Borealis Grille & Bar (Kitchener) in Kitchener

Delish Cosmo and wild boar rigatoni

Food was quite filling and tastes great. Service was slow but there was a mid day rush so that is understandable. The servers were friendly too. Love that the location is an historical place.

First time eating here and will definitely be back. Our server, Kaleigh, was so friendly and attentive. Uniquely flavoured menu with huge portions.

Great atmosphere and fantastic server. Thank you Luigii for the tour and great service.

I held my small business Christmas party in the Cellar on Saturday night and we had a great time. Mike our server did an exceptional job taking care of us and also interacting with us, we had a lot of laughs. The food and drinks were excellent also, it was a very fun night.

Food took about an hour to come out - but when it did, it was very good

We ate here many years ago (10ish years ago) we came back today and have noticed a huge improvement in taste specifically the food was always good quality but nothing exceptional taste wise today im happy to say the food was amazing very impressed and we ll be returning again shortly on top of that Luigi was an amazing server and we were thoroughly entertained

I cant say enough about our wonderful experience we had this afternoon at Borealis. If you havent ever gone GO, and if your lucky enough to have Luigi as your server , however it felt more like he was our friend , never have I ever had so much fun and felt so welcomed and special as Luigi made our group feel. We all came away smiling, laughing and said when are we going back !!!!!

Great food and service for our group event, first time here and we hope to return soon! Vegetarian options: Three Sisters bowl

4 stars for service because it was a little slow, however, it was Friday night at prime dinner time. Otherwise the atmosphere was nice and the food was fantastic!

I wanted to bring to your attention, the excellent experience and best in class service that we had at Borealis on Sunday November 24th. We were fortunate enough to have two different servers (apologies as I didn t get the name of our first server) and Luigi, who took over for her. We encountered best in class service, incredible food, and excellent food choices! Our luncheon that day was so amazing and our servers made us feel as though we were part of a big family! It s as though we knew them all along! Luigi certainly kept us entertained while seamlessly ensuring that we had all of our food and beverages. If you have never experienced the farm to table fresh and excellent food and service at Borealis, treat yourself and make sure to pay them a visit!

Service was good, food was okay at best. Aps were good, but the mains were nothing but disappointment. Burger and butter milk fried chicken was so dried, cactus was living on it with mummy walking around looking for some water - level dry. around $80 for 2 ppl inc 1 aps and 2 mains plus tip plus tax. Portion was huge.

Food was fantastic as always and Luigi is the definition of a great host and server. Kid-friendliness: Staff were very good with our 6 month old and provided a high chair for him

Delicious food and beautiful venue. I love that the menu changes with the seasons. I always try to sit in Yvettes section - she is the best server! Shes always super friendly, attentive and knowledgeable

Horrible service, worst steak Frites I ve ever had. Service took like 2 hours to even take our orders.

My partner and I LOVE going here. Luigi always takes amazing care of us with his incredible service and suggestions. We will continue recommending this restaurant as one of our favourites!

Luigi is the best waiter ever. Food was great!

We had a very delicious meal at Borealis tonight. Our dinner was made that much more enjoyable with our server, Luigi. He was fun informative and his timing at our table was perfect. We will be back!

Sometimes, it isnt just about the food! Look up customer service in the dictionary and, for sure, there must be a picture of Luigi!! Nobody does it better! Nobody!!! Judy and I thank you for another great dining experience. And, of course, the food was top notch. Food

Nice clean atmosphere but RUDE / ARROGANT waiter. You want to go to a place to have a pleasant experience. Within all options available, no reason to dine here. Menu also quite standard. Left without eating, Vegetarian options: Salads

I had an absolutely amazing experience here. The food was phenomenal, the building is gorgeous, and we particularly enjoyed the service by our waiter Luigi - he is funny, caring, and provided everything (menus, drinks, takeaway boxes) right as we needed them. Cannot wait to come back again!

Amazing food and service top notch. Highly recommend

Luigi was fantastic as always. Food is excellent as well!

Luigi always provides exceptional service, friendly and professional, and the food is wonderful!

I have been several times, and it has always been a phenomenal experience. The food is delicious, and the service is top-notch. Luigi has been our server twice now, and has been incredible.

We ve been to Borealis several times (including our wedding dinner) and it s always the best experience! Luigi has been our server twice now and he provides impeccable service every time.

Had an amazing dining experience tonight! First time eating at borealis and wow what a first impression. For a date I wanted to make sure it checked all the boxes. Reading reviews beforehand we saw Luigi mentioned a handful of times as the best server people have had. And behold, upon arrival we are greeted by Luigi himself and the reviews stayed true. Great conversation throughout and treated with a surprise sorbet at the end! (Absolutely amazing) Flavour explosive food served by the best, most charismatic people in the business! Dietary restrictions: Incredibly flavourful and many options on the menu for anyone with gluten or dairy restrictions.

Not my first time. We went for my friends birthday. The food was ok. Nothing super stood out but it was tasty. The service was great. We were there past closed and they never pushed us out, let us have dessert and take our time. It was really appreciated as we are both moms who dont get out often and it has to be after the kids are in bed. Will visit again although I was sad I was really looking forward to this spicy cornbread they used to have as an app and its gone. But they are a B corporation and are serving sustainable food so it makes me happy to support a restaurant that is conscious about the environment.

Our waitress was amazing! She asked if it was my first time and it was so she gave me a short history lesson on the building which I loved. It made my dining experience that much better. We had a late lunch and I chose off of the daily specials menu and my pasta was excellent. They even made me a Spanish coffee that wasnt on the menu. Ill be back for dinner for sure.

My experience at Borealis grill and bar Kitchener was excellent. Short answer - 10/10 would recommend. Long answer - Parking was easy and accessible. On seating we were served fairly fast and our waiter was an extremely friendly gentleman. Food was brought to the table reasonably quickly for a busy Saturday evening. The food, being local and sustainably sourced, was a 10/10. Everyone placed a different order and no one was disappointed. The food was flavourful, well seasoned and very well portioned. The restaurant was also clean and well organised with thoughtful touches. Staff we interacted with were all pleasant. Overall, my experience here was great. I would go again and I highly recommend it. Kid-friendliness: Kid-friendly options available Wheelchair accessibility: Accessible parking and entrance available

I have to thank you on behalf of myself and my extended family. You were able to accommodate us in your Cellar Room on November 02, 2024. There were 18 of us and everyone raved about Borealis. The person who looked after our group was Chantal and she was fantastic. She made sure that everyone was well looked after from the adults to the children. The service was 110 % and the food was incredible. My wife and I have been to Borealis on several occasions but nobody else has been. At the end of the evening Chantal thanked us and wished us well at the Celebration of Life on Sunday. I will recommend Borealis to everyone I know and my wife and I will be back many more times. Once again THANK YOU !! for the great service. Larry T

Excellent space for residents to rent for parties, shows, talks, family dinners. Well appointed and equipped.

Service was great. Casual, funny, personable. Food was creative, plated nicely, and delicious. Cant go wrong here.

My husband and I went to Borealis in Kitchener for the first time last night. What an amazing experience we had. We were given a brief history on the building by a wonderful Italian man who we thought was the owner. We live in a victorian home that is 130 years old, so we really appreciated the atmosphere/history of this Borealis. Our server Stephanie was kind and attentive. The food was hot, fresh and tasty! We definitely will be back to this location. Thank you for the experience!! Wanda and James

I had dinner, served with the amazing Luigi! Italian charm, straight from Italy. Service an food were superb! Will be looking for him when I return. Thanks Luigi!

I have been here quite a few times and food is pretty good for the most part, unfortunately I had steak salad and it was not a good as I have had at other restaurants. There were 4 pieces of steak and I should have had blue cheese not sure whether they put any on, and the dressing was tasteless. I would have questioned the salad but never ever saw the waitress. She never came and checked on us, she was pathetic. She gave us tea and coffee and my coffee was cold, but again never came back to check on us to get another one until my friend finished her tea. I call the waitress pathetic as that is my experience and I know how I feel.

They don t take walk ins, it wasn t like this before and I ve been dozens of times with family and friends over the years. What was weird is half the tables were empty . The one advantage of this place is you can seated quickly.

Luigi definitely made our experience memorable. What a great server. Would come back just for him

Very good food, I just wish it arrived faster. Its typically a long wait... during my last visit, the food took an hour to arrive.

Beautiful space. It was not my first time, but it was definitely the most memorable. I really enjoyed our time here. Many thanks to our waitress who took the time to learn each of our names x 5 and made us . Food did take long to come, but it arrived at the perfect temperature and tasted delicious. Kids x 3 ate a lot. Kids meals are well priced. Husband and I will come back for date night. Kid-friendliness: Excellent place for families of all ages.

Bloody fantastic! Excellent food, service, and atmosphere. We came without reservations on a day where a wedding was happening. The hostess still managed to find us a wee table for 2 near the bar and it was still fantastic. Loved the barkeep, loved her suggestions. Highly recommend it! Dietary restrictions: The staff are lovely and dont turn their nose up at special food requests.

Had a salad (some kind of blackened chicken, I think?) and it was really good. Service was adequate, it was fairly busy and they probably were a little understaffed for the number of guests they had. I ll return here. Good menu choices and like the ethics of their meals.

Great food and service!!

This is our third visit to this restaurant and each time we have been in a different section. The food and ambiance did not disappoint. Thank you to the chefs and our server Luigi. He was very knowledgeable, patient and attentive even though the restaurant was getting quite busy in his section. He made us feel like we were an extension of his family. He is a definitively a keeper and we will be returning.

I ve been meaning to check this restaurant out for a while, and I m so glad I did! The atmosphere was so lovely and quaint, and our server Luigi was PHENOMENAL! He gave us a little history lesson on the building, which was super interesting to learn about, and he was so attentive! The bacon flatbread is absolutely to. die. for. I had such a hard time deciding what to get because everything on the menu sounded so amazing! I ll definitely have to be back, and hopefully we get Luigi as our server again!

Had an absolutely wonderful evening. Amazing food and exceptional service. Prices are more than fair.

I was at Borealis today for lunch and it was amazing. There were 10 of us to accommodate and the service was wonderful. Such friendly and attentive staff made the visit exceptional. One of my daughters wanted oat milk for her coffee and Luigi went to a store and bought some for her. That is going above and beyond any service I have ever had before. One of my granddaughters spilled a glass of water and it was cleaned up with no complaints. This was my first time here but I will certainly be returning. Thank you for a wonderful experience. Dietary restrictions: We had one vegan in the crowd and one gluten free person. Both were accommodated very nicely.

Excellent locally sourced food and friendly service. Date night on Wednesdays is particularly a good time if youre looking for a bit of a nicer meal while saving a couple bucks. The interior atmosphere is also perfect here as they reclaimed and incorporated a historic school house into the restaraunt.

TLDR: Food = Fantastic, Service = Spectacular In particular, I would like to highlight our server from the other night - Luigi. I have genuinely not laughed as much from conversation with a server before and he truly made the evening memorable. We went out for my girlfriend s birthday dinner with her family and from the moment we sat down, Luigi was making us feel welcome and had us all smiling. Hilarious stories, personable connections and also efficient with his service. Luigi knew what best to recommend and also wasn t pushy or making the evening feel rushed at any time. Don t get me wrong, the food was wonderful (fried chicken sandwich was excellent), but the night was made so much more enjoyable and memorable thanks to the man, the myth, the legend - Luigi. 10/10 recommend and will definitely be coming back (but only after confirming Luigi is on shift).

Great food excellent service from Luigi. He made our night with his fantastic personality!!! Ciao Luigi

First time eating here. We sat upstairs. Great ambiance. Our server Luigi was outstanding. One of the best servers I ve had in a very long time. Made our dinning experience much more enjoyable and entertaining. Spot on with all his recommendations. (Mushroom pasta was delicious as well as the flat bread with caramelized onions. Thank you Luigi for making our night memorable.

The place is nice. We sat outside but the service was super slow. The food was half ok and the other half good. The nachos were just average and the feeling we got was that they were there sitting for while until they brought them out. They were also a little burnt and dry so again need to take more care with the dishes. There was one corporate party inside but they need to either hire more waitresses or divide their time between bigger parties and other patrons. The steak and frittes were much better. Overall it was an ok experience. Given the prices and the service and quality I doubt we will be back. Too bad I was looking forward to trying this place.

We had dinner as a group of 12. The food was consistently outstanding, and we had a wide variety in dishes and beverages. Fresh, hot, high quality, delicious. I was going to include pics of our starter and mains, but we were all too busy enjoying them. Luigi was our server, and was hands down, THE BEST server I have ever had. Sincerely. He went above and beyond for all of us, but especially for my two children. He was polite, entertaining, funny, prompt, and considerate. He motivated our kids to eat and gave them special treats and attention. Looking forward to going back again! Kid-friendliness: Luigi was incredibly helpful and entertaining for our kids. I was a bit worried to bring our young kids to a nicer restaurant, but Luigi was so helpful. Our kids had free dessert, colouring, free cookies, and tons of special attention. Luigi made them feel like the VIPs at the table.

Customer service going for the WOW!! We had an outstanding experience yesterday evening with our server Luigi. He went above and beyond to create a lasting impression not only on the 10 adults dining but on our two young boys. It takes something very special for me to write a review and our experience checked all the boxes. From outstanding service from Luigi to delicious food this visit left a lasting impression. Thank you Luigi for your outstanding hospitality and attention to your guests, well done!!!

Food was bland and lifeless. Definitely has potential but the entire menu needs to be revisioned. The concept is there, the execution is lacking. My wife had the blackened chicken salad. Could barely tell there was dressing on it. Chicken was bland. I had the fried chicken sandwich. Couldn t even finish it.

Dietary restrictions: Gluten free substitutions available Food

If it were possible I would give Borealis 10/10 stars they always treat us so well the food is incredible, all locally sourced and if the highest quality. the atmosphere is perfect and the service is absolutly unparalleled. Luigi was our server tonight and he is bar none the best server I have ever had anywhere. He goes above and beyond to make us comfortable and he is so great with the kids. We will keep going back again and again. Kid-friendliness: The kids menu is perfect and the servers are amazing.

This place was perfect, I got the chickpea burger and parm fries, they were absolutely wonderful and the service was just perfect Vegetarian options: Check the burger was amazing and it s made in house

Great service! Friendly staff and exelent food

I would like to give a big shout out to our waitress Chantal. Her professionalism was superb and her knowledge and presentation of the schoolhouse history for the section of the restaurant we were sitting in, was very fascinating to learn. The food and selection of drinks was exceptional. Thank you to the Chef and crew. We will definitely be returning.

Lovely dinner experience. Amazing Wild Boar Ragù. Thank you to Luigi for a wonderful time and much laughter. He is the highlight of the meal!

Luigi is the penultimate server with both incredible attention to detail but also lavish and wonderful humour. Pasta dishes were amazing, drinks were lovely, decent portion sizes too! I ll be back, especially for Luigi!

Always a 5 star! Great food, fantastic atmosphere and friendly staff!

Great place excellent service

I had a mushroom rigatoni and my boyfriend had the beef short rib and let me just say OMG heaven!!!! I cannot believe I have never visited this restaurant before and everyone needs to know how amazing the food is!!! The flavours and presentation were outstanding! Our server Luigi was fantastic, his positive energy shines New favourite spot!!!!! WOW

We had dinner here last night and the food was great! Shout out to our amazing server Tiffany, she was lovely

Great place! Love that it focusus on local ingredients. Server was fun, food was great and the patio was fantastic.

Welcoming staff , great food , quick service

Seriously, we picked this restaurant on a whim to celebrate my mom s bday, and we were blown away. Luigi our server was honestly the best server I ve ever had. He was friendly, attentive, hilarious, thoughtful, and engaging. The food was AMAZING. Fresh, delicious, perfectly cooked. There was something for everyone on the menu. A+++++. Oh and the patio was lovely too! Kid-friendliness: Great kids menu! Our youngest had the nachos, and the raspberry sorbet which was DELICIOUS. Our oldest ordered off the menu and Luigi ended up bringing him a serving of sorbet too so he didn t feel left out. So sweet <3

Creative menu choices based on fresh local food. Excellent quality ingredients and presentation. Their bar has fine choice of single malts and local wines and craft beer.

Youre food was terrible. I had a burger that was a dry puck. The fries were old. My friend had a turkey burger, also, incredibly dry. How hard is it to have fresh cooked fries? I felt like my burger was cooked hours before I ate it and reheated. When I go out and pay for food, I expect it to be worth what Im paying for. With increased prices, food costs for the average person being jacked up, you should be providing higher quality food for the people who decide to dine out. I really dont know how your kitchen could send out food like that! Also, the waitress, albeit, very nice, did not once ask how our food was but was happy to fill up my small pint of beer that cost $10!!! Step up your game.

Borealis is our favourite Kitchener restaurant. Great food, awesome service in a relaxed atmosphere. We ve been going to Borealis for over 15 years. We always ask for Luigi as our server too. He s been there since we started going and he s one of the reasons we always come back to Borealis! Dietary restrictions: Borealis has Gluten Free options.

Had an amazing dinner with my family tonight. Luigi was beyond my expectations of a server and I cannot wait to go back again and ask to sit in his section. He was so personable and funny and made the whole evening a night to remember.

Date night menu; we each had soup, buttermilk chicken, which was the most delicious piece of chicken Ive had in a long time, portion big enough for leftovers for tomorrow and desert for $60. Bottle of wine $20. Tax in $91. Luigi was an amazing waiter. Bar staff and manager that sat us were lovely. All in all, it was a fantastic dinner. Borealis for the win again

The food was amazing (spinach dip,short ribs and pork chop!). Our server Stephanie was amazing, attentive and gave us really good recommendations. She was a delight! We got a pitcher of white sangria which was a lovely addition to the patio feel!

We enjoyed a family meal on the patio. The atmosphere was great and our servers, including Luigi took great care of us :) We had a late-comer to our gathering and Luigi took his plate to the back to keep it warm. Luigi also made a special note to ensure there was zero cross-contamination between our order and pork and alcohol ingredients. Luigi also made our little girls feel special as we were leaving the restaurant. Thank you all for making our night memorable:)

Celebrated our son s 30th birthday. Everyone enjoyed their meals. Served piping hot and plenty of food. I was a little disappointed with how crispy the batter was over the pickerel filet. The filet itself was delicious. One other suggestion is making sure that any child s meal be a little cooler. Our two year old granddaughter did not understand waiting for her meal to cool off.

Quiet Friday night, was a great meal

Very nice meal with fun cocktails to start. Excellent service on the patio

I have been to Borealis a handful of times now to celebrate special occasions. The past 2 times I went I had the honor of having Luigi (sorry if I spelled his name incorrectly) and both times he has made those visits so special and memorable. His sincerity, kindness, infectious personality and hospitality is always so memorable. My family and I went today for dinner to celebrate my grandmothers 100th birthday. Luigi made absolute sure she was 100% cared for and loved, the jokes hed tell her, his stories of his parents and grandparents brought so much joy to her face and made her 100th birthday so unbelievably unforgettable. What truly astonished me was at the very end of our meal, seeing as my grandmother is literally 100 years old, with an artifical hip, her mobility isnt the greatest anymore. As we were leaving I took my grandmother by the hand to assist her in walking out to the parking lot, Luigi gently moved me aside, took my grandmother by the arm, and ever so slowly and patiently walked her down the stairs, and to the front doors singing to her in Italian the whole way (He sang beautifully by the way). I could not have asked for a more picture perfect evening to celebrate such a milestone. More people need to be like Luigi. Thank you again to Luigi and the Borealis crew for making my grandmothers 100th birthday so incredibly special.

Food not as good as it used to be

Everything we had was tasty, service and ambience are great as well. One area with easy potential would be to include local cheeses on your menu items. You have a number of excellent cheesemakers in the area, one just barely 20 minutes away. I was expecting more local options than I saw evidence of on the menu. Same goes for drinks like ciders, lots of local options not represented. Something to think about.

June 2024 Update- had another lovely meal here. The service was great and attentive, but not overdoing it. The seated trout was fantastic on a rice pilaf and the blackened chicken salad was a hit too. They currently have a promotion where you can purchase a cocktail and a portion will be donated to an aids fund. I really enjoyed our meal here. We shared the baked ricotta appetizer, and we had the trout as well as the fried chicken burger. Service was great and it was nice to be seated upstairs.

They re strictly local to Ontario so not many options as to other places but there food is pretty good

We had the mushroom rigatoni pasta with goat cheese and the buttermilk fried chicken with fries and coleslaw, both were absolutely incredible! The service was attentive but not intrusive; our pleasant and helpful waiter made the experience that much better. Great atmosphere, and a surprisingly large and appetizing selection of local food and drinks. Highly recommended! We will be back!

We held our wedding reception here. Sarah did an awesome job of tending to details and working with our vision, Megan did not let us down on the day, service was very good from Mike and Yvette, and the food was amazing.

Aloof, noisy. Planned a nice dinner with friends. Rushed through meal by staff. Pasta was apparently delicious. Fish and chips, overcooked and cold. Chickpea burger disgusting. Will not return. To follow up, Borealis reached out and we discussed my review. To say they are conscientious is an understatement. They are going to speak with the kitchen, and look at some menu items. We may return with the offered gift card!

Recently went to Borealis with my partner we figured wed check it out. We got there at approximately 1130am...the restaurant was empty...took the bartender 15min to have us seated. She acknowledged us walking in and continued doing what she was doing at the bar. Finally, we get seated...another 15min to be greeted/served water. Orders are taken and it took forever to get our food...which let me restate the restaurant was empty - when we got there and when we ordered. Our food was served - and it was mediocre. Nothing to rave about or crave to go back. Im not one to leave my food behind if i dont finish it but my meal was horrible. Turkey burger - dry/burnt. Waitress never asked how we were doing or checked in on us? weird right. I realize at that point there was a few tables but there was 4 waitresses just standing around. There was no need for the service to take as long as it did period. The service was horrible to say the least. We finished our meal and sat for another 30min to receive our bill. sorry and thank you for your patience - didnt ask how our meal was, didnt ask if there was anything else we wanted...not a good first experience.

Luigi is a rockstar. Great service.

We have been dining at Borealis for the last 8 years and have seen many menu changes and tried various new dishes, but the one consistent factor and main reason why we love to come back to this local restaurant is Luigi. He is an exceptional server who always goes above and beyond. The dishes and drinks are delicious, but a knowledgeable server who enjoys his work and lives and breathes hospitality certainly makes all the difference. When we think Borealis, we think Luigi he has become the face of this restaurant by creating a memorable experience each time and ensuring everyone leaves happier than they arrived. If you want to make any dinner or occasion more special dine here, and if you re lucky, Luigi might be your server!

The food was amazing, our server Luigi is a master of his craft, and we sat in a beautiful 19th century schoolhouse. It was an amazing experience.

Vegetarian options: Had a good selection Food

We go here for dates and let me tell you Luigi is one of the best servers ever! We always ask Luigi for his preferences and he always has the best food and drink recommendations. Our favourites are Buttermilk fried chicken and mushroom rigatoni!! Luigi recommended that we try the restaurant special peach apricot kombucha and a beer of his choice , and those will become our staple drinks whenever we are eating here!! Luigi will always go out of his way to make us and every guest get the best of Borealis!! WE LOVE LUIGI !!

Luigi is the best waiter we ve had. Great food and even better service!!

Amazing local food. Prices are surprisingly fair, especially at this time when inflation is everywhere. Had a massive pork chop dinner for under $30. Staff is incredibly kind and thoughtful. Cant think of anything negative to say.

Luigi is one of the best servers Ive probably ever had in my life. Makes my experience great every time i go.

Luiji took great care of us.

Great service, amazing food, highly recommend. If you get Luigi, youll definitely be coming back. That guy is a legend!

Stephanie was an amazing server. At turns - insightful, engaging, attentive, helpful and fun. Made our dinner a wonderful experience. Will be back!

We had a lovely meal at Borealis in Kitchener yesterday, celebrating our granddaughters graduation. Luigi was a perfect server. Attentive and friendly without being overbearing. The food was delicious and we felt good value. The only negative I would say was that we were charged extra for condiments. Even ketchup. It would be helpful if that was mentioned somewhere before seeing iI on the bill. I will still give it 5 stars and will go back. Dietary restrictions: The gluten free bun on the burger was exceptional. There were several gf options.

One of the best meals out I have had in a long time. The service was quick and friendly. Love the focus on local, quality ingredients. If you need to pick only one place to go in the area this is it.

A wonderful dinner for our anniversary. Food was fantastic and our server Luigi was amazing.

Excellent food! Luigi makes you feel right at home, service at its best.

My wife and I went for our anniversary and Luiggi took great care of us. The food was amazing. We will definitely be going back. Food

Great food. Great service. Food is all locally sourced and generously but not excessively portioned. Good information for dietary needs. We had a larger group so were able to book one of the function rooms. Music volume in the room was adjustable, which was great for being able to talk to each other. Thank you for a lovely evening! Vegetarian options: Good choices for vegetarians Dietary restrictions: Really helpful catering to dietary needs

Patio is excellent with details such as seating pads on the wooden benches. Fathers Day menu was excellent.

Had a family dinner here last night to celebrate Fathers day/ Graduations and had a wonderful experience. We called the day before and was surprised they would be able to accommodate our large party on a busy weekend. We were blessed with the most outstanding server Luigi who took care of us like we were family. I had the mushroom rigatoni upon his suggestion and it was incredible every bite was making my taste buds do a happy dance, the sauce the goat cheese, the mushrooms absolutely perfect! The portions here will leave you full and there are many options for vegetarians and I loved that everything was locally sourced. For dessert Luigi went above and beyond and let us customize something thats not on the menu but should be recreating an Italian dish of Affogato that was the perfect way to end a perfect meal!

Nice on the patio, and Inot busy for a Saturday afternoon. Fish Tacos were pickerel! Bonus!.

We just came from Date Night at Borealis and we know it will become part of our regular routine. The food was amazing - we both had the soup of the day and the trout and raved about the taste of both. Dessert was a fabulous bonus as well. But what made our night was our waiter. Luigi was by far the best waiter/waitress we have ever experienced at any establishment. He was so personable, friendly and knowledgeable of the menu. He is the main reason we will be back again and soon!

Our server was awesome! He really made my day a little bit brighter. The food was so healthy and satisfying, I even got to take some home for later. My favourite restaurant in KW!

Delicious lunch today - decent prices Were not rushed good service !! Food

Our, Stephanie, was wonderful. Not overbearing, yet there when we needed her. Very friendly, cheerful and professional.

Vegetarian options: Great menu for alternative diets with a wide selection Food

I visited Borealis today with my 4 sisters, and we had excellent service from beginning to end. However, the food was disappointing. One of my sisters and I had the turkey burger & fries, and we both agreed that the turkey burgers we re totally tasteless, with no redeeming qualities, however, the fries were good. 2 of my other sisters both had the fish tacos with salad, and both of them agreed their salads were overloaded with dressing. The tacos were good. Unfortunately, the food was not what we had expected on our visit today.

Best experience ever, best food ever

Every time we go to Borealis, the service is above and beyond. We are particularly fond of Luigi, he is so funny, kind and entertaining, and really brightens your day!

Lots of free parking. Friendly staff. Fish tacos excellent. Salad ok. Too wet with too much salad dressing.

Loved it. Great night out and oneof the best burgers in the KW area.

Highly recommend.!!

Attended mothers day brunch. First time, not worth the price. Ordered chicken and waffles for $29.95. Came with ONE Small boneless thigh, tiny waffle (1/4 the size of a belgian style waffle) and 5 pieces of cold baby new potatoes with no colour. Without a doubt, a disappointing experience on mothers day!

We had a great mothers day lunch & the entertainment provided by our server Luigi was fantastic. What a great personality .

Nachos and soup very good. My wings were overcooked too hard to bite into. Server was very sweet!!

Amazing as always.

Absolutely delicious meal! Our server was attentive and lovely. Will definitely be returning.

Went for mothers day. I personally found the food sub par. Trendy restaurant. Wierd parking lot set up when following GPS. Staff were attentive and friendly. Gave away flower seeds for mothers day... nice touch but black eyes Susans need to be planted before last frost... so a bit pointless.

Great food great service

We had a family dinner here and i have to say this was an amazing experience!!! I ordered a mushroom pasta dish and added grilled chicken to it. It was THE best mushroom dish i have ever had, period. I love mushrooms, and this was amazing. The rest of my family had various dishes, which were all outstanding!!! My kids as well had a good time with their food and fun menus to draw on. To top it all off beautifully, our server, Luigi will be forever memorable. He had outstanding customer service, very knowledgeable in the fishes snd food, entertainment for the kids and bonus knowledge of Italy that went over very well with my inlaws. I heavily recommend this particular restaurant location, the other staff were equally very helpful and had top quality customer service. Vegetarian options: There are plenty of vegetarian options! Dietary restrictions: There are lots of dishes that meet everyones dietary needs from vegetarian, to vegan, to gluten-free! Parking: Easy spots to find parking even at busy times. Kid-friendliness: I would say they have the standard ot expected kid friendlliness, fun menus to draw on, easy to pick meals that most kids would love as well the staff clearly have lots of experience with kids. Wheelchair accessibility: There is wheelchair access and parking.

Ended up here from out of town as the wait for our first choice restaurant was too long, and what a happy accident! Incredible food, lovely staff and all very fair priced. 10/10 will be back for sure and this time it will be our first and only choice! Kid-friendliness: Very sturdy high chairs for our constantly moving 16 month old and very clean change table.

My husband and I have always held this establishment in high regard as a casually classy place for a date-night. Last weekend was our first visit in a while and we were a little disappointed in the changes since our last visit. The former atmosphere of rustic-chic appears to have been traded for a slightly more refined chain like Crabby Joes or Boston Pizza. As always, the presentation of our meals were great and the service was friendly, but my husbands bun-to-meat ratio on the steak sandwich was a letdown and the fries were limply underwhelming. Hopefully this was a one-off! Dietary restrictions: Lots of accommodations for dietary restrictions and preferences available on their menu.

Love it here. Fish and chips are great! Food

Got the fish and chips - not very good.

Had the buttermilk chicken and it was to die for. Luigi was an awesome waiter and very friendly and attentive. Atmosphere of the old schoolhouse was nostalgic. Will be back.

Chicken sandwich seemed like it had more oil than chicken. Waitress gave us the bill and then took 20 mins to return with the debit machine. I can say we tried it and thats it.

A great stop for a drink and some local food with some friends.

Amazing experience for our first time here! We are a half an hour away from here but it s a place we would drive to go back too again and again. Always asking for Luigi as our server. He was top notch! Food service atmosphere.. all 10/10.

Fabulous meal. The pork chop was incredibly good and so was the fried chicken. Patricia was very attentive and the service was great. Definitely with a try.

Good food.

Good here is great, you can tell from the first bite that it is locally sourced and very fresh. Liked the chicken supreme and blackened chickens salad. The mocktails were not great. Recommend this for the quality of the food ingredients.

In town for a meeting and the plan was to go someplace else, however when we drove by this place just drew our interest...and man was I glad we stopped here. The food was absolutely amazing, the service was great and I loved the architectural decor. I highly, highly recommend the trout where the only downside was I had no room for desert. Great portions, great service, great pricing and phenomenal taste.

Fantastic place with great food and friendly service. Love the local food aspect and interesting and flavourful choices. Great beer and cocktail menu. Good atmosphere but located in one of those hellish big box malls, sadly, although the building itself is an old schoolhouse which is cool. Will definitely come back. Luigi is one of the best waiters I ve ever had, knowledgeable, accommodating, friendly, and funny.

Food and drinks were ok, not bad but not great. Atmosphere was very loud I could barely hear the person sitting across from me. Our waitress was very sus and weird about my friends ID (which was completely valid ID in Ontario) and gave us a hard time before reluctantly accepting it. I get it s her job but at the same time she made my friend feel uncomfortable and judged. Tried not to let it ruin our night, will not return though after our experience.

Got directed to this restaurant while on a tour through Guess Where Trips. It was recommended to try their baked ricotta but that wasnt on the lunch menu. We ordered some drinks and nachos on the way to our next stop. Everything was extremely fresh and delicious. You can tell they really pride themselves on ingredients. The staff was very friendly and helped us out with some in town places to check out that evening. They really know how to showcase both local places and ingredients.

Always incredible food and service.

The fried chicken is delicious and the portion was very generous!

Borealis always has a nice atmosphere and delivers great tasting food. Everything is sourced locally and made fresh. Expect to wait a bit longer for food on busy nights. The wait staff communicate well throughout the meal. They have weekly features, and on Wednesdays they have a date night special for two.

Loved the food and atmosphere.

Stopped in for Saturday evening dinner and had a wonderful experience. The chicken sandwich is delicious and the staff is super friendly, would definitely go again.

Excellent service and food. The value on their date night menu is amazing. The waitress brought us our entrees before the apps arrived, which we were confused about. Without expecting anything, and before we knew it, the waitress brought a gift card to use at our next visit for the mistake. It was a nice gesture although we didnt expect it. But will certainly be happy to visit again and use it.

Say hi to Luigi for us! Amazing server!

Right from the start to the finish of the meal was fabulous!!! Luigi was so friendly and gave us his recommendations and they were on point!! To top of a great meal, was the fantastic drinks.

Food was great when it finally arrived. There was a very large and loud party seated next to us for most of our time there which wasnt the fault of the staff but it contributed to a less than stellar evening.

Really good over all! This is a place I come to often, it s consistent with the food quality and service. The food generally comes out delicious and cooked properly. I ve tasted different varieties on the menu and their seasonal items as the menu changes, it s usually a hit. I can t say it s always perfect but it certainly is in my top 3 places to eat! It s really yummy and I recommend! If Luigi is working ask for him, he goes above and beyond and makes a wonderful impression and experience for dining in. He s a huge part of the reason we continue to go here. Will definitely continue eating here! 5/5.

I wish I got our servers name, but he was absolutely amazing. Made my birthday diner super special. Thank you!

Went with friends for tacos. The beef chili tacos were excellent. The place was very clean, quiet (bad weather so nobody showed up) and nice. Service was excellent. Will go again.

My boyfriend and I came here for date night tonight. It was our first time at this restaurant and we had a really great time. Our server was very attentive and friendly. He made sure we had everything we needed. The food was absolutely delicious. We had the meatballs to share and the buttermilk chicken and apple crumble. Everything was excellent. We will return for sure!! Thank you so much.

Five of us had dinner at Borealis on Saturday evening, and everything about the experience was superb. We all thoroughly enjoyed our meals (my fish and chips was the best Ive had in years), and our server was fantastic. Well definitely be heading back soon.

Great outing with three couples. Place has a great vibe. Food is top notch.

Great service, great tasting food, good portion, great staff

INCREDIBLE service from Luigi! We came for two birthdays and felt like we were dining in his home because the service was so personable and genuine. We cannot wait to come back and sit in his section. The food was superb as icing on the cake. The fried chicken was just wonderful. Would recommend to anyone on the planet!!!! Ask for Luigi!!!!

Luigi is the most incredible server I have ever had! He made this experience amazing for my sisters birthday, I would come back here from out of town just to see him again. He has a great sense of humour and personality! Truly a magical experience!

Luigi was the most incredible waiter I have ever had in my life! He went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. My birthday was so special because of him!! Along with the service, the food was delicious and the atmosphere was beautiful! I will recommend this place to everyone!!

Best restaurant experience, hands down! The food was great, the decor was beautiful and rustic, and the servers were great! But what really makes this place excel is Luigi. Best server I ve ever encountered in any restaurant I have gone to. We would come back just for him! 1,000,000/5 stars!!!

First time customer for an anniversary dinner. Staff were really friendly. It was a busy Saturday night.We had a bottle of wine, ordered steak friets, medium rare. It came out perfectly cooked, the food was a little cool, not cold and not super warm, but it tasted great. My husband asked for a side of hot sauce for the fries, it was made in house, and he said it was damn delicious. I would recommend this restaurant. Our bill without tip for two steak entrees and one bottle of wine was $128 without tip, which is fair in my opinion. We will be back, likely in the summer to enjoy their patio.

What a spectacular restaurant! The historic background; the local, fresh food; and the amazing service! A must for everyone to go to.

The server was extremely nice and helpful and the mushroom rigatoni I ordered was amazing. Parking: Very busy at night, or at least the night I went.

Date night at Borealis and the food and service was exceptional. Our server, Stephanie, was such a pleasure to meet - thank you for a memorable experience.

We dine at Borealis often. Even on busy occasions like Valentines Day the food is delicious and the service is excellent. Tonight we were charmed by the fun and attentive server, Luiji, who always makes us feel like family. We cannot wait to return and commend Borealis staff for the wonderful work they do, both in the kitchen and out on the floor.

The food is amazing with a nice rustic ambience. Perfect for a date! The staff is very kind and our server Hailey was very sweet and friendly. The service is quick and the food was excellent! The best fried chicken I have had so far! It is a must try! Overall the dinner at Borealis made our valentines day even more special.

Good parking, decent food, delicious cocktails, and our waiter Luigi was terrific.

Tasteless food. Not worth the price at all. Our plates appear tasty, but its only an illusion.

Over the last 5 years, I ve said I m never coming back on 3 separate occasions. Despite the staff and management being great, this restaurant just can t stay out of their own way. Food : 1/5

Great restaurant that features local foods. I really like their unique ideas on how to use them and the flavours are awesome! Never been disappointed.

Like walking into a culinary palace. My wife and I arrived here immediately after our wedding, and as such, we had a very exciting answer to their question: Are you celebrating anything tonight? The joy on the faces of the entire staff as they shared in our celebration was elating. The building is immaculate, and the upper room is particularly gorgeous, with plenty of space between the tables. We love being able to talk while we eat, and the absence of overpoweringly loud music was a real bonus here. Very shortly in, the general manager came to the table with congratulatory champaigne for us to enjoy, which was very appreciated. The bacon flatbread was incredible and had us both fielding guesses as to how we might recreate this masterful appetizer at home. The cheddar burger and the chickpea burger were both very delicious as well, and we finished our meal with the maple crême brulée. Throughout the experience, we enjoyed the smiles of passing staff, and when we learned about the wonderful business model, we were impressed at the concept of business for humanity instead for profit. Thank you all again for the wonderful and thoughtful gift you gave us on the way out, and we will absolutely come see you again. Much love. Mike and Laura Janssens