classic was both refreshing and well balanced. More importantly though, (as it is a tapas restaurant) the wine list is just as eclectic and carefully constructed as their food! My only minor complaint with this place is that our table was a bit flimsy which just happens to be a particular pet peeve of mine. But not something that I will let stand in my way of returning to this wonderful hidden gem!

Vladimir Tchourakov

Amazing service, delicious food and a warm atmosphere to enjoy with friends.

Brianna Bechtel

Very avanguard.

Kevin Chang-Kue

Food is still great, and new location looks very nice. Service was tops tonight.

Geoff Dyck

Fantastic food, classy atmosphere, cool staff. Very welcoming!

Ryan Burgio

Excellent food and service

Leanne Love

Love it here, classic experience

Jon Liang

Food is high end and amazing. Portions vary from small to adequate, more about palate and quality rather then quantity here. The cocktails are unreal and it has a cozy atmosphere. Make sure it's payday when you go though, this level of service and taste comes with a price.

Jessi Grigsby

A good restaurant for tapas. The portion sizes varied depending on the dish, but in general were quite reasonable. Everything we ordered was very tasty, in particular the smoked salmon. I also appreciated their beer selection. The service was a little on the slow side, but the restaurant was also very busy and they were happy to take one of the drinks off the bill because it took a long time to come to our table.

Kristopher Snyder

The food is excellent, never had a dish that wasn't delectably prepared. Service is prompt, pleasant and well-versed. Ambiance, although busy, can be romantic or fun with friends.

Amanda Wilk

Great spot. Good food. Nice people

Kyle Metcalf

Best tartare in KW

Laura the Explorer

Lots of unique tapas dishes and great service.

Alaster Duncannon

Always a great experience food and service.

C Pilsner

Came here for thrusday night. Went through the courses. The wait time for the muscles was a little slow. Other than that the service was perfect. Really loved the corn and the veggie dishes.

Kristy Sadler

Loved it. Small intimate and truly amazing food. Service was friendly and comfortable. Fine dining and comfortable atmosphere makes for a wonderful dining experience.

Brian D

I wasn't expecting much for a restaurant in a hotel lobby but was totally impressed. Service, atmosphere and good was great! The sirloin steak was the best steak I've had in a long time. It's even better than Alberta AAA which I've had a few times. I was able to cute through the medium rare stake with a butter knife. We will be coming back again! A bit weird though having CP24 playing on the screen...

Vanessa Reid

Good little spot.

Jason Vander Meulen

Public Kitchen & Bar is one of my favourite restaurants! I go here with friends and celebrate all my special occasions here! The food never disappoints and the service is spectacular! I love ordering all the different tapas for a custom and unique meal every time! I highly recommend for a casual or celebratory dinner!

Gavyn McLeod

Best restaurant in town hands down ! The atmosphere , the service and beautifully prepared sangria. And the smell of the food when you walk in, oh my god it's amazing.

Gary Collins

OMG the food is so good! And the service fantastic!

Lily Hua

Fantastic spot. Even better than the original location. Great food, excellent bar selection.

Mi De

Detailed, diverse food over multiple courses. Guaranteed you will like most of the courses if not all.

Jasmin Hofer

We had a group of 7 and ordered the chefs choice menu. 10 various plates came out, times perfectly. The food was delicious and met all the dietary restrictions we had. Excellent service and fun atmosphere. Be sure to check out the cheese cave!

Umang Garg

Pleasantly surprised at our first visit to this restaurant. Small plate Tapas let you sample a variety of combined unique and savoury dishes. Reasonable wine selection in a cosy, bright and thoughtfully decorated environment. Service was great and the dessert we shared was a special end to the evening. Worth checking out.

Greg M

We were warmly greeted by Carly and the Public Kitchen staff. The food was amazing—delicious flavours. We had the fried chicken. I can't recommend it enough. Thanks for the great food and experience!

Nader Hanna

I attended a large preplanned dinner event at Public Kitchen and forgot to mention that I'm vegan until I was already at the restaurant. The meal consisted of mostly share-plates so I didn't expect to be accommodated but the servers and chefs were so thoughtful and provided me with a delicious option for almost every plate. The food was delicious, the space was beautiful, and I am so grateful for the extra care! I would recommend this restaurant and will definitely be going back

Christin Wallace

Was a little surprised by our experience here based on the recommendations and reviews here, we expected more. We ordered the salmon rosti which was pretty good, the potatoes bravas were extremely over seasoned to the point where your tongue hurts, the beef tartare was very heavy on the mayo so you couldn't really taste the pure raw beef, and the braised rib was just awful - it was almost entirely pure fat. Overall the ambience is lovely and service was great. But would I come back? Probably not considering the prices you pay for the food, which should be the star of the show.

Shelly-Ann Rampersad

I'm impressed by unassuming exteriors with cool insides: Gene Hackman, VW Golf R, the Beatles' White Album, and Public Kitchen & Bar (corner Lancaster and nowhere). Public's front facade has the charm of an H&R Block office. But don't let that fool ya. For hardcore foodies and trendy wannabes, this place is a find. Carnivores have a hard time finding decent raw flesh in this town (we carpaccio- and tartar-lovers prefer our Sushi to be made outta cow). Public's beef tartar ($15) is a puck-sized delight, delicately seasoned, served with skinny blonde house-made crostini, and garnished with caperberries (aristocratic cousins to the neighbourhood caper) and a Jackson Pollack of oil and balsamic. The world is as it should be. The donuts ($8) are to Timbits what Lamborghini is to Camry. PK&B serves them sensuously warm, with a drizzle of whisky caramel and an iniquity of whipped cream. I've had sex that's not as good as these donuts (er... long ago, I love you, Dear). If you hate red lights, you'll love this place: no waiting. I don't know what kind of wizardry Mama and Papa have got going back in that [Public] Kitchen, but every round of tapas seemed to arrive, freshly made to order, precisely 15 seconds after this Muggle ordered it. Public's stools were designed by a frugal Swedish architect who's never actually seen a human being. They're a visual match with the Hipster Fusion interior (IKEA meets well-curated thrift shop), but also cruel and unusual punishment for any posterior aged more than four decades. But hey, if torturous seating is your only beef about a joint, you know you've found a great one. Just like Momma always said. it's what's on the inside that counts.

Fernanda Luiza

Always the best!

Douglas Young

Another great local business. Talented owners. Great tasting food. Terrific service. Try them!

Brad Forwell

Amazing! So delicious! Well worth the price.

tyson van hazel

Nice little tapas restaurant. A little too chic for my tastes, but the food was excellent and the service top notch. It's a great place for a group outing, as the tapas are ideal for sharing.

Toast

Had dinner there this past weekend with another couple. The server made sure we were aware the normally one orders sharing plates. She made suggestions and to quanity of number of plates. Also advised us if we ay have a misunderstanding of what were were ordering. for one Calamari dish was actually out of a can. We did order. A very busy place suggest reservations. Great place tottery different dishes . it is a bit noisy as a very busy spot

Roxanna Williams

Good food and excellent staff! The desserts are great as well. They also have a nice selection of wines and some interesting cocktails.

Renato

Very good food and drink in an unassuming location. Don't be fooled by the plaza exterior - this is not a diner. Service is excellent.

Alexis m Shevchenko

Food and drinks were fantastic! I highly recommend the cheese cave!!

Meghan S

We loved the service and the cocktails. It’s a restaurant after all so unfortunately the dishes missed the mark. The beef tarte is over seasoned with mustard and mayonnaise. They over shadowed the fresh raw beef and coated it with too much flavor. The lamb meatball is delicious and tender, but the tomato sauce was unnecessary. It makes us feel like the lamb was not supposed to be there! The seared scallops were very well done, tender in side and crispy on the outside. However, they served them with tomato based seafood stew! I feel like a white wine based stew will pair much better. we will probably only go back for the cocktail.

Ryan Whillier

Meal type

Stephanie Fok

This restaurant has a great atmosphere and a wonderful menu. The tapas are a good portion size for sharing. We had the salmon, the mussles, and a vegetable dip. These food items were very delicious and flavourful however I didn't find that they had a wow factor like a tapas bar usually does have. I will definitely be back to try some other things on the menu and enjoy the atmosphere again. It's a really cozy area for friends to gather to have a couple food choices.

Terrence Laronde

Amazing food, amazing service, wonderful owners and a true local gem Eat here... Just do it

Emily

Poor selection

Brandon Mojoodi

We went to PUBLIC about 3-4 weeks ago for late night cocktails and tapas. We had a great evening! We started with cocktails and were not disappointed. They were delicious! We were pretty open minded to what we wanted to try and thoroughly enjoyed everything that we ordered (we shared 4 items as a group of 3). Our server was excellent and helped us pair our wine with our tapas and we ended up finishing the night with a very generous charcuterie of cheese. Yes, it's a bit pricey but you won't find food like this in the city. It was fresh and house made, great flavours but also simple. The atmosphere was also great & clean bathrooms. I would recommend calling ahead if you are with a larger group (more than 4 people).

FQ Butcher

A great Covid-19 takeout place. The for os amazing

Stephanie Higgins

Food was spectacular. Great for a group to split the bill.

Victoria Motto

Best fried chicken in town

Paul Koebel

So good that on our drive home from dinner, my husband and I booked another reservation for the following week. This restaurant has mastered food, service and ambience. Best meal we've had in KW.

Barbara Patterson-Smith

Wow. It's been a while since enjoying the food at PUBLIC. It was a warm evening so we sat on the patio. Every dish was unbelievable. The food, flavours, and experience is still top notch.

Marianne McNiven

Went here for the 1st time and was blown away by how amazing the food was! Must order the smoked salmon, ricotta ravioli and panna cotta for dessert ???? Not to mention the drinks were awesome!

Andy Klepack

Great place and good food. But do not bring anyone under 16. Also be prepared to only come on pay day! Extremely expensive. It's a good place to come once for something different, and that's it.

Neil Henderson

Enjoyed some incredibly delicious cocktails, I had a gin/juniper/rosemary garnished concoction. Probably one of the best gin cocktails I've ever had. Shared a couple raspberry point oysters (which only came with a slice of lemon; no mignionette). Definitely a craveable and bragworthy, must-try at Public: the beef tartare on brioche with escarole. So. Good. Also shared an endive salad with blue cheese and bacon.. sans bacon. Apparently they ran out of bacon so substituted for shattered dry "jambon" crumbs. They could and probably should have just left this off. It didn't add anything to the flavour and it was way too hard and cruchy in texture. All in all a great meal!

Mike McCauley

Great food, great staff!

Alan Kobayashi

Great service, atmosphere and food

Stephen Van Helden

Excellent tapas style food and drink selection. Get the fried chicken. Hospitality is amazing, you feel like you're just visiting friends.

Avery Numan

Awesome tapas! Great flavors, quality and textures. Service and atmosphere really great too!

Lauren Song

Service is fantastic, oysters are great. If you're looking for quality food, where the staff obviously cares to be at their best, this the place to go. Totally recommend having your special dining experience here.

Arin Goswami

The revamped menu for the new location is uninspired. While there were more options than before, we just didn't want to try any of them.

Courtney England

Great restaurant, food atmosphere, service. Price was a bit more than we usually pay but we did get the quality we would want for that price.

Brian Zubert

It’s an awesome restaurant !! So tasty ad good . I recommend people go there and try it out! *clara’s friend*

Tim Wall

Delicious Tapas and great wine & beer selection. Very intimate with limited seating. Very friendly staff. Reservations are recommended.

Tegan Herchenrader

I love the new larger location -- hip decore, warm and romantic atmosphere. The menu has been updated since I last visited and was filled with great gluten, wheat and dairy free options. Everything tasted amazing and portion sizes were reasonable. We ordered 5 snacks/small plates between the two of us and were more than satisfied.

Ben Weir

Best fried chicken in KW! Their family dinner is fantastic.

Stewart Chigume Makwavarara

Great new location

Renata Kirkwood

Great food, great service, a real gem

Jamie Bell

Best restaurant!! Have been going for many years and enjoyed our most recent patio experience with lovely food, as always! Service is as wonderful as the food. Highly recommend.

Peter Benes

Simply amazing. One of the few places that serve quality and inspired dishes in KW. I should go more often. Great variety. A tapas bar that is very reasonably priced. Good looking people eat here.

Gord Burkholder

Dinner

Indigo Tutoring

Great cocktails and delicious tapas. The atmosphere is very comfortable and the experience is quite unique as they take your full order and bring sharable plates one at a time in an order decided by the chef. My only criticism would be that the beef carpaccio had too many toppings for only four small pieces of meat, but the rest of the dishes were fantastic and the freshly grilled focaccia was great. If you're into seafood, the "squid in it's own ink" is a really good dish to try.

Gillian Lapointe

My wife and I enjoyed our evening here for the first time. The food was great and I would probably go again. The staff was very welcoming, parking right out front, wasn't too busy at 7pm on a Friday. The mushrooms were excellent and I would highly recommend that dish.

Dean Holbrough

I am a fully vaccinated hospital chaplain. I get paid only when I get called in. Covid has cut my calls by well over 50%. Last year's income was $12,000 - yes: that is only twelve thousand dollars in one year. This year will be even less. The hospital workers who refuse to get vaccinated will earn Unemployment benefits. I can't afford to eat out on my meagre income. I'm not a hero My patients and their families, the ones who continue to battle covid and other diseases, are the real heroes. If I could afford to eat out, I would not choose a venue that supports people who won't share in the battle against covid.

Michael Birch

Public has to be by far one of the best restaurants in KW. The atmosphere was fantastic, very cozy and inviting all while maintaining the appropriate COVID protocols. We ordered 6 dishes between the two of us and they were all delicious. Our server was kind enough to let us know which ones "travelled well" when she realized (way before us) that our eyes were bigger than our stomachs. Do not skip these dishes (if available!) - Smoked Salmon Rosti - Pot de Foie - Brava Potatoes - Beef Meatballs - Confit Duck Crêpes - Crispy Fried Chicken We will definitely be dining here again and are excited to try their Gord's Burgers lunch menu. Thank you to the staff that made our experience and meal so great! We truly appreciate all their hard work especially in times like these.

Shawn Turner

Delicious food, highly recommend the Almond Praline for dessert

Rajeev Sharma

Had Thursdays vegetarian dinner for 2 and it was brilliant. Easy ordering and pick up. We'll done Public.

Christopher Wolfgang Smith

A nice place for date night. A bit expensive, but really worth it. High quality food and service. 5/5!

Jim Kuhn

Fabulous chef!!! Always enjoy their cooking.

Jackie Harrison

I DON'T want to eat at a place that doesn't follow health code regulations.

gaming_life_ whatever

My friend & I dined Tues May 22. Reserve ahead. Restaurant was packed. The decor is library-like but not quiet like a library. Ask for a quiet corner. We arrived at 7 & were not rushed out the door. Each dish was beautifully presented and we gobbled them up. We had salmon ahumado, the cordero, bravas supremo, & the special of asparagus and fiddleheads which was superb. We made room for the semi-freddo dessert. It's a delight to look at; a towering creamy light ice cream confection with whipped cream, praline for crunch and fruit to break up the sweet. Service was attentive with a friendly smile. Our server offered us tastings of some of the beer on tap to help us decide. No errors in order. Rinse and repeat as often as possible. 2 beers, 4 selections plus dessert totalled $97 before tip. Worthy.

Ken Aarts

The take out Beyond burgers....bliss.

Eli T

Great atmosphere, good food, pleasant servers.

Jonathan Hendel

Regret not taking a picture but the Pana Cotta I had was splendidly delicious ????????

Joe Can

Absolutely love the food and service at Public! The carpaccio is amazing (but I did prefer the previous version which came with homemade hickory sticks instead of arugula), and all the seafood is top notch. They also have the BEST cocktails, with infusions and bitters that are soooo good! The environment is also so warm and cozy. Nothing about this place disappoints.

Sabrina de Boer

Fabulous meal. We were concerned that the standard would fall in the new place, but no worries there. Everything was flavourful and creatively presented. Glad to know that we can keep coming back.

Heather Van

Nice place and good food

Dan Ehrlich

One of the best in the tricity area!

Michael Lueck

Came here with a group of friends after a show at the Centre in the Square. I felt like because we came close to when the kitchen was closing we weren't treated so well! We were really friendly and were told not to worry about ordering, but the attitude suddenly changed. Drinks were okay, more pricey then they were worth. Hoping next time it will be a different experience.

Krysti Beckett

Excellent service, atmosphere and food. Maybe a little pricey, but worth every penny.

Christian Monterroso

The food and service is not worth the high price.

Stu Bechthold

My first experience with dinner at Public was this past summer. Our foodie friends suggested a get together at this quirky little place. We were greeted and seated immediately. The staff was incredibly friendly and catered to our every need. The food is outstanding! I can't clarify that enough....absolutely superb. Keep in mind that the menu is in tapas form so when the plates come out, the portions are smaller. It is set up so that the food is shared and multiple plates are ordered. We had such an amazing night. Amazing food and great friends. In September, my husband and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary at Public. This place doesn't disappoint. It was as incredible as the first experience. I don't remember all of the dishes that we had but one of our most favorite is the one with the fried potato shavings with smoked salmon.....mmm....absolutely to die for!

JustAnotherPerson

Awesome food!

Moi Self

Amazing food. Great service. Highly recommend doing the chef's selection. It's well worth it!

Cedric S.

My favourite restaurant in Waterloo Region. I'm always excited for menu changes and am never disappointed. The food is always delicious and the atmosphere is cozy. Can't wait to dine in again soon!

kelly boyi

This is one of our favourite restaurants in the area. Their tapas style menu is great for sharing, and the service is excellent!

Alice Philippe

Unique dishes full of flavour! My kind of spot!

Ashley

We had a wonderful dinner in their new location. Our server was amazing and answered all our questions. The food was unbelievably delicious. We loved everything about our experiences and highly recommend this restaurant to anyone. We also love all the gurgle pots!

elijah goetz

Its ok.

Silverwood Real Estate Group

Our first time ordering from PUBLIC tonight. Amazing service right from the start. Ordered several dishes to share. The portion sizes were perfect and the food quality was fantastic. Ordered take out but look forward to dining in next time as the place was a full house. Look forward to the next meal.

Brent Raynor

Excellent cheese selection. Creative cocktails. Exemplary service. They update their menu regularly, so there's always something new and delicious. Stick to fine dining choices and avoid dishes like burgers and fries, as they're underwhelming and not worth the price.

Elaine Stevens

Good!

Greg Albert

This little restaurant has great food and service. If you enjoy sharing plates of food with another then this is this place for you! Wine selection is good as well.

Lynne Habermehl

Great experience at PUBLIC. Tapas were tasty. Tried 5 dishes for the 2 of us. The champiñones, salmon ahumado, and duck confit were delicious. Would definitely come again.

Rosie Watkins

We used to love it here. We went today. The salmon app that used to be $12 for 4 changed to $9 for 2 and scallops were 3 for $21. We booked a reservation for our wedding and it wasn’t acknowledged at all. We spent $155. We rather go to Cambridge mill for the price and service.

haredeenee

Easily some of the best food in the region, and always has been since they opened their doors on Lancaster st. Now, with the addition of "Gords Burgers" you can get mouthwater burgs for lunch too! Only issue is that they make it hard to pick other restaurants when deciding where to go on date night. Also, Will never quite understand how a chef that makes food so phenomenal, can remain so humble.

Jess Paladino

Dine in

Lester Andrews

The menu confused me and my husband but the waitress was really helpful. We asked her to order for us which is uncommon I’m sure, but she laughed and did not seem to mind. She came across like she likes her job, which is nice to see, because that usually means that the company treats the staff well. The food was good, it was creative so I found that kinda fun. The only thing that was kinda a deterrent is the pricing, as it was fairly expensive. To me it was worth the experience but for my husband he does not care how posh the place is, or how the food is displayed, just that the service is good and the food taste good. Overall it was good though, just wont be going here on a regular night.

Joseph Sabourin

Delicious food, great service. Had dinner here the night I got engaged, it will always have a special place in my heart!

Alicia Wind

Solid. Small place with good music, good food, and good service.

Rinku Dhaliwal

Lovely atmosphere and delicious food. Highly recommend!

Michelle DaSilva

We had a wonderful experience. The staff was very friendly, patient, and helpful. The food was amazing, with an impressive variety of flavours and presentation. We will definitely be returning.

Jame Zaiyouna

Choose the chefs choice you will be very full and satisfied

Megan Logan

One of my favorite restaurants in this city.

B K

Service

Wes

Quaint and intimate. I fought with my boyfriend here but the quality service and great wine choices made it worth it. 5 stars!

Allana Davis

As always, the food was superb and the service was the best.

Martin Kelly

Really, incredible tapas. Lovely atmosphere and decor. But mainly, that tapas, it's just so good. Every. Time.

Neil Fraser

Cozy interior, great tapas style food

Jayne Bailey

Probably, most definitely, 100% the best restaurant in town! Food is creative and fun, staff are some of the nicest you will find. Proud to call myself a regular here!

Kevin

Superb menu. Their cocktail selections are really good. Highly recommended.

Mat Nadrofsky

Disappointed with the Lunch Fried Chicken Meal. I was told I would receive a call when my food was ready - I did not, so I waited the full 40 mins as recommended, and my food was cold. Chicken cooked well, but it felt like I was eating potato chips with how salty it was. Fries, although still as salty as potato chips, might have been good had they been warm...

Laurie wright

Lovely meal. Great service to start with. But then they sent our server home and the quality of service dipped considerably. Still a great meal with some amazing flavors.

Abby Fisher

One of the best places in KW for Tapas. Love getting their Chef's Dinner with friends. Also to note, they have an amazing mocktail menu that makes you feel cool when you can't drink as a preggo!

Ceri Nelmes

Really good place to go and try some food you've probably never had. Tapas form makes it easy to share with a bunch of people. Amazing wine selection. Make sure you get a reservation because they have limited seating. You can sometimes sneak in at the bar though.

sarah schmalz

This is hands-down the best restaurant in Kitchener. Amazing food, great service!

Brea Forwell

Although I do miss the old location for its low key vibe, we’ve now made a visit to Public a part of every trip to a show at Centre in the Square. Yummy food great for a small group of friends or a more intimate dinner, I would far rather support a local success story than a chain any day. Great servers very personable.

Sarah Nankunda

Love, love, love the brisket poutine!!!

Rod Jones

Quite possibly the best service I have ever had in a restaurant. Great atmosphere. Delicious food. Highly recommended.

Xayyo Saengdala

Good service, tasty food, only reason 4 stars is because beer selection tends to be different ales and other dark bitter beers, more lagers would be nice

Bhanu Kendall

Delicious food and exceptional service! I booked PUBLIC Kitchen & Bar for a company event for 20 people and the chef's tasting menu was incredible (as were the cocktails). The space is beautiful and the tapas was delicious with perfectly sized portions. The whole PUBLIC team went above and beyond to make it a truly memorable night. Looking forward to dining here again next time I am in KW!

Jenny Prober

Food and drinks are amazing

T. Kayla Coleman

Excellent food and service!! ????

Shelley MacRae

I hate tapas, I should probably lead with that. I would never come here with a large group of people, but for two or (maybe) four? Yes! Honestly, I haven't had a bad thing from their menus, and I order a lot. Public also makes some of the best cocktails in the tri-cities. And as dumb as this may sound, try the olives; they are shockingly good.

Dave Johnston

Great food!

Megan S

Fantastic tapas restaurant. The plates are always tasty.

Frances Carson

Hands down the best food in the Region! The atmosphere is inviting and warm and food is absolutely delectable. Thanks for a lovely evening out with my husband and our friends!

Andrew Cormack

Every dish we had was delightful - we had 7 or 8. Keepers for sure were scallops, beets, salt cod, salad, and goat cheese with lentils. Excellent wine list. Great, friendly, helpful service. We'll be back.

Ken Wilson

This place is phenomenal for tapas. We've been several times and haven't had anything on the menu we didn't like. Their beef tar tar is top notch. 100% recommended.

Johnny Ferber

Just went for a gals night out at Public and it was perhaps the best dining experience in a while (likely since my last trip). The tapas was easily shareable, we tried almost everything on the menu. The salmon rösti easily my fave but perhaps topped this trip by the Wagyu special. It was mouth watering. Can't wait to return, such an easy going yet classy atmosphere, a wonderful spot!

Mike McKerlie

Great food and atmosphere!

Jeremy V

Great place for tapas and shareable plates.

Bonnie Rimmer

Excellent service. The food is always great and carries constantly. Flavours are always unique.

K Joshi

Yes.

David Moylan

Great atmosphere! Great food!

Andreea Stoica

This place is absolutely top notch. Amazing food on all fronts and also very courteous and friendly staff. We've also ordered takeout many times over the pandemic and it's been very very good. I especially like that for takeout they also use environmentally conscious containers as well. Top recommendations to try if you haven't been before would be the smoked salmon, the fried chicken and any of the burger options.

Justine Ward

Had a great meal here, friendly staff, cold beer. Will visit again!

Susan Simanzik

Amazing

Judy V

The steak is amazing

Jess Penner

Amazing service, great delicoisd flavorful food. Great bang for your buck. Awesome atmosphere.

Meg Pill

Food was very good and very creative. Service felt overwhelmed and yet over confident , and for the prices it should be perfect. Looking forward to your new location with improvements.

Susan Veenstra

Absolutely amazing food! Public never disappoints.

Jake Marchildon

We went for many oysters and a couple of drinks and everything was fantastic! Service was phenomenal! Can’t wait to go back

Rebecca Drotos

Great staff, amazing food and beverage. All round one of the best places I've experienced.

Dean Paulhus

Very good spot, just -1 star because the Patata Bravas were a let down, rest of the food was amazing though!

Suz G

Consistently excellent, imaginative food and wonderful service. It's our go-to place for a special occasion!

Aaron Wudrick

Small cozy place, great for a romantic and fun tapas dinner!

Jason Munn

Excellent tapas style dining. Service is fantastic.

Caroline Robic

Good food, but a little pricey for the level of quality.

Mike Rederer

Love this place

Karen Romero

A new and delicious culinary experience every time. Wife and I come here for every anniversary dinner.

Sarah

Great food and ambience

Craig Becker

Great Tapas restaurant

Tim Sin

Top notch food in KW, maybe Langdon Hall can still top it but the atmosphere here is way more relaxed. The scallops were our highlight of the night.

Jairus Maus

Solid and interesting menu. Great service. Great atmospheres

Nathan K

If you are looking for a menu that does not look like what you'll find anywhere else, then this is the placed to go. Fantastic taste and very friendly staff. Reservation highly recommended!

Sergio Severs

very nice place to meet people and little food

Michael Kwan

Great food, friendly staff and awesome atmosphere

James Craig

Lovely! Great tapas selection, including a very hearty and thoughtful selection of vegetarian friendly choices as well as meat and seafood. Their beer list is a little skimpy, but there's lots of wines available.

Saman Samikermani

Love the new place, much better than the old one which was already pretty cool! Great food and wine. I only wish there were more full course meal options rather than just Tapas.

Sara Mitchell

Delicious food with only the best ingredients tops in my books for the kitchener and waterloo region

Chad Bishop

Great service and staff!! I wasn't crazy about the food really, but enjoyed the whole experience! Smoked salmon was too salty, lamb pasta was too greasy and the bravas beef brisket was on point.

Rebecca Pastora

Food was good, but our party of got served one place at a time. I have to admit...I'm not sure if that is the way tapas is supposed to be served, or maybe they could get more than one or 2 plates on the table. I will go again, but just with a party of two (I guess I was picturing multiple plates on the table that we could all select from...maybe my bad?). I would suggest no more than 2 plates person (we were STUFFED with 7 plates for 4 people). Their Tar tar was excellent and I'll be seeking that out again! New location on Vic is much nicer/classier than the previous one on Margaret.

Shane Micher

The food was delicious but unfortunately the hospitality was poor and the ambience was lacking. Our waitress counted down our time throughout the meal, handing us a dessert menu at the end and stating 'you've got 15minutes'. Won't likely go back.

John Moyes

Placed a takeout order this weekend. Everything was ready to go right at our scheduled time and we were impressed with how everything travelled home. Among our favourites were the fried chicken, salmon rosti and eggplant crostini.

Junction Lad

Nice meal with tapas and wine on the patio. Delicious!

nehac624

Excellent food and service!

Janice Alexander

It was a good filling breakfast!!????

Adrienne Joosse

Amazing. Period.

Christopher Surujbally

Great variety of food!!! Excellent service!!!

Devon Smith

Best restaurant in the region!

Andrew Karger

Amazing tapas and lunch options!

Kathleen Wagner-Marsland

Good food, tapa style but very expensive. Service was good too.

Scott N

Delicious and excellent service. All of the tapas we ordered were delicious. The staff was extremely knowledgeable and made excellent suggestions. Prefect descriptions of both food and drink. Can't wait to go back and try more tapas!

Travis Thatcher

Great food, definitely a plate sharing place. On the pricey side.

Bonnie Nethery

They told me there was vegan options but it is tapas and they were refering to one dish if you remove ingredients from it so that doesn't really work. I called ahead and checked and they assured me of option"s" but there was o ly one and that meant I would be eating a salad alone while my friends shared many rounds of tapas. I was not advised of this ahead of time and my server developed an attitude after I told her I was told there were options so that sucked.

Doug Zinger

Great tapas, good atmosphere great staff

Philip O

Loved it

Jonathan Brubacher

You have to check it out. Wonderful menu great service everytime!

Hannah Phillips

My husband and I have been going to PUBLIC kitchen & bar many times in the last year and it is AMAZING! food, service, atmosphere. love everything about this place!

Sarah Pittao

One of the best restaurants in KW! Great food and amazing people. I highly recommend the lunch menu - Buffalo chicken sandwich and classic cheeseburger are phenomenal. Just for the record, I am a former vegetarian that now enjoys burgers :)

Alexandra

Delicious food, great atmosphere

Jess & Scott Poland

A wonderful set of innovative small plates. We had pickled beets with feta and zattar; a featured lamb meatballs with veal reduction that was amazingly savory; beef carpaccio; and a rillette of tuna inside smoked salmon. The flavors were all complex and balanced. The execution was excellent. The TV at the bar runs vintage Julia Child cooking shows. The decor includes lots and lots of bookshelves, about half cookbooks. The winelist was varied. Our waitress was very knowledgeable and obliging. Water and milk and cream for coffee was poured from novelty fish glug jugs. A memorable meal.

Paul Montague

Holy smokes this place is incredible. Truly well crafted dishes. Everything about this place top notch.

Mike Gr

Loved the food, atmosphere and service. It is more expensive than average but it is not average so it is worth it.

Esther Bodenham

We tried PUBLIC for the first time last night and they've quickly become our new favourite restaurant. The service was fabulous, the food was completely incredible and the cocktails were excellent. I had a number of questions about how to order after reviewing the menu, and expected to need to ask for clarification prior to ordering. When our server, Christie, came over, she explained how the menu worked, recommended ordering 2-3 plates per person (we were a party of 2) and went through the specials, noting their prices (I find many places tell you about the specials, but not the price!). The explanation covered all my questions and I was blown away at the efficiency. We ordered foie gras, pork belly, scallops, fried chicken and the pork special. For dessert, we had the cheesecake and panna cotta. Everything was so delicious, but our favourites were the pork belly and foie gras, with panna cotta as the favourite dessert. We were so full, and would probably order 4 dishes, with a dessert to share next time we go. That said, we ordered lots of main, protein heavy dishes. There were many other vegetable dishes, including eggplant, potatoes and carrots. With this being our first time, we ordered the 5 things that really jumped out at us. Overall, the bill was $180 after tax, which included 5 savory dishes, 2 desserts and 3 cocktails. The food and service were next level, so this was very worth it. As I said, we would order less next time so it's reasonable to expect the bill for our next visit to be reduced by $30-$40. Overall, absolutely amazing, a must try. The actual restaurant was beautifully decorated, and each table really seemed quite private.

Tyler Sorensen

Amazing!!!

Marlen Aleman

Hands down my favourite restaurant in town for years now. Great service, food and drinks! Can't wait for the expansion!

Kim Philpott

Great atmosphere, fantastic modern tapas.

Paul armitage

Intimate, fun spot for one of the best dinners in KW!

Joe Recchia

We had a stunning meal last night. Every dish we had was exceptional. The restaurant is lovely and has a warm busy vibe. Every table was full and the conversations were lively but not intrusive. The wait staff was extremely knowledgeable and very friendly. The wine list was very good, at least for our palates. I really liked the concept of sharing dishes and the dishes we chose were wonderful. My paticular favourites were the white fish and scallops, the wild mushrooms, the braised beef, the duck confit pasta and the endive salad. All of the dishes were exceptional! Go. You will not be disappointed.