43 King William St, Hamilton, ON L8R 1A2, Canada
The Diplomat is a restaurant, bar and event venue that opened in December 2017. The menu is internationally inspired yet approachable and aims to accommodate all dietary preferences. The Diplomat is a versatile space for gatherings both large and small and provides a vibrant atmosphere whether you are visiting on a weeknight or for a special occasion.
My husbands Christmas party was held here last night, the food and drinks were delicious. Staff was very friendly aswell. LOVED the Braised beef
The service and atmosphere definitely exceeded my expectations. Servers were very attentive but not over-the-top. Food was very delicious too! The happy hour prices made everything very affordable. I really loved the broccoli appetizer.
We recently had our wedding at the Diplomat and are so happy with our experience. The staff are phenomenal, the food is delicious and the space is beautiful! We couldn’t believe how amazing the service was, and how efficient and accommodating the staff were during dinner, and at the bar (we received countless compliments about the cocktails and food!). We would like to give a special shout out to Aaron who we felt went out of his way to make sure everything went smoothly! Thank you to the whole team who helped to make our day so special!
First time visiting the Diplomat and was so impressed with the restaurant, service and the food. A perfect environment to entertain clients or enjoy a leisurely drink and chat in one of the comfy sofas. A gem on King William 🤴 ✨️ 😍 💙
We went to Diplomat for a date night. Overall everything was fine, but nothing too special. The food and service were good. Our server was very nice, but we felt rushed to leave the restaurant although it was 9:30 and restaurant closes at 10 pm. We were given the bill right after our last bite. The atmosphere was romantic. Overall everything was fine and enjoyable but nothing too special. For this pricepoint, I feel like there are better places in Hamilton.
Had such an amazing experience here the other night. Our server Sergio was so sweet and had such a great energy it really made our evening special. The food was incredible, small portions but packed with a lot of flavour. Would definitely recommend stopping by for dinner if you’re in town.
Attended a 40th birthday dinner event for my sister in law recently. The atmosphere was great. It was a lovely place to dine in. The staff that were part of our group were exceptionally lovely and kind. The cocktails 100/10 for our mostly non-alcoholic group. The bar was lovely to admire with the lush ferns hanging from the ceiling and gold glided detailing around the glass and bar station. There was some unique art pieces which I absolutely adored especially the dignified giraffe piece by the fire place mantle. The food was good. I didn't get a shot of my main course which was the braised beef in a cream sauce and potatoes because it took so long to come that I rushed to eat it. It was good but I would have loved for the potatoes to be softer and crispy and not tough and crunchy. My appetizers was a pork stew which I absolutely loved 10/10. Everything worked in the stew. The spices, meats, veggies all blended exceptionally well. Definitely will recommend for a unique Downtown Hamilton experience coming from a Toronto lady who loves fine dining.
Had a gorgeous meal on their patio this evening. We started with their pork belly and the garlic knots. The pork belly was incredible and the knots were great. Then we enjoyed the Diplo Burger and the salmon. The burger was huge and delicious and the salmon was the best I’ve had in a long time. The service was quick and friendly as well. We will definitely be returning!
Went for a wedding and had an amazing time!!!! Thank you
Bright, open, beautiful place, comfortable seating, friendly attentive staff brought tasty treats. It made the reception a real success. I would recommend this place highly to anyone that wants to have a celebration with friends. Food
Great place to celebrate an occasion or hang out with family and friends. The food and service were outstanding.
This place is the type of nice vibe + good food & drinks. I went to a wedding ceremony celebration, and I definitely had a really good time and enjoyed the bar and excellent dinner. The Dipoomat is now in my top places to dine and enyoy myself in Hamilton. I highly recommend it .
UPDATED: The Diplomat used to be my favourite King William St. go to -- and then something happened to really turn it into a disappointing experience. The closing of the chefs table, the lack of attention to things like a slew of burnt out lightbulbs and a menu that didnt change for yearssssss -- I havent been back in a long while. I hope that theyre able to rally back. I fell in love with The Diplomat probably about 3 years ago now. Awesome vibe inside, never had a meal that didn t impress me, and one of the best Manhattans I ve ever had (I don t know if they do the saturated cherry regularly, but they should). I ve loved sitting at the chef s table, and on their awesome loungers. Coming out of lockdown they have handled service beautifully. Front of house and back of house have made every meal there a delight.
Only used the bar. So far the service is great because the employees are nice. However, today is friday and they close at 10PM. Price is affordable.
Attended a wedding here a couple weeks ago. Beautiful setting and great food and downtown location.
Great place. Had my birthday celebrated here in summer, they provided me with free dessert. Cocktails and food were amazing. Thanks to staff for helping to make the evening special.
Was there for a wedding and it was amazing
Such a nice atmosphere! Stopped in here randomly - they had fresh, local craft beer on tap and really nice cocktails. Small menu and everything looked amazing. Had the burrata with a mango jalapeno salsa - best burrata Ive ever had.
Please come here for the atmosphere but the food is not good at all . Also if you have big party avoid this place .. the staff will get overwhelmed and the service will suffer
The staff was okay, our lady server was very nice but the man seemed like he didn t want to be here. The food was soo bad, it seemed as is the chef forgot to season the food. I wouldn t recommend this place to anyone.
Recently, my family surprised me with a birthday celebration at the Diplomat (upstairs banquet hall) Everything was well co-ordinated..staff were polite & easily available..although I did not have time to eat, the guests were very complimentary regarding the food & service I would recommend it highly for a celebration
Worst place for a wedding
Nice design place, Friendly attentive and knowledgable staff, small menu, good food, and nice atmosphere.
We hosted our wedding at The Diplomat and everything was incredible! Our event coordinator, Kyla, was super helpful throughout the whole planning process and answered all of our questions promptly. The restaurant is beautiful and required such minimal decor. The staff working the event made everything run so smoothly, from set up, to cocktail hour, to dinner service. The servers were amazing. The bartenders are so talented and our guests loved the cocktails. All of the food was DELICIOUS! Our favourite canapés were the fried halloumi and the chili chicken. The braised beef was to die for. There were vegan and gluten free options for our guests with dietary restrictions. Our guests raved about the food! I would highly recommend The Diplomat for hosting events!
A Great Surprise. We were there as part of a function. A nice greeting at the door into a really nice ambiance. There were about 30 of us and the wait staff was on there game. The service was top tier. Never without a drink, the food came out in a timely manner. The food far exceeded my expectations. Being from an hour away its well worth my driving to in the future. Again, very well done. The staff helped make the evening, kudos.
First time and we had an awesome experience! Firstly, lovely atmosphere, secondly, our waiter Marco was fantastic! He was lovely and very attentive. He made a great recommendation to start with the burrata. It was the best weve had! Our dinner and drinks were very good. Perfectly made. Cheers to Marco and the chef!!!!
Went for a private party, they closed the place for us, great bar, staff and food. Parking on the street or a parking lot down the street, it was a Sunday so free parking. Classy place.
Attended a wedding everything was exceptional! Staff and servers wonderful! Food andHordurves delicious We were from our of town pleasantly surprised!
Tasty food
Great food, drinks and service!
Servicer was rushing us. Allow more time between visits
A great atmosphere and nice vibe but let down by main courses. As it s been said, Diplomat looks modern and elegant and the service was quite good as well. The crab dip was a great starter but my main course, the piri-piri shrimp pasta, did not taste like it was worth $30. The pasta wasn t really a cohesive dish- more just plain pasta with a strange sauce. Similarly, the squash risotto had almost a sweet taste, and would also be better on the desert menu. Not our favourite either. It s not cheap, but despite the great ambience I probably won t be returning again on a regular basis. Not worth it. TL;DR atmosphere is nice. Main courses leave something to be desired.
My daughter had her wedding here, from the ceremony, to the wonderful dinner, to the reception. I cannot think of a place that could do better. Staff were so attentive and amazing, friendly and professional. The food was delicious and beautifully presented. Service was amazing, and the party was the best! So much fun and so well done. Thank you diplomat for making a fabulous memory for my daughter, son in law and everyone there!
This place is amazing. I love the vibes, server was very attentive and fun, and the food was creative and delicious. Will definitely return as soon as possible. I can t believe this place isn t full every night! My fiancé is vegetarian and their options for vegetarian, vegan and gluten free were really good! Vegetarian options: Vegetarian options were great!
A great work, study and hangout place all in one! Love the bowls and variety of warm and cold drinks. Their smore bar is a must!
Went for Winter Eats and was a bit disappointed. The chilli chicken was quite dry and the pork belly wasn t very flavourful. We were a bit surprised as a few of us had previously been here and enjoyed the food. The prices were reasonable though.
Food is on pint the the service was incredible The atmosphere is fun and ingredients are so fresh From the behind to end is was on point
Incredible food and service at an intimate wedding we worked at this month. The staff were very kind and the food was YUM.
Atmosphere was great, nice cocktails and appetizer. Chicken schnitzel was burnt and dry. They switched up the recipe which doesn t come with not much or no sauce on the chicken. I was disappointed because it use to be amazing but wasn t tasty at all.
We had our cocktail-style wedding reception at The Diplomat for 100+ guests and we could not have been happier. Everything turned out exactly how we pictured it. The restaurant decor and atmosphere is beautiful as is, all the staff was incredibly friendly and helpful, the food was delicious and the drinks were top notch. Our coordinator, Kyla was also an absolute pleasure to work with. She was so kind and patient with us, and we were so grateful to have had her there on the wedding day. The Diplomat was gracious enough to allow us to take our engagement pictures there as well, which turned out beautifully thanks to the amazing staff. We cannot say enough good things about The Diplomat. We had the wedding reception of our dreams thanks to them! And were looking forward to have our anniversary dinner at The Diplomat for many years to come. If anyone is debating hosting an event at The Diplomat, we would 100% recommend it.
Pork chops was off the rails - loved it
Food and cocktails are great
Visited this evening met @ the host stand was lacklustre followed by more of the same by our server. Food was good the staff could be more welcoming. Not friendly at all. We dine out often and this was a disappointment. To the man who was greeting (barely) at the host stand with the glasses & multi coloured shirt if you are the manager you need to lead by example. The guest are your pay cheque! smile & ask them how they are doing! Thank them for coming out on this frigid night to spend time & money at your establishment.
Was here for a wedding on NYE. Unreal experience. Every dish that came out was 10/10. Service was amazing. Drinks were top knotch. And the space is absolutely gorgeous!
Delish delish delish
Fantastic meal having the 4 vegetarian apps shared between 4. Food was delicious - as were the drinks - and the service likewise great. Vegetarian options: Half the sharing menu was vegetarian and all were delicious. Also had 2 vegetarian mains which looked good (but we filled up on the apps).
The service was great and the food was tasty, but the Valentines Day special for two was far from being a good size to share. My wife and I had to order a second main dish.
First time dining here, and it has a great vibe. Staff and service were great. Food was awesome. Definitely will revisit.
I hosted a 60-person event at The Diplomat in early February. Pros: - Gorgeous place! Lots of natural lighting. Cons: Extremely understaffed with only two waitresses for a 60-person event. - I was told many tables had no drinks service the entire event - Some guests were told that non-alcoholic was cash bar which was a miscommunication and others made comments that they were very rude. - Tables had mountains of dirty plates the whole time - I was told some tables ordered drinks and then the waitresses never came back - There was an 18% gratuity on the event but I talked the owner down to 10% as he agreed with the issues. Event Coordinator didn t exceed any expectations and just did her job . - Kyla works 2-3 days a week, sometimes it was frustrating to get a hold of her when I needed answers asap - Overpromising of items, but would get them the following week - Lots of misses in explaining important details of the event, like how brunch style goes, poor communication in the Events Order on what staff are to expect that day - No post-event communication asking how the event went that day given the circumstances that were communicated to the owner. It felt like after we paid that s it! Her job was done kind of feeling. - Overall, she gave the impression that she isn t too experienced in Events Coordinating and lacks the professionalism you need in this type of competitive industry Lots of miscommunication - I felt so bad for the Events person that day as she was really thrown off. It wasn t explained to her on the Events Order that cake was supposed to be cut and served by their staff, and it wasn t. I served some of the tables myself. It was really bad. - Large format brunch was explained to me as everything comes out at the same time, but on the day of it was just a total mess... The food came out with salad and home fries first an interesting combination to get guests full on potatoes and salad first. Bacon and eggs came out very last. It was just a really weird way of serving the dishes in that order. Very slow service in between each serving. Credit Card machine stopped working - I don t think they could have done anything at all to fix this, so no big deal there. My only concern is that some guests who did cashbar for their drinks provided their credit card to them and they would later get charged when the credit machine was up and running again. Unfortunately, after the event, I was told some guests were overcharged when it came to billing. Overall, just lots of miscommunication, poor events coordination, understaffed and very slow service. The bartender was great though! I love this place for dine-in but would never host an event here ever again. Hope this helps!
Great service and amazing food.
First time here for a private event and hands down an amazing truly 5 star experience. Definistely recommend you try The diplomat. The apps, mains and desserts were tsaty, indulgent, and not holding back on portion sizes. The staff were all interactive, facilitating, and continuously checking in on all of us. Great job TO THE TEAM.
Thank you and your staff so much for such an amazing evening. I was really blown away with the service. The food was great and the setting was wonderful. Kyla the event planner made the experience planning so easy, she was patient with me and offered such calmness during a stressful time. I look forward to hosting our next event and dining at your restaurant again. I would highly recommend booking this space for any event. I had about 50 people there and we will all very comfortable and taken care of.
Amazing venue, food is great but most of all the service is exceptional!! I had my baby shower with 25 guests and the lovely staff knew everyone by name and made us all feel so welcome and catered to. We had a wonderful time. Thank you to Kieran for making everyone feel so special.
First time here and it was absolutely lovely. We didn t have a reservation but we re still kindly offered a table. Krista was our server and she was absolutely fantastic!! She was kind, welcoming, efficient and professional. The food was delicious and even better than we hoped for. Cocktails were wonderful. My water was filled consistently which was so nice. Will definitely return soon! Thank you so much for a wonderful evening.
Friendly, helpful and knowledgeable staff. Delicious pub food with a nice twist, reasonably priced. Highly recommend the porc chop.
Our favorite restaurant!
I am a DJ with Sound of Harmony DJ Services and I DJed a wedding at the Diplomat yesterday. The service was impeccable, the very best service ive ever received working as a vendor for a wedding. The food was INCREDIBLE. Portions were large. Amazing. I highly recommend this establishment to host your wedding or to dine at! 10/10!
The food was good but not great. I was expecting more so maybe thats why I feel let down a bit.
Kudos to Aaron at The Diplomat Friday May 12, 2023. We arrived with a reservation that I had made in error for the incorrect day. The restaurant was currently closed for a movie shoot. Aaron took it upon himself to walk us over to The French and secure us a table. He was very friendly and professional but most of all helpful. We had an amazing meal at The French and a lovely evening. Amazing customer service, staff and food. Highly recommend both establishments!
Love it here. Great staff, food is top notch. Treated well all round. Kid-friendliness: We bring our toddler, staff is very friendly and accommodating.
Always great food and great service! The tuna tataki is amazing, so is the calamari. Very accommodating for business lunches and dinners.
My first time here, it was for a bridal shower, it was all so beautiful. The atmosphere, service and the food were all fantastic!
the service was on point. the food is to die for, you get what you pay for. Every dish was delicious.
Great service. Great food. Check it out! The crab Rangoon dip is incredible!
High quality at expected prices. Keep an eye out for Winter Eats and other seasonal prix fixe specials, as
food is very good and beautiful restaurant. but service is sub par . when you ask a guest if they want sparkling or normal water you should probably imply that the sparkling is an extra $10 charge before they see it on the bill servers also don t really seem to care much about the tables at all.
Great food and beautiful restaurant. I love the space so much I m considering it as a wedding venue actually. But we went for the summer eats menus where we tried a bunch of different plates. The fried artichoke (pictured) was my favourite but it was all excellent. The service was incredibly attentive and friendly as well.
My first time at this location we gathered ( about 50 of us ) celebrated my sons wedding day. It was perfect we had one half of the restaurant great bar staff & several servers very attentive. The food was first class, there were even several selections for the children. Everyone absolutely enjoyed themselves. I highly recommend this venue for any group or organization looking for an upscale dining experience.
Had a fabulous time as family and friends got together to celebrate a wedding. All staff were friendly and cheerful, food was so good. We had a wonderful time and look forward to going back. Highly recommend!!!
Food was great the service was amazing and the atmosphere was insta worthy.
The service was terrible. Nothing to do with our server but everything to do with the kitchen. We waited 2 hours for our main course and we finally had to leave before it was served at the table. We paid full price for definitely not a full portion. Very expensive take out. Will not be back ever.
The restaurant is very chic and beautiful. Our server was courteous and polite, however those were the only redeeming qualities of our experience. We had booked a reservation for 7pm (days in advance), seated and brought our drinks and appetizers along with our orders for our mains. 9pm had rolled around and we still had not received our main meal. At this point, we were fed up with waiting and had politely asked our server for the bill for our apps and drinks. Suddenly this prompted them to have our food ready to be served as soon as we asked but we were no longer interested in the service. They packed our food in takeout containers with no offer of discounting our meal for the inconvenience. Their excuse was their staff was not accustomed to having this many customers . Understandably there was an event being hosted and they were short staffed. But why bother honouring the reservations if you are not capable of handling that many customers? This seems to be a chronic issue from years before where they are always short staffed (as per previous Google reviews). Possibly this is a higher management issue not being able to maintain staff to provide quality service to customers? Do better to uphold your reputation in the Hamilton hospitality industry.
Beautiful place but extremely loud once filled with people. You can only hear person next to you. Food was tasty but portions very small and lack imagination. Kind of pricey for the amount very very small portions. Do not come to dinner overly hungry. Drink Menu needs a serious look at. There s nothing on it. (Or severely limited choice of wine, beer and spirits). Get more imported options or cocktails. Beer options were not great. Server was the best part of that experience. She was super nice. Will not go back with so many other options for dining in Hamilton.
Perfect dinner !
Attended a friends wedding here. - the servers for the wedding specifically were so friendly and kind. The manager however; must have been going through something that day as she was blatantly ignorant and rude. Her attitude was negative and cold front he moment we arrived. For someone who has more of an important role in the industry.. she surely doesnt check off the boxes of what makes a positive team player. Extremely immature and distasteful. Her behaviour and poor attitude really changed the vibe for the 30+ people who were in the room CELEBRATING. Shame on her, she should have been sent home.
Had amazing service by the assistant manager Aaron. I believe he was the only one on the floor but it wasn t even noticeable with how attentive he was to every table. Not only that but he gave us a walk around of the restaurant and gave us some history and cool tid bits about the restaurant. Food was good, Greek nachos were very tasty and portion size was great for the price. The cherry sour drink they had on draft was also very yummy. The shrimp pasta was a little underwhelming, think it could ve used a little more sauce. Overall great experience me and my girlfriend loved it and will definitely be coming back.
The maitre d was awesome and was able to seat us before seeing a show. The Greek nachos were amazing and the mango currry was delicious. Our server Colton was fantastic.
I loved everything about this restaurant. The food amazing, the cocktails tasty, the atmosphere I honestly really enjoyed, some people may think it is loud and on the dark side. If that bothers you, at least go there to try the food. I found it worth it
Very nice restaurant. Felt high class, the food was amazing. I had piri piri shrimp pasta. Not a large variety of dishes, but they really excelled at the dishes they do serve. Customer service is top notch. Had our Xmas party reserved for another restaurant owned by same entity and when a mechanical failure prevented heat in restaurant they quickly offered the diplomat. Had a great night there
The fact this place has high reviews just shows you how bad some ppls taste is lol. For the real foodies, dont waste your time here
Very good restaurant, I ll be back soon
First time in! Food was FABULOUS!! The manager took great care of us. I have terrible food allergies and they kept me safe! We were celebrating my wee Mommys birthday. Great vibe and character. Cannot wait to go back. Thank you kindly
Really good food. Nice looking restaurant. Art work on the walls lacks cohesion but is a great place for dinner.
We stumbled into this place by accident. Were planning on going somewhere else but decided to stop by for a drink while we figured our plans out. Ended up staying for dinner and more drinks and must tell you. Everything was amazing the food we ordered the drinks we had and in particular the service we received from our bartender Mark and the rest of the staff. Highly recommend that you try this place out.
My family rented a private space package with food and champagne. Nice ambiance. Lots of parking areas nearby. The food teasers were great. I ordered some squash risotto because risotto is a pain to cook. Craft draft beers on tap were great. Our waitress was the best. Took care of us and treated us like friends. Best place I have been to in a long time.
What a great experience!! Food was awesome. Staff was great. Loved the ambiance too. Highly recommend. Cant wait to go back.
The Diplomat hosted our event and it was spectacular. The food was amazing and the service was exceptional!! The ambiance was perfect for us and they were extremely accommodating! Everyone had a great time! We definitely recommend it to anyone and everyone!
Great dinner night out with friends. Everyone working there certainly loves it. So much fun! We were overwhelmed by each dish and the wine recommendation. Well be back soon.
Did the Beyond VanGogh exhibition at the HCC and had a fabulous time with the GF. Followed up with some light fare at the Diplomat and was very impressed. Our server, Kate, was swift, funny, friendly and a great asset and ambassador of the Diplomat. The drinks were bang on, and the meal timing was precise. This review was basically perfect in our opinion with the exception of 2 forgivable items; No more soda water No more almond milk Not the end of the world, but what this minor let down was, was by and large trumped huge with the atmosphere, kitchen staff, and our server Kate. We will definitely be back when in the neighborhood and would 100% recommend this restaurant to anyone. Cant wait to pop back in the summer to people watch on the patio or open bay doors. Thanks for an amazing experience!
Thank you so much for hosting our group s holiday party! The service and the food were outstanding.
Great place to hang out and eat! Staff was so friendly and our waiter literally smiled the whole time serving us! Such a very warm atmosphere. Its spacious and has a beautiful rustic look. Food here is awesome! Fun for the whole family! Located in a tightly packed neighborhood of street restaurants, we had to park a ways off. It was cold out so it seem a wee bit longer. I can see this area would be popping in the summer. Great experience! Stay safe out there friends!
Had a great time there last night. Great service, ambiance. Our waitress with blond curly hair, sorry I forget your name but youre wonderful. We were the couple in the corner with the unique wooden watch. Thank you for the nice night.
Shoutout to Aaron, the manager for his amazing service today to my friend who was celebrating her birthday today. Thank you for going above and beyond for your customers. I cant wait to come back. The restaurant is beautiful, and clean and service impeccable. The food is excellent with a wide array of options for all dietary restrictions. We had a photoshoot here years ago for a corporate event and I would highly recommend this venue to anyone hosting an event or photoshoot. -Jen
100% recommend. Their nachos gave us a good suprise. Try it yourself, the dill was a very nice add! Went with a group of 5, we got their pork belly, it was really good, crispy on the skin then the fat just melts in your mouth, but the highlight was Brussels. It was charred really well and was super crispy. We got a full side of it afterwards. We also got the mushroom arancini, it was pretty good as well. Oh the garlic bread knots as well, we love our bread, oh gosh it was so crispy on the outside and was soft inside. Cant go wrong with ordering it. For the mains we got, chicken schnitzel, sirloin steak, roasted salmon, hazelnut crusted braised beef and beef stroganoff tagliatelle. Chicken schnitzel was pretty average, just taste like any other chicken Katsu. Sirloin steak, asked for rare, and it came out the way it is. Didnt get to try as I am not fan of rare, but my friend really enjoyed it, and cleaned the plate in like 10 min. Roasted salmon, the skin came out crispy and there was still some fat underneath the skin, which is really good. Braised beef, very tender with the hazelnut touch to give it extra crunch. The sauce was really really good. Beef stroganoff tagliatelle, holly molly they were very generous with the mushroom, and again was really good. Along side with the food, the server were very very attentive and knows the menu really well. Our tables water were never left empty, which at this price range of restaurants, its a rare sight. For 5 people, the bill came out to about 300 after tax and 20% tips with all the food and 3 drinks. Would come back for sure, and would recommend anyone that want to try.
Fantastic!! We already love sister restaurants The French and The Aberdeen Tavern and we finally tried the Diplomat. Best Mother s Day brunch we have ever had! The staff are so welcoming and professional. We could not have felt more catered to. The buffet items were all excellent quality..from the fine pastries to the meats, cheeses and fruits. I was spoiled with a mimosa too! Plenty of mains to chose from off the menu. All of our entrees were excellent! Food is fresh and well prepared. Our server was a delight too! What a memorable experience. Looking forward to our next meal here!!
I was there for a wedding on May 28. The whole experience was fantastic. The staff was amazing-friendly, professional, discreet, and responsive to every question and request. The food was exceptionally good and everyone I talked to enjoyed their meal very much. Definitely a great venue for a wedding or dining.
We held a networking event for our team of brokers and clients at the Diplomat and were very pleased with the service, food and the atmosphere. Kaitlin helped us plan our event, she was detailed and organized and the event went very smoothly. Nothing but compliments from our clients! Thank you!
Treat yourselves people! This group of incredible humans is amazing. Professional and courteous, kind, and all sorts of magical. We had our wedding here and it was the experience of a lifetime. The venue, the food, the drink, the atmosphere- but above all- the STAFF I cannot recommend them highly enough! They are an incredible beat in the heart of Hamilton. We will be patrons for life as will 100% of our guests. Thank you to all of you from the bottom of our hearts!
Delicious food! The appetizers especially are very delicate.
Wedding reception
Loved the experience here! Everyone was really friendly and the food was great. I loved the Greek nachos and my wife LOVED the Thai cauliflower bites. We will definitely swing by again, maybe enjoy the patio on our next visit.
Just the best place to go on King William! Amazing food and amazing service
Pricey, but worth it. The Greek nachos were so good! And the summer special was a good deal and delicious! The So Gingerly cocktail was amazing. Shout out to Krista for helping with ordering!
We hosted our 90 person wedding at The Diplomat and it couldnt have been more perfect. The staff were great- making sure to take special care of guests with dietary restrictions and ensuring everyone was happy and fed. We especially loved working with our event coordinator Kaitlin and the general manager Aaron who were on top of everything. The entire day went smoothly and our guests loved the atmosphere, staff and food at The Diplomat.
Amazing restaurant, great atmosphere, amazing staff, food is spectacular, will be a repeat customer again and again.
Amazing food every time I go. Service is some of the best Ive had as well. Good wine pairings, tasty cocktails, thoughtful meals with their own unique flair. I go back when I wants great meal, atmosphere and experience. Patio is pretty nice too
Friendly staff great atmosphere good location
Weve attended and hosted multiple large private events here. The food is fabulous, the service is top notch, and the prices are fair when you consider the quality. Great spot to host small events
Nice place. Good food and service.
Had dinner at The Diplomat last night. The food was decent but not great. The strawberry and watermelon salad was tasty but needed some seasoning. A little salt and fresh ground pepper improved the flavour considerably. My roasted salmon had nice crispy skin, but it was overcooked and dry. I specifically asked for it to be cooked medium rare so that was a disappointment. The accompanying citrus beurre blanc had a lovely, balanced flavour but it had thickened from sitting. The purple yam and coconut fritters were a delightful finish, with a soft texture and delicate coconut flavour. The atmosphere was good and the service was pleasant and attentive. Overall, it was a pleasant meal but not up to the standards of the sister restaurants, Aberdeen Tavern and The French. Given the numerous other great restaurants in Hamilton, I doubt that I will be back.
The Diplomat is a nice cozy restaurant on king Williams Street. Our server Crista is extremely nice and very helpful. Her food recommendations were bang on. Starting with apetizers the calamari had the diplomat flip on it and taste excellent. The grilled Thai chicken is a simple dish with sofisticated flavors. I could have eaten two if this plate. The shrimp pasta is another rich well balanced dish full of flavors. I ordered the votca soda and got what I asked for. The closing dish was the chocolate creme Brule. Rich sweet dish. Myslef I had couple of spoons but my company devoured the hole dish. The place itself is nice. The patio well located and very well serviced by the staff. The inside of the restaurant is very artistic and full of eclectic arts...I love it. I want to highlight again our server was awesome and she is a great host. Vegetarian options: If you are a vegetarian or vegan there are dishes for you. Parking: Parking is few steps from the restaurant Wheelchair accessibility: The patio is easy access to wheelchair.
The food was good, the service was also good.
Delicious food and amazing service. Who is that handsome and charming Black/mixed man? He was managing service at our wedding today and wow. Not only was he professional but hot damn! I don t normally say leave reviews like this but he had to be called out!
Vegetarian options: Our first visit to the Diplomat was really nice. Food was great and service was excellent! We will come again.
Oct 2022 update. I cant believe its been 3 years since we were last here. Service and food are as good as I remember them. Between 3 of us, we had brussel sprouts and tuna tataki perfectly done. Salmon dish, chicken schnitzel dish and Squash risotto dish for our mains. All were flavourful and delicious. Perfect place for a date night. Food options were fantastic and the drink choices offered a good selection of wine, cider, local craft beer and cocktails. The lettuce wrap and dumpling apps were delicious and perfectly portioned. The gluten free flourless chocolate cake was also a nice shareable portion to finish this meal. We we return.
First time dining at The Diplomat! The decor was lovely, eclectic yet sophisticated. Food was wonderful, the general Tao brussel sprouts were outstanding and the tuna was fresh! We had butternut squash risotto, schnitzel and salmon - all amazing dishes as well. The cocktails were unique and refreshing, highly recommend the Presbyterian. Our server Heather was energetic, kind and had great menu knowledge! I will be returning soon!
Great venue for a bridal shower
Beautiful dining experience! The food and drinks were delicious, the service was excellent and the aesthetic was gorgeous. My favourite dish was the Greek nachos our group got as an appetizer. Too delicious to take a picture of. Large portion full of flavour and they used wonton chips so light and crispy. The drinks were strong and tasty. I got the Diplo burger with a side salad. The burger was obviously delicious but the salad, although simple, was amazing! We even got desert and coffee to top off a wonderful experience
Always delicious veg options! I must say though, please bring back the devilled eggs appetizer. Those were delicious or please share the recipe. I promise I will keep it a secret. Im giving 4 vs 5 because pre-covid when it gets super busy its very, very loud and I have to yell at whomever I was dining with to be heard. Looking forward to experiencing dining out again...
Great vibe, fantastic food, came quick, good portions, get the expresso cheesecake.
The atmosphere was very chic and modern and the service was excellent. The food however was SO inedibly salty....like I came home and felt dehydrated. I jokingly said to my partner when we were presented with the desert menu imagine if the dessert is also too salty...it was. We came here for our anniversary and spent $135.00. Very disappointed.
Visited a few months ago. Excellent experience. Everything from service to food to the restaurant itself was marvelous. Appreciated the large gaps between seating. The menu was small but well thought out. Every item we had was delicious. Bit on the pricey side.
This place is really cool. Food is tasty, had butter chicken and Mac n cheese. Love the atmosphere. Nicely upmarket !
One of the best burgers I have ever had! Popped in here on this Sunday afternoon to enjoy the sunny patio. I ordered the Classic Burger and the New Beginnings cocktail both were amazing. Thank you to Des and Kiri for the great service. Will be back again for sure!!
Really great food, attentive service,nice atmosphere.
The servers are so accomodative and friendly. Went with a few friends and got to try a few of their menu selects. The menu is a bit abstract to the actual food served - hoped it was more literal. If you are familiar with the Hamilton restaurant seen its definitely implied through the ambiance that restaurant belongs to a family of others (The French & Aberdeen Tavern) I really liked the mac and cheese as already observed in earlier comments- its quite literally worth a visit.
Good food, the waitress and hostess super nice, we didnt have a reservation and they just ask us to leave a certain time, that was enough for eat and have a couple of drinks.
Their food is very tasty. The vegan crab cake and mango churry are simply amanzing. A very nice optio for vegans and vegetarians.
Samantha our server was exceptional...great attention to detail, recommendations and superior service. I noticed everytime she passed our table she would glance over, assessing and evaluating our needs. Food was delightful, coconut shrimp, cauliflower popcorn and kale salad...great fusion with ethnic overtones and flavours. Butter chicken, and classic mac and cheese....yumm. Beautiful night on the patio. Thank you Samantha ...well done!
Love this place! Food is always great, and while they didnt have 2 bottles of one of our favourite wines, we were able to get one. Had the blackened catfish and it was excellent. Highly recommend!
Nice Atmosphere, Knowledgeable Staff, Average Food and drink for this area. Seems to be using there Name to garner business
Great experience, great food and good atmosphere.
Great food, service and ambiance
10/10 food, service, and vibes. This was my first dinner experience in Hamilton ever and very happy that it was at The Diplomat. We got the best of their appetizers: coconut shrimp, garlic knots with marinara sauce, and wonton nachos (HIGHLY recommend) and I had the blackened fish for my main (fresh, light, tasty!). Food and drinks came out quickly with excellent customer service at every point of the dining experience. Need to try the rest of this menu!! Thanks for an awesome service.
Our group sat on the patio and we had a blast. We started with drinks. My waiter made a custom drink for me. It was delicious, really delicious. We started with the Greek Nachos, Coconut Shrimp and Cauliflower Rosettes. All were fantastic and did not last. I dined on the Hanger Steak, served on a bed of asparagus, with roasted potatoes and onions. Cooked to perfection and I would definitely order again. A very fun evening.
A little too noisy for my liking, but that was partly due to a noisy bachelorette party in the adjoining room. The food was flavourful - more fusion than authentic. The portion sizes were pretty decent (not too small) for this type of restaurant, but no need for a take-home container either. Service was typical, but hard to hear the waitress with the mask on and with all the noise.
We had a delicious dinner with pasta, catfish, butter chicken, fantastic drinks and service. One of the best restaurants in the GTA
Honestly, probably the worst dining experience I have ever had My friends and I were excited for a night out ( this happened Saturday sept 25th) as soon as we got seated, we had to wait 15 -20 mins, until I got up and told the bartender that we hadn t had a server. They just said, ok and turned away from me, not even an apology. She came over and again didn t even say hello, or explain the long wait. Anyways, we got food and drinks and they were very good. No complaints about that. After we finished our food, which our server never came and even asked how it was , or if we needed anything .. we sat there for another 30 mins with no one asking if we wanted another drink. As we all wanted another one. At this point we were all very disappointed, as other ( 2 tables) in the restaurant were getting service as we sat there, wondering why we were not getting served. As I used to work in the industry, I can understand if they are busy, and we need to wait, but it was not busy at all !! We then had to ask for our bills and my friend asked, why we weren t getting served The bartender just said, I don t know why you didn t get served no apology or anything. Made us feel very unwelcome and ruined our night out, will not be returning.
The food and drinks were great, but unfortunately the service was horrible. We had to go looking for someone to serve our table more than once, despite the fact it was not at all busy and wait staff could be seen standing around, tidying, etc, while no one had been by our table for 30+ minutes. We would have loved to order more drinks, but unfortunately no one made the effort to take our order.
A great night out! Kayla was our server and she was the sweetest and even Brought out champagne to celebrate my birthday. The food was top notch and the cheesecake for dessert was 10/10 (they even had a sparkler in it). I d go back in a heartbeat!
We had a wonderful evening at The Diplomat celebrating a friend s birthday - everyone was very happy with their food order! The butter chicken was delicious and a generous portion. Our server, Krista, was knowledgeable about the wine order and very lovely - she made our dining experience that much nicer!
The king of king William. I love all the spots on the street, but the atmosphere and service at The Diplomat is the best. Try the garlic knots, trust me. TRUST ME.
Was there for a private event this past weekend. Venue was very kind and organized. Wedding went off without a hitch. Beautiful, personal intimate venue
A very nice place (the old Baltimore house). It looks so different! Krista, our server, was awesome and kept our drinks topped up. The food was tasty with good portions. Definitely a nice night out!
Nice place, great service but the food didn t feel my expectations
Enjoyed a friends wedding here. The food was absolutely amazing, staff were very friendly. Bartenders were on their A-game. The decor was a mix of classy and contemporary.
Great food, great service.
Went out to celebrate my girlfriends professional accomplishments. The Diplomat served us a warmly curated Fall menu of food and cocktails. Our server Kate was spectacular, truly made the evening special. From greeting us to bidding farewell, she felt like an old friend catching up with us while hosting us for dinner. A bright and charming soul. I work next door so I ll be back real soon.
The braised beef was absolutely delicious! Excellent service and a beautiful atmosphere! Cant wait to visit again
Fantastic food- and amazing service. Best I ve had in the city!
The food was amazing. Highly recommend. Great service and everything came out from the kitchen very quickly. Will be dinning there again. Cheers
Place looks nice. Service was good. Food was very disappointing! Ordered their signature burger ($22) added an egg & bacon (+$3). Everything was over cooked and dry from the bun to the meets. Not worth the money and definitely would not visit again. If they are wondering why their brunch time is not busy, they just need to send the cooks to any of the adjacent restaurants to learn what good foods tastes like.
Delicious food, a nicely varied menu, and fancy drinks!
The drinks were great. Great place to meetup with someone for drinks and nibbles. Service was so nice and friendly. I really had a nice time. 5 stars. Keep it up diplomat!
Had the vegan crab cakes and they were fantastic! Here for a wedding shower, and what a beautiful venue!!
Good service. I expected more from the main course (Braised Beef), but the starter and dessert were delicious (Kale Caesar and Crème Brulée).
There s a lot to unpack here, so I ll begin with the environment itself. The restaurant is beautiful, decor is very chic and the energy was loud and fun. We were here Saturday night for a Winter Eats dinner. Our server, an older gentleman came over promptly to introduce himself and take our drink order, that s the last we ever saw of him again. After that, Lexxus, according to the receipt, who I presume was supposed to be our server, came to take our order. I ordered the Fish tacos , the short ribs for the main and the chocolate cake for dessert. My partner ordered the duck wings, the Lamb curry and the short bread cookies. We ordered the feature cocktail too. She didn t write anything down, and had returned 5 minutes later because she forgot what our app orders were. Usually I don t care about a little slip up like this, but in the grand scheme of our experience, it matters. We get the apps, so far, so good. The tacos are decent, and my partner enjoyed the duck wings. Lexxus came to check how the first bite was. Next, the mains arrived. These were a HUGE let down. My short rib, which was sitting in a pile of congee aka rice porridge, was blander than I ever possibly imagined a meal could be. I love congee, but mine was luke warm and flavourless. The congee was in this dark sauce that I imagine was the Orange and Soy part of the short rib. I scooped the congee up in all the sauce I could muster, absolutely no flavour. I had to refer back to the menu on my phone because I forgot what the glaze was supposed to be. The beef had no hint of Orange Soy glaze and was just tender short rib meat on a bed of bland luke warm rice porridge. Was the bok Choy salted? Was there any garlic? Ginger? Who knows!! Tasted like the rice porridge it was in, bland, except for the occasional bite of pistachio. My partners lamb curry was slightly better because it was obvious that there were spices used in that meal, but he too was disappointed with his order. We realized that maybe we just weren t into Equal Parts Hospitality restaurants, and that s okay. While eating our mains, Lexxus came rather rushed and looked like she was going to scoop up our plates as if we were finished, saw that we were still working on it, then did a quick shrug and turnaround without acknowledging that we just witnessed this. My partner and I looked at each other like What was that? and continued on, with the experience becoming more unprofessional and harder to excuse. Neither one of us finished our meal and I regret not speaking up about mine in the first place. At this point I wasn t compelled to write a review, but things got worse. We got our also disappointing dessert around 920, had about 3 bites, and were ready to go. We spent the next 30 to 40minutes trying to track down Lexxus so I could get the bill and get out. Was she on a break? Was she coming back? We were getting slowly irate and had made eye contact with several employees, including the older gentleman who took our drink order, and yet nobody sent someone over. We were being ignored. It wasn t until we were able to flag a young man cleaning tables that our server returned to our table. It was 10pm. We were very visibly annoyed, and my partner verbally let the server know that we were waiting a long time. She didn t apologize,acknowledge that we were upset, or that she was afk for 30 minutes. She brought me the machine, I tipped 15 percent, she thanked us and we were on our way. I m okay if the food isn t up my alley, and I m okay if the service isn t up to par, but you can t have both in the same night. The food can t be bad and the service be worse, and that s what made this experience so abysmal that I had to write about it. It was honestly a damper on our date night, and an expensive way to find out that this restaurant doesn t value its customers. I just want to warn others that in our experience, Winter Eats means sacrificing both flavour and service in exchange for a dreadful time Edit: they ve sent be a $50 gift card to supplement the $80 I spent having my garbage experience.
The food is too expensive compared to their food Me and my grilfriend ordered medium rare stake it was like a rare stake and the sides were too simple for 30$ and the quantity was not enough even a bit
Great food..!!!!!! wonderful.. friendly staff.. .awesome atmosphere ...one of my altime favorite places You have try it ..you wont regret it!!!!
Awesome food great service Definitely coming back here again
Visited the day before Thanksgiving with family. Brilliant service and scrumptious comestibles. The burger is to die for, and the waiting staff is courteous and accommodating. Will definitely pay my custom again.
Awesome food and service! Great social distancing and handled this pandemic situation perfectly! Great date night! Drinks were awesome! I ve been to other Equal Parts Hospitality restaurants and they never seem to fail! Good job guys and when we can arrange a sitter again we will be back!
Always a great experience at The Diplomat! The food is always great, service is friendly and during these times (covid) they make you feel safe and comfortable with their protocols that you can very visibly see them executing. One of our go-to places for sure!
Our waitress was absolutely wonderful but the taste of the food here needs a lot of work. We took three bites, paid and left.
Great atmosphere and service. The quality of the food is also A1; the mac n cheese is to die for!
Another great spot on King William. I really enjoyed the pork and kim chi lettuce wraps and the hanger steak was cooked to perfection. Excellent service and an added bonus that our cocktails were tasty as well!
Classy place, reasonable prices drinks and food. Staff are very professional and accommodating. Picture is of the tuna tar tar. Paired it with a negroni subbed with a smokey scotch. Drink was made to order and very tasty. Would visit again.
New menu was good always a good experience
Pros: - Ambience was really nice. Spacious, beautiful light fixtures, exposed brick-wall etc - The server was polite and professional. He did an excellent job at ensuring that we have the best dining experience possible. Cons: The food was try-hard and made me yawn. We ordered grilled salmon and schnitzel. While the protein tasted alright, everything else tasted of butter chicken sauce and felt like it was heated in the microwave. The dessert wasnt that great either.
Been wanting to try The Diplomat for a while now! Did not disappoint! Food was delicious! Good size portions! Super friendly and attentive server! Lovely decor! Comfy chairs which my husband was happy about lol. Good ambience! And felt very comfortable as they follow covid protocols. Will be back for sure!
Food and service was excellent. I would recommend this place. We are here regularly.. the food is great, service is exceptional
Always a great environment!
Friendly staff and nice atmosphere, delicious food
The experience could have been 5 stars . Whilst the ambiance was good and the service great, the food was lacklustre and try hard. I understand restaurants try to be creative with their menus, but sometimes basics are best. My salmon attempted to swim off in the generic butter-chicken esqe curry it was served in. It was heavy and didnt feel great. The fried coconut shrimp appetizers I ordered with cilantro and chilli sounded great in theory but was poorly executed, as the cilantro and chilli literally meant one lonely leaf of cilantro and a couple slices of red chilli scattered around the plate, none of the cilantro or chilli flavours incorporated into the shrimp. Would give it 5 stars if the food is better.
Great food and decor.
came here for lunch. Was greeted by a friendly hostess/waitress. She was very attentive and made some good suggestions about the lunch menu. Had the burger and kale salad. Both were delicious! Best kale salad I ve ever had! Would come back here again!
Absolutely fantastic food with great service, servers were cheerful and had a lot of fun! Would definitely recommend!
Awesome food and great service even during COVID. Clean restaurant and washrooms. Great spacing in between tables for indoor dining. This was our first time here for my belated birthday party and will definitely be back again.
Excellent service. Great cocktails. Yummy food. Always get the crab dip. Always.