Frontline staff - amazing!!! Owner - RUDE

On a Saturday in August around noon - a small gathering of people waited outside the restaurant in anticipation of its opening. Many had noted they checked the website to see if it was open. Many said they recognized that 'Shirley' was there as her truck was parked out front. One person was actually getting concerned for her well-being because... more

Pricey for Casual Drinks

Okay, this is going to be a "Poor" review, but specifically for those who are looking to grab a casual drink on a nice summer night, with a view of the bay. I didn't eat there. Just met up with a friend for a drink and the tab was about $25 for 2 glasses of wine. Make your own judgments,... more

Excellent lunch menu, lovely surroundings

Visited here for lunch whilst on holiday with my partner (staying with family in Barrie). Lunch menu was very reasonably priced ($46 for the 2 of us including beer and wine). Portions extremely generous. I had the grilled chicken wrap with warm goat's cheese which was very tasty and my partner had the 6oz rib eye steak. The meat was... more

Best Caesar Salad

I've been to this restaurant many times over the years but haven't been in probably over a year and half. Not sure if its the same owner or not because my lunch just wasn't up to usual par. I had the rib eye steak and Caesar salad. The steak used to be so think and juicy and very tasty. This... more

A good family outing

It was a good restaurant! My mother wanted to go there for their annivsery and it was enjoyable.
The portion sizes are large, but the food was meh.
I cannot say I'd go back myself, but my parents loved it.
It is a good place to eat, but a bit overpriced for the value.

Classic, no surprises

A good old fashion typical restaurant, a little romantic on week-end (if you are over 50, let's say 55 !!!!). Totally classic food served by a very experience staff. Great place to go with parents or grand-parents... more

Best Restaurant in Barrie

We went on a Saturday for dinner. We got a gift certificate from a friend and decided to try it out. The waitress was warm and friendly.The atmosphere was nice in the restaurant. The only improvement I would make would be to turn the heat up as I was a bit cold - wearing a medium sleeve blouse. The appetizers... more

A lovely fine dining experience

Very good food and service....the atmosphere is lovely. We like the tables at the back of the restaurant. Their Apricot Chicken is a must try. Have dined here many times...never disappointed
The out side patio is so nice in the summer. Thanks for the many good times at your restaurant with family and friends.

A taste of home

A week in Barrie for training resulted in a lot of restaurant eateries. Shirleys Bayside Grill was the best!!
Every course of my meal was awesome! I even had dessert which left me over full but very happy.
The food was great! Nothing bad to say. The atmosphere of the restaurant was cozy and warm, a pleasant surprise on a... more

Delicious meals at great value for Barrielicious

I just came back from having a supper yummy dinner at Shirley's. There were 13 of us and everyone was extremely satisfied. The choices for Barrielicious were excellent. I had the house salad, the glazed chicken entree and chocolate cake with ice cream and caramel sauce; every single bite was delicious. The salmon looked very apealing as well. It is... more

Excellent - again

This was our 2nd time at Shirley's and we were not disappointed..we had a window seat which was great..nice place with great atmosphere..We started off with the baked camembert...wow..what a treat!! I could eat just that with a bit of bread and some wine...however we did order mains...my wife had the glazed apricot chicken and I had the veal parmigiana..both... more

One of Barrie's BEST Restos

Shirley's has been our favourite for over ten years.The food is consistenrly good and the atmosphere is great.We celebrate birthdays here and go for lunch or dinner with family and friends.The service is friendly and we have never had a complaint.Similar meals in Toronto would be far pricier.Don't let a disgruntled review keep you from enjoying this restaurant !

4 stars from many reviewers

So....after reading the reviews of some restaurants in Barrie and looking at their website I chose Shirley's Bayside Grill for dinner for my date and I. I phoned a day earlier and asked for a table with a view (for a Thursday at 5:30) and was right away told they couldn't guarantee anything. That should have been a clue as... more

Good Food/Bit Pricey

Four of us went here on a Saturday evening; we had a reservation and they placed us in a nice location by the window with a view of the bay. Good service although I felt it could have been a bit friendlier (i.e. I sensed some irritation as we were taking our time getting around to deciding what to have).... more

A gem with a view

The menu is varied and would suit many tastes. I had the Warm Strawberry Salad with the oven-baked salmon addition. The salmon was baked to perfection, still moist, not at all dry.The wine list is adequate and the staff are helpful in helping you choose. Generous glasses at a reasonable price. The ambiance is quiet and quite elegant, although the... more

Fantastic meal

The calamari was good , large portion .
Lamb was delicious and moderately priced .
The chicken (apricot ) was delicious .
I would come back for sure .
And order desert. :)

Great Girlfriends Lunch Spot

Menu at Shirley's is tuned to a crowd who likes "fancier" food. We tried: 1) beet salad with grilled chicken (colourful and delicious) 2) smoked salmon and pesto pizza ( a little salty), 3) chicken stuffed Yorkshire pudding with hollandaise sauce (couldn't get a taste, husband hogged it!)
Décor is upscale for Barrie. Per previous feedback, it can get a... more

Nice, pricey but nice

August 23 was my wife's birthday and although I would like to have gone to the Keg, it was her day so we went to Shirley's Bayside Grill. My first time, her second. The biggest issue was parking as it is located downtown with only street parking nearby but I lucked in with a space directly opposite the restaurant. The... more

Good Food, Bad Noise

My wife and I visited Barrie for a day. Our search for a nice place for lunch left us rather depressed as we could find nothing but sports bars and Indian restaurants in the downtown core until a charming lady at the Town Hall suggested Shirley's. We're very glad she did. We had an excellent lunch, even though the waitress... more

Pleasant Saturday Dinner

Went to Barrie to visit friends, by serendipity we had a wonderful dinner at Shiley's we enjoyed a copious entree of calamari, and the food was very good, and reasonable prices.

Always an enjoyable option

Been to Shirleys many times, and I always enjoy my experience here. It is such a nice ambience, and a place to enjoy the company of friends.
Going there last Friday night, there was live music by a gentleman who was fantastic and quite talented.
We were likely not an easy group to accomodate as most of the people at... more

Always consistent service and food quality

We absolutely love this place. We have been several times with different company and I have forgotten to do a review. Shirley's is a lovely place that has some incredible culinary selections. They do a dish called Apricot chicken which is so yummy!! Please try Shirley's and you won't be disappointed.

Best Caesar salad around

The best caesar salad dressing I've ever tasted..so good and can you say garlic??? The portions are large here so good value for the price.

Our old Favorite

We try other restaurants in the area of this niche, but they never quite compare to Shirley's. Best Caesar salad, a tight but nicely varied menu, reasonable wine list, great service. Never disappointed.

Wonderful Barrielicious Meal.............A great birthday supper

I took my friend here for her 62nd birthday and we LOVED it. I hadn't been here for awhile and I am so glad I chose it. She had a wonderful veal and I had a 3 course Barrielicious meal that was divine. I had the BEST chicken dish ever ~ crispy, with a glaze, delicious potato etc. ~ to... more

Great Lunch Spot

3 of us visited Shirley's on Friday. The steak sandwich is really good. And, my friend really enjoyed the salmon. It's a very cute restaurant. I'd highly recommend this for lunch.

Fantastic

Shirley's is one of our favorite restaurant it's very nice inside the food is excellent and I wouldn't hesistate to go back love this place.

Really good

I like the atmosphere, the location, the service and the food. The grilled lobster sandwich is fantastic.

good food but noisy

I have been to Shirley's a number of times. The food is good and the service is excellent. However, all the surfaces are hard and the noise bounces around.

Not as great as it used to be

My husband and I have been here a few times over the years, usually saving it for a special occasion. Our last experience (Friday night dinner in Aug) was really disappointing. We had a $30 gift certificate given to us by our daughter so we thought we would go for lunch. Twice we went and they weren't open. Ok, we... more

convenient

a special occasion restaurant with good food and service, located on the waterfront with a nice view of the bay, well priced

Amazing

Wonderful place to eat! I highly reccomend it! The steak on Fridays (if they still have it) Is awesome!! All the food is great!

great food & atmosphere

Shirley's has great food quality; decent service; favourite is the lobster grilled cheese!

Bad birthday experience

Friends took me for lunch to celebrate my birthday and I have NEVER had such an experience at a resturant ever.Ordered a spinach salad and wasn't aware that it had feta cheese,which I cannot eat,told the waitress and she just said that is the way it is and left,another waitress (who was setting tables) heard our converstion ask if I... more

Great food + Great staff

The food was great and the chef was very accommodating (I have seafood and fish allergy). The atmosphere was very nice and I ended up staying a lot longer than I was planning... more

A Loud Hole in the Ground

Restaurant is over crowed. Too many people, feels like you are sharing your dining experience with the other 60 people in the building. Food is average and it is painfully evident that the servers don't want to be there.
Below par restaurant, skip it and move on to one of Barrie's bright spots.

Great Food

Great food. I go to this restaurants very often with my family and it has great food ! The pastas, steaks and chickens are all great. The menu is not huge but all items on the item are great. The bruchetta is a great appetizer and they have many desserts to chose from. It is a fine dining restaurant and... more

Limited menu but never a disappointment. Very consistent quality, definition of casual fine dining

This is one of those secrets that a city sometimes holds. Perfect presentation middle of the road price. Really a sure fire winner.

Lunch is the best

We were just there the other day and they have put up their prices and have changed the menu which was dissappointing but once again, the soup and salad is second to none and is served with all of the sandwiches. We have never been for dinner but it is quite busy at lunch for a good reason. The day... more

Noisy, Noisy, Noisy

The food at Shirley's is always great, the service is usually very good, but the noise levels are just too, too loud ... some sound masking - maybe in the ceiling would really make this place at least a four star.

Shirley's Bayside Grille

My girlfriend used to work at Shirley's when she attended High School, so she recommended that we go there for lunch one day. We ordered some sort of pasta (can't remember the name) and ate it at the bar. We only ordered one dish though, because it was more than plenty. We could barely even finish it between the two of us. Staff were all very friendly. I then got a tour of the kitchen and met... more

Was there Sat Oct 16th

and was very disappointed again, we not be returning.
We all had the special, Prime rib and it was very fatty, cold, the gravy was cold potates were hot. Soup was good, bread was good but at the end of the day, this is now a tired place to go out for dinner, VERY OVER RATED!!!!!!!
Time to put Shirley... more

Making a reservation was painful

I called to make a reservation for 3 people, but the woman who answered their phone was very unhelpful and not friendly. She said they have two seeting times and which did I want. So I asked if 6:30 fit into either seetings. She said "can you be OUT by 8??" So I said "an hour and a half should... more

Great casual spot - wonderful service and great food

My second time at Shirley's, and again, no disappointment! Service was prompt and friendly, the martini was great, and the food was freshly prepared.
Grab a seat on the patio if you can, if the weather's nice!
Will be back again and again.

excellent

The prime rib is amazing and the Caesar salad is to die for. We enjoy the patio in the summer time. It's definitely worth going to.

Fantastic Food

Grilled lobster & cheese sandwich was heavenly, came with an amazing "house" salad - mixed greens with melon, strawberries, cucumbers, onions, optional freshly grated pepper & Parmesan, and an awesome creamy dressing. Lovely view, very nice decor, friendly service. Yes, it's crowded, indicating its popularity. Quite noisy; a few hanging tapestries might absorb some sound.

My only warning is that

My only warning is that it can be a little noisy, however this has not stopped me from ever going. The food is second to none. This is likely the best restaurant in town.

We found our servers on

We found our servers on 2 separate occasions unfriendly ruining the experience

Great food but I find it

Great food but I find it very noisy

Great little place great decor and awesome bistro type menu everything on thier menu sounds great

Lobster and old cheddar

Lobster and old cheddar sandwich is to die for

food is ok, but you are

food is ok, but you are squashed in like sardines.

went for first time 23 june 07,,never go back,,food very nice,,but staff attitude does not complement the prices,,once you are seated and ordered,,service goes down faster than the titanic,,staff were half asleep, and false,,better service in the sports bars,,at least the staff make an effort for their tip

The decor, the service and the tasty food! My favourite place in town to eat!

The best spot in Barrie by far!!

amazing food - wonderful ambience - service is flawless- one of the best in Barrie