Great food

This is my favorite restaurant in the area. The food is always delicious and beautifully presented. The service is impeccable and they always make great wine pairing suggestions. Also, they are extremely allergy friendly!

Amazing neighborhood find.

This place is amazing I've been there twice and so have my parents we both enjoyed the food the ambience and the service very much. Amen the bartender is also great and Tobias is a genius in the kitchen, all raw and locally sourced food. Great spot.

great time at red canoe bistro

Enjoyed a wonderful lunch at Red Canoe Bistro. We both tried the 'taste of Burlington' featured menu, and our meals were incredible. I would highly recommend this place.

Slow, slow, slow

It's hard to appreciate a place when food quality is average based on similar restaurants but the wait between courses is beyond long, bordering on ridiculous. 1h45 in before the main course is served is just not acceptable at any restaurant, maybe they are under staffed, who knows, unless you are polishing off a bottle or two of wine, I'd... more

Definite Recommendation

The meal was excellent. The wine was very good. There were four of us and we all thoroughly enjoyed our evening (which is no simple task).

168 and all I got was a stupid brownie

Overall the food was good. Not amazing, but solid.
The staff were friendly and relatively attentive.
It felt like we were sitting around waiting to be sold more wine, as each course took a very long time to arrive. We had finished a great bottle of wine by the time our mains arrived.
My wife tried the "Taste of Burlington"... more

Great Food but Verrry slow Kitchen

Food was good with Salazpacho a creative combination of Gazpacho and a stuffed tomato, beef short rib you could cut with a spoon and nice trout filet, although it did have a very smokey taste which I'm not sure was meant to be. Server was attentive and knowledgeable but unfortunately our experience was ruined by the extreme slowness of the kitchen. It should not take 1/2 hour to get soup when... more

Decent food...very slow service

Came here for lunch during weekday. We ordered mac & cheese and steak & egg....nicely prepared dishes. Service was extremely slow. During our entire stay there was only one other table of patrons...yet it took 40mins before our food arrived.
Considering the service and the ambiance, I think they are 20-30% overpriced, especially for the dinner menu.

A Disapointment

Having been to the Red Canoe a number of times, I have always been pleased. My recent lunch was totally unacceptable. We waited more than 30 minutes for our first course. The duck in the main course was so over cooked it was inedible. The 'chilled' dessert was was warm. We spoke to the chef/owner who admitted the duck was over cooked. No apology was given, just excuses. I insisted we be given a... more

Gourmet Appetizers

The appetizers were delicious and a feast for the senses. We rated them five stars in taste and presentation. We therefore felt certain dinner would be magnificent but it was rather disappointing. We had the beef. The ambience is simple with chairs and bench seating. Extra cushions are provided for low back support on the bench. The service, while warm and attentive, was unusually slow in terms... more

favourite restaurant in burlington!

Delicious food, offer "Canadian" local fare, (we had starter salads & trout, then mains smoked salmon. Attentive service. This place is about the food, large varied wine list, Eamon the wine steward was especially friendly, knowledgeable, shared some interesting wine tips about Niagara and other wine regions. Eamon offered, with advance notice, to arrange to prepare a special meal if we wanted... more

great food. extremely slow service.

Had lunch there during a weekday for party of two. there was only one other table (2) at the restaurant during the whole time we were there...yet it took over 35mins for our food to arrive.food was pretty good overall - comfort food with a bit of flare. you can tell most of the items were made from scratch.With the price point they are at, we expect better service and slightly better ambiance.

Great food

Happened to come across this venue while looking for another restaurant in Burlington and am glad we decided to try it instead. The service was fantastic and the food was amazing - fresh and tasty! I was going to return for a second evening but a health issue kept me from doing so. Look forward to visiting here again when... more

Fantastic Food

This place seems to have it all, great food, attentive staff and a great atmosphere. It's also too not loud or dark. We enjoyed the shared starter display with scallops, trout and also enjoyed the escargot.

Mother's Day

On Mother's Day I took my mother to the restaurant for the Mother's Day brunch. While I have had some good experiences with this place in the past I have noticed a decline in service and food, and an incline in price! I ordered an omelette, asked for it to be firm and it came very runny. When I brought... more

As always First Rate

Tasting menu was great. Each item come out as a surprise. The wine pairings were perfect.

Great Find for Mother's Day brunch

The food is consistently very good and made to order for brunch. We have been here for dinner before, this was the first time for lunch/brunch and we all were impressed. There were vegan /vegetarian choices.

Bad service

We visited this restaurant on may 7,2014. First of all the soup in the picture is not what you get at the restaurant it barely has any lobster on it.
The waiter there was very unfriendly, all the time occupied with cleaning Andre organizing the tables while no one was there. She was barely look at you or ask you... more

Very enjoyable

We tried out this restaurant based on the description on the website and were even more pleased when we arrived. The atmosphere was great, the food delicious and the wine that was recommended did not disappoint. We will definitely be going back.

great food

the food was excellent. The service was fantastic but it was a little cramped not much room to even move your chair back. We had a group of women beside us and because I am a woman I can say they were too loud!! Aside from that I would definately recommend this restaurant

Great food and amazing wine list

A nice restaurant in downtown Burlington on John St. One of the best wine lists I’ve ever seen with a lot of private wines. The menu is also so original. Mushroom meatballs are a must. And the desserts are great. The bread pudding was to die for. The service is lovely, obvious staff and chef are proud to work there... more

A nice experience, will visit again

This was our first visit to Red Canoe Bistro on Feb 7/14. They focus on using local ingredients, a farm to table approach. Their wine list is extensive and they offer many local wines and craft beers from around Ontario. They will argue that Ontario wines are some of the best in the world, I like it! My wife had... more

Unique Menu

If you like to go to franchise restaurants and always order the same thing then the RED CANOE is NOT the place or you.
The menu here always changes; chef Tobias is continues to invent interesting dishes. I have had the pleasure of eating here 4 times and I look forward to the next visit! I can not wait to... more

Birthday Dinner

We visited Red Canoe for the first time to celebrate a birthday. We have followed the reviews on the restaurant for awhile so while we expected good food, we were a bit concerned about the numerous comments on poor service and the length of time it took some customers to get their meals. I am pleased to report that we... more

Changing my Tune

The first time I went to Red Canoe I had one of the best meals of my life. I raved about it to anyone who would listen and wrote a glowing review on this site. It was a slow evening and we were the only table in the restaurant.
The second time I went back, we went for a late... more

Good food, wine list & staff

Really, really enjoyed our visit to Red Canoe. Right from the appetizers to the main course & the wine selection we couldn't have been more pleased - absolutely enjoyed reading the menu choices and had a hard time deciding. The staff were attentive & aware that we had tickets to a show at the Burlington Arts Centre - did not... more

Nice, but didn't find the value

I visited Red Canoe bistro for dinner on August 20th with a friend. I had purchased a Groupon for $20 and had a value of $40 so I wanted to use it to check out this restaurant. I had the mushroom and vegetable risotto which was very tasty and my friend ordered the main chicken dish which she said was... more

Disappointing visit

We've been to Red Canoe Bistro before. I've always had high praise for this establishment but this time not so much. Slow service was the main culprit, but the menu and food weren't as stellar as in the past.
We arrived on the late side of 6:30 on a Thursday night and several tables were already occupied. We waited forever... more

Great vegan/vegetarian options

Lovely locally owned restaurant that can accommodate all palates. We have been here several times with meat eaters and vegans, and have always had excellent service. This is a place to go when you are not in a rush - just want to be pampered and drink fine wine, beer from local brew houses, and order from a separate vegan... more

Terrible service supersedes quality of food

I wonder how many more reviews must appear on TripAdvisor before the management of this bistro recognizes that they have an issue with service. They are either totally oblivious, or arrogant enough to believe they can rest on their culinary laurels. There is no doubt that the quality of the food is very good but it loses all appeal when... more

The "Not your usual Wine School" night

This was more than a simple wine tasting! The Chef to great skill in matching the food to the wine!
These school are provided monthly and focus on different wineries.
I would recommend this restaurant above all other fine foods in this category

Glad I Checked It Out, But Probably Won't Be Back

I'm assuming the theme they were going for as far as decor was Canadiana cottage, which could look great. However, I think it bordered on tacky. That being said, onto the most important things - the food and service. I'm not one that likes to be rushed when dining, however, I thought the service was too slow. We were there... more

Very Good

Small but with Character. Tibor continues to do a good job
Don't drink alchohol so that is not an issue. Food was good, as was the service.

Great highs, bad lows, full of promise though

I had such high hopes for this spot as sort of a pre-Valentines treat.
First off the good: service is amazing. Very attentive, very extravagant with their time and expertise, friendly and helpful. Probably among the best I've ever had. The wine list is small but thoughtful, as is the beer list. Lots of local choices; though I'm not a... more

excellent

One of the best eating establishments in Burlington but priced accordingly. Also has gluton free menu items.

I had high expectations for this restaurant based on the reviews I had heard, but I was disappointed when I dined here in August of 2011.

The waitstaff seemed very disorganized and it took them 30 minutes to even take our drink orders.

When we were finally served, I ordered an heirloom tomato and artisan cheese salad with heirloom greens, toasted pumpkin seeds, and a shallot and cold pressed... more

Good but not worth the

Visted for our anniversary and choose the tasting menu and although the food as ok...the overall experience was not up to the plus $250 tab at the end....the place is small and the wine list is uninspired.... more

Delicious

The food and service were excellent and I couldn't ask for more. The prices are on the expensive side, but in my opinion it was well worth it. As a caveat, the restaurant is on the noisy side and it can be a little hard to maintain conversation when dining area is full. I would definitely dine at Red Canoe... more

Dreadfully slow service

My wife and I dined with two friends at this bistro at the recommendation from a colleague. This is a small dining room in a small house in downtown Burlington. The atmosphere reminds me of a cafetaria with tiled floors, tables (no tablecloths) pressed against the windows or walls; our table of 4 was literally right beside the main door... more

different

The service and the food were excellent - but a little bit pricey - but would definately visiti again :)

How did it leave the kitchen

We waited an hour for our food and not because the restaurant was crowded. There were only 3 other tables occupied. I had the halibut and my husband had the duck. The halibut was either old or had been frozen and the duck arrived well- done. Sent it back and the sides stayed. Do you eat them and get full... more

Amazing Gem in Burlington

I can't beleive more people don't know about this place! I moved to Burlington about 8 months ago and have dedicated many Saturday nights to trying out all the local restaurants.
This place totally blew me away. I would go so far as to say that the food was some of the best I've ever had.
The menu was interesting,... more

Great Chef

Awesome prix fixe menu, well thought out meal with wine pairing. Tobias takes great care in his ingredients selection and it shows1

Red Canoe Bistro a Burlington Gem

I have always enjoyed meals at Red Canoe Bistro and this visit was no exception. My husband chose to have 2 appetizers..Gazpacho and Steak Tartar. Both were fabulous! I chose to have the Ontario Rack of Lamb and it was well worth the wait. We both had a glass of wine as I enjoy White and he prefers Red. The... more

Great little place

Visiting here 2 nights ago with 8 of my husbands colleagues whilst over on England. We dropped on a quiet night which was nice.the boys were well impressed with the enormous choice of beers and ales and the girl was very knowledgable. The menu was good and the food was beautifully presented and yummy. Full marks.

High end pricing for average small portioned meals

Perhaps Red Canoe Bistro just isn't my type of dinning experience but I'd suggest for something different try it once. Food was ok but for the price nothing great. I will always try a place once but some I'd rather not go back to and this is one of them.

Amazing

Had the Bisque to start, and the pasta with smoked chicken and homemade bacon, incredible!

Canadian comfort food with a twist

It's great to get out of the GTA and discover new places that cater to a loyal local crowd.
Red canoe serves up a great feast of 100 miles menus items, with a great canadian wine list. Burlington is Not the burbs! It is actually a large country club with many great foodie "boutiques"

Great food, location and atmosphere

Love this little place. HIgh quality food and service, but not stuffy or overpriced.

Wonderful local bistro

This restaurant is really cute inside...its all wood and at atmosphere is very calming. The service was wonderful and so was the food. They change their menu every 2 weeks to keep their regulars interested, which I thought was neat. They are also very accommodating with any substitutions or Vegetarian/Vegan options. All the food they serve is local as well... more

Good food, terrible service

I've reviewed on restaurantica. Very bad service. Great food.

Nice little place for a celebration

We very much enjoyed our evening at Red Canoe. We both had the seven course tasting menu with six wine pairings. The food was very well prepared, and the wines were pretty good.
It seemed a bit arbitrary to me to put such an emphasis on locally sourced food, but then bring in arctic char. The Canadian cuisine concept is... more

Lot's of plug...not too much spark

My title is not my own but left over from my time as a TA at UBC. Still it reflects our take away feeling about this wonderfully named restaurant up a few steps on a Burlington side street. The chef /owner is sans doubt talented but we had trouble getting on his wave length. Maybe too much reaching and not... more

best fresh food in Burlington

in a word - OUTSTANDING.
With the food grown locally and the creative chef making magic with the ingredients, it's hand's down spectacular on the palette.

Delish

We went there during Burlington Restauant Week and I tried the spevial prix fixe menu - heirloom tomato salad with blue cheese, flash smoked salmon with summer veggie ratatouille and Blondie with blueberry ice cream. It was all delicious and the salmon grilled to perfection. The service was excellent, very nice and attentive, and the restaurant is small and cozy,... more

Veggie YUCK

How these guys can tag onto the Toronto Ve Association 'Veggielicious' Special is beyond me. Obviously, they've never cooked 'vegan' before.
Our meal was Price Fixe at $39.00 each and it was horrible. Small servings, terrible flavour, mushy tempeh! What were they thinking? Combining Black Bean/Black Walnut...weird flavours...If someone understands vegan food, they know that we don't eat animal... more

The best in Burlington

I have eaten out a lot and this place is really good.I can't rave about it enough. On business I eat in restaurants around the world and the skill and consideration used in this cooking is exceptional.

Best restaurant in Burlington

I first went to Red Canoe Bistro on a friends suggestion. But I could not find this restaurant on trip advisor so after trying it I was so impressed I had to come back and add it.
The food, service and wine were amazing. I really enjoyed the special cocktails they made for myself. And my husband was able to... more

Walk in and you see a small restaurant where it looks like the panelling they've chosen to decorate the walls, bar, etc. hasn't been stained yet. We're seated and the first thing I notice as there doesn't appear to be a door hiding patrons from the kitchen staff - you can see...and hear...most of what is going on "behind the curtain". Snowshoes in the window and Sarah MacLachlan playing quietly... more

We went to the Red Canoe for dinner with friends back in November. It was a big hit for everyone. Two of the people with me had food allergies and special requests which were accommodated without any problems. I had eaten venison in the past and was not a huge fan, but I decided to eat it that night and it was delicious. My fiancee who can be picky devoured his food. He loved his soup so much... more

Luckily my wife and I read the COMMENTS attached to the review below. It would have been a shame to have missed out on such a great restaurant experience if we had taken the review below as the truth. Red Canoe Bistro scored high on all marks - delicious food, character of surroundings and wonderful service. Finally a restaurant in Burlington doing something different for a change. The place... more

Fine Dining? Are you kidding me? My husband and I decided to try Red Canoe on Saturday night after hearing all about this 'new' fine dining restaurant in Burlington. Normally I don’t write reviews on restaurants however I had such a horrible experience with the service that my husband insisted I write a review or he would.

Better then I expected.

As an old guest of Dantes Trattoria I was unsure of another restaurant taking over its location.

I went sceptically on the suggestion of a friend. WOW were they right about it. I love the warm comfortable fell to the place.

From start to finish it was great. I thought you would need to go to Toronto or Montreal to get a meal with as much care and detail as this had. My Fish (Arctic Char) was... more

Fantastic Food however Poor Service

My wife and I have lived downtown Burlington for years and eat out on a regular basis. We first heard about Red Canoe Bistro through a write-up in the Hamilton Spectator about how incredible the food was and naturally we wanted to try the food.

The review were right, the food was fantastic!!! The presentation was incredible for the appetizer, meal and dessert that we shared. The chef, who is... more

The best in town

Now I have lived in Burlington for many years. And this is arguably the best restaurant I have been to. I eat out 2-3 nights per week at all the best places in Burlington, Oakville and Toronto. Nothing in the area compares.

I couldn’t get in the first time I tried as they were fully booked. So I made a reservation a few weeks later.

I have now eaten there 3 times. Each time I encountered a... more