Food: DELICIOUS! When I was reading the menu I wasn't sure because although the dishes sounded good the descriptions made me wonder as many restaurants have some similar dishes but call it in. I was wrong, I think the menu could use a bit more variety and more vegetarian options but the quality cannot be understated, goo well cooked food period. I had the Calypso Chicken, my dining partner had... more

The food is fairly good. I had the pad thai and goat cheese brulee. I like each but neither was distinguished. They were fairly standard. The atmosphere is also a bit flat. It feels cold and bit like a cafeteria. The over all experience was OK but fairly forgettable.

Don't bother

We went for dinner Sunday night. Half price apps and entrees. Even at half price the apps aren't worth it. Ordered a $30 pitcher of Sangria. My wife drank the whole thing herself and didn't even get a buzz...no alcohol in it at all! What a joke! We went to the Martini House after for some real drinks. Will never... more

Not sure next time

The short ribs were tough and dried out. My seafood noodle curry was good.

Mediocre at best

Two of us went for a light bite on a Sunday late afternoon. We ordered two appetizers to share, the Tomato and Beet salad was good, the Crab Stuffed Mushroom cabs were not so good, for $9 you get three filled with a pitiful amount of crab - disappointing. We shared one entree, the Tandoori Chicken - it was okay... more

Excellent

My favorite restaurant in Burlington. Always great food and service and chocolate pate free for my birthday!

Enjoyed the spicy mussels and Thai seafood and noodles. Good combination of spice and quality seafood. Service was excellent on the upstairs patio.

meh....

Met some friends after work. Food was o.k....just not what I was expecting, could have probably made better myself at home. None of us were overwhelmed with excitement about our meal. Nice rooftop patio is about all I can say. I think there is a reason the restaurant is empty at dinner time on a Friday night. Will not go back.

Delicious

Took my girlfriend for her birthday and had a fantastic dinner. Both entrees were cooked perfectly and the appetizers were great. It's an upscale restaurant, not really great for the family but ideal for date night. Out waitress could have been a little more on the ball but not too bad overall.

It is hard to find food this good anymore. Prices were reasonable as well.

great visit

4 of us visited for snacks on a Sunday night. Surprise!! Sunday is 1/2 price entrees. Thank you :) We had tilapia - which was lightly breaded and deep fried - not what I expected as the menu said it was a curry - but very good. A nice thick fillet. A little light on the curry, though, but nicely... more

Great lunch

I came here and sat on the roof terrace for lunch. I had their special soup and sandwich which was a smoked salmon chowder with a crispy chicken roll. The soup was particularly good (I could have done with a bigger bowl!) and the sandwich good too. They could do with expanding their beer list to include craft beers as... more

Did they change something

We've always had a great time at the Rude Native, from our first visit five years ago to last summer, but upon visiting the restaurant last Saturday we noticed some changes. The music was overwhelmingly loud on the ground floor, we couldn't even hear ourselves talking to one another, so we decided to go upstairs. The patio used to have... more

Delicious

Had mushroom stuffed crab followed with Curried Goat. Was spectacular!

girls' night out

A group of 5 of us from work went last Friday for dinner. We arrived at 6 and were the only ones there, which had us a little concerned, even though we had heard good things about the place. We had a very friendly waiter who was very helpful. We all had a drink before dinner and ordered appetizers and... more

Worst ever, don't bother. Burlington is full of better

Worst lunch experience ever. 2 cooks in the kitchen and we were the second table to sit down. After 45 minutes of waiting on a chicken Caesar salad and a pasta dish we had to leave with our 12 dollar dishes to go. The pasta sat in the window for 15 minutes before they were able to get the salad... more

Great food, great deals

I've been to rude native on multiple occasions for dinner and have always been impressed. Service, food, and atmosphere were excellent from start to finish. Our server Veronica was knowledgeable and attentive. Half priced wine on Mondays, you can't beat it!

Bad service, only flavour is spicy

Server didn't provide us with the specials, but another server provided specials to the next table after we ordered. The food was very spicy, otherwise no flavour. The servers were slow to keep water refilled. Then they couldn't find the Visa terminal. Hair in takeout container.

The Rude Native

Went here for dinner a couple nights ago with my girl friend. Atmosphere was great and food was good. They have some great deals so we will be returning to take advantage of them. Service was quick and staff was really nice. Get the Firecraker app!!!!!!!!

great time

Enjoyed the food at the Rude Native Bistro. However was a little disappointed at the limited options for dessert, where they were out of 2 of the only 5 items. Service staff were great though.

Would not go there again

After a stroll by lakeshore we decided to eat there for dinner. The waitress was very friendly and nice. But the food was horrible. We did not finish our meals and for the first time didn't ask for a doggie bag. There are way better places downtown Burlington that I would recommend.

I have eaten there twice for lunch in the last month, and am not planning on returning. I had the tomato and beet salad the first time, and did not feel it was filling or worth $12.00. The second time, I ordered the pork souvlaki and was surprised with how little pork was included in the pita. Not only that, but what was included was dry.

Will be back

Great food. Loved the salmon.
Quiet. Great service.
Have been once before but just had to review this time.
New server named Nick was awesome.
Professional and with a great sense of humour.
Will be back!!

Rude Native

We went for appetizers ay lunch and found they were only on the dinner menu. The waiter and kitchen were very accommodating.
The Firecrackers and goat cheese brulee' were excellent. The mushroom caps a bit boring.

Respect for managing a challenge

Typically a good spot, food was good on this visit, but service and food were a bit slow. We had a reservation for a large party (14) but there was apparently only one person in the kitchen and one server. They both did their best, and we had no complaints from anyone about the food.
Recognizing that the usual standard was not happening, the server actually comped something on every bill at the... more

Recommended by a friend and well worth the visit

Knowing I was going into Burlington for the evening a friend who lived in Burlington told me that you must visit the Rude Native. Funny thing was we then looked it up and there was a bad review. Anyway, I think that person is a competitor because honestly it was an amazing meal, amazing wine, amazing service and really overall... more

Absolutely disappointing

This is my first time writing a review but I felt compelled to let everybody know about our experience at this restaurant. We were meeting up with some friends tonight from Toronto and London and we all decided that we were going to meet in a location that was a half-way point for everybody. The Rude Native in Burlington was... more

Always great

Having been to Rude Native multiple times, we are never disappointed with the amazing service and fantastic food! The prices are great, and the options are always wonderful!

Great service

Believe my servers name was Michelle, food was amazing not to mention an amazing server. Was a huge factor when thinking of coming back. My buddies and I will definitely continue to come back.

Great Pre-Show Dinner

Four of us went for dinner last night before a concert and we were all very happy with our choices. Appetizers included the Rude's signature Curried Cream Mussels, the Rude salad, and Firecrackers - a stuffed philo pastry finger-food with a great dip..everything was great! For entrees, we had the salmon, curried chicken, blackened chicken, and Singapore noodles....both chicken dishes... more

A Great Experience

I went to Rude Native on last Thursday night. It was a wonderful experience. Service was good, not overbearing. I had the Pad Thai which recommended by my server. It was different than what I expected but it was good.

2 for 1 on sundays so good Sundays great deal

Was pleasantly surprised to discover this gem. Our sunday dinner was amazing and half price. Best steak we have had in a long time.

Nothing memorable

We dined before attending the theater and when we arrived about 6PM were the only patrons (even though restaurant is only one block from the theater). Some additional patrons showed up over the next hour but establishment was never more then 1/3 full. Needless to say service was attentive although not over bearing.
The beet and tomato appetizer salad was... more

Great Spot

Have had dinner several times at the RN and would not hesitate to recommend it. If you can, get a table on the lower level in view of the open style kitchen, always fun to watch if you are a foodie!

Great experience at the Rude Native

Great food, great service, good atmosphere. Our server, Alex, was attentive and professional. Grilled calamari was out of this world! Would definitely recommend.

Bland food

Food is bland and too spicy, roof top patio is disappointing, service is lacking. Wouldn't recommend and won't go back

Won't be back

My husband and I hired a babysitter so we could go out for a nice meal. We hadn't been to The Rude Native since the Oakville location closed several years ago, and thought the Burlington rooftop patio sounded nice.
Right from the get go we were disappointed - the patio wasn't as nice as we'd hoped, but we remained positive.... more

Tasty food, Mondays are half price wine bottles, service was inattentive

We enjoyed sampling a lot of different apps. They were all tasty - especially the Jao Do Chicken Wings. We ordered a bottle of wine but the server returned only once over our entire meal. We poured our own wine, sat with empty water glasses... If we had a problem with the food, no one would have known. Service goes... more

Not for families with young children

a nice and relaxing restaurant with a great menu and fairly priced. Before having my child, my husband and I went couple of times and had a good time. Since I had my son, this is the first time I went back and I find the staff treated us very differently. They first seemed very annoyed that my husband and... more

Friday night funk DJ... and the food is good too

Chic decor, makes for a nice "meet me for drinks after work" lounge. Food is good, though a little pricy for what you're getting. Try the firecrackers (japaleno cheese) and the baked banana dessert is sooo yummy. On Wednesdays they have discount martinis. Rooftop patio in the summertime.

Quaint and accommodating

We are very new to the Burlington area, the moment we walked through the door we were greeted by warm friendly staff. I have several dietary restrictions which makes it very difficult to dine out at restaurants. The staff was more than accommodating providing me with several modified options to choose from. The food was incredible.... I had the primavera... more

Lunch

Nice place good menu fair prices Had lunch with coworker excellent service very good food. lots of deals during the week will return

A destination not to be missed

Great date-restaurant. Cozy and trendy decor with an amusing menu and friendly staff. Stroll the downtown of Burlington and stop by for a glass of wine here. There are others nearby, but none better.

Disappointing

Hungry and excited to try The Rude Native (Burlington) we arrived at 7pm on a Saturday and only a handful of customers were seated. This should have been our first red flag.
The fact that they were "out" of 2/5 of our selections should have been our second.
The dishes we had were all mediocre, some in par with take... more

Awesome hosts for a party of 60 people

Great service, friendly staff and management. Awesome DJ, $4 drinks were a hit and the apps were great. We were a group of 60+ grad students from mcmaster and had an end of term social at the rude native. Everyone had a great time. Thanks guys

great service

the food is great, the service is cute and friendly. they have the best rooftop patio downtown, bar none. the main dining area could use upgrades, though.

I'm a long-time fan. Especially of the appetizer menu. Whenever I go I usually just spit a couple of appetizers with whoever I am there with and don't bother with the main courses. The garlic buds & brie are a perpetual favorite, although this time the cheese wasn't very warm. The waitress was happy to bring it back and warm it up, and also gave us more crackers.
The cocktail menu is very... more

Average at Best

Some interesting cuisine selections, but small servings, slow service and cold food made this a disappointing night.

Good food and good lounge

I went here with my wife for a birthday party, We had a great dinner. Around 10 or 11pm it turned into a lounge with good music. The crowd was older 25+ it was a good time

excellent downtown restaurant

After making a shopping stop in Burlington, we were directed by a helpful store cashier to this great restaurant. The menu is eclectic and offers lots to choose from. My wife and I shared a delicious app of baked brie, roasted garlic, and blueberry compote on crostini. My main was an earthy stewed goat with basmati. My wife had a... more

Decadent mac & cheese

I don't come from a tradition of macaroni and cheese, but I do understand the importance of this dish in north america. The rendering with lobster, truffle oil and other decadences was outstanding. A bit too much for the evening may be, but a whole discovery on the other.
The place is a bit hipster, which is not bad. There... more

Eclectic

Location: One block from the lake. In the summer there is a roof top patio.
Decor: Funky, intimate feel
Service: Good
Food: Eclectic
Recommend: All you can eat mussels on Tuesday night that comes with french bread (especially the curried mussels)

great food, a little pricey

super delicious food. A little pricey but with the quality of food you at least get what you pay for. Nice chill atmosphere

Attended last year for a birthday. Only 2 of us ate, the food service was disappointing. The food was not as good as a years before. The only reason I am posting is because I am sitting at Spencer's, with much better service and better clientele.

Exactly Rude Native South Sea Island type Cuisine

It has been a while since I have been to the Rude Native in Burlington because of the Festivals that grabs my attention.
Rude Native Food has its own bite that is a must visit I am not surprised that my children and their friends do frequently recommend this Lounge upbeat appetisers..

Brant location

We went to the Brant Street location for the first time since it moved from the village. I had the pad Thai and my wife had the salmon, both were excellent. We originally went up to the roof top patio however it started drizzle out 20 minutes after we arrived. Our waitress offered to move us into the lounge area... more

Burnt food

We only went once. The food took almost an hour to arrive and it was burnt. It might just have been a bad day, but we decided not to bother trying it again.

Poor Service - Average Food and Drinks

Service was below par - food was ok but nothing special and the drinks were bland....I have been here before and the food and service was far better...very disappointing

Very Good

The food here was solid. I had a jerk chicken dish but what REALLY blew me away were the mussles in tomato broth...they were so good we ordered another bowl for desert!
The atmosphere was just OK...one of my ultimate pet peeves is when tables are so close together that you can't have a truly private conversation.
Food was great,... more

That was rude native

The place was empty and our food was garbage.My girlfriends jerk chicken had no flavor at all. An all dressed potatoe chip has more spice. I had the steak and fries. The meat was tough and the fries were greasy and vastly undercooked. The vegetables were also undercooked.There were maybe 10 other people in the place and you can't get... more

What goes wrong when an original idea goes commercial

I remember when the founder of the rude native cooked on a regualr stove and served awesome found in his tiny restaurant. Best food around at the time. However, once the rude native went commercial, well lets just say the food is no qute the same........ more

Nice place for a casual dinner

close to the waterfront makes this a nice place to stop in for dinner when strolling around downtown Burlington. Food was great and decor was pleasant. Servers were helpful and overall it was an excellent experience at a middle of the road price.

Fathers Day Dinner

We had been wanting to try this restaurant for quite some time. While the city was busy with Sound of Music, we had no problem in finding free parking and a table in the restaurant. Menu was varied, we tried a couple of appetziers, Jerk Chicken bread and Brie. Both were tashty and flavored well. My wife ordered the pork... more

Average Experience

We had a friend in from overseas we took here for dinner. The portion sizes are small. The food average at best. The service was good which was the only plus. We wil not be returning for dinner.

Good rooftop patio

Good rooftop patio, decent menu that changes.
Sometimes gets nice breezes of the lake.

I'm being generous by giving 1 star. The food was simply awful. The banquette we were sitting was falling apart. Service was quite poor, so we were fortunate to experience bad food and service.
They should stick to being a bar/lounge because their food is atrocious.

The most chef boyardee jumbalaya of all time.

It was recommended by a Burlington local. I was impressed with the food and enjoyed every bite of the Moroccan Curried Lamb cooked in spices, cloves, and raisins over Basmati rice - the perfect mix of sweet and spicy.
Online reservations via Yelp were painless and perfect. The restaurant was mostly empty so don't worry about reservations at lunchtime.

Went here for dinner on a Friday night. Only three couples in the restaurant. Appetizers were ok, but nothing spectacular. The sushi was quite possibly the worst I've ever had. Wouldn't go back.