34 Brunswick St Upper Level, Stratford, ON N5A 3L8, Canada
The Braai House is a South African inspired restaurant, focusing on open-fire cooking. We believe that the primal aspect of fire brings people together and connects them with their food, family, friends, and the outdoors, which is an important concept of the restaurant.
We went here based on a recommendation and I’m glad we did. The Braai House, above the Braai bar is a South African inspired eatery and this was interesting to see in Stratford. After walking through the unassuming stairwell, you are greeted into a cozy, quiet room. The ambience was befitting for dinner; dark woods, subdued lighting. Once seated we were handed leather backed menus. The menu both for drinks and food was not packed full of options but the options were plenty. Our waiter, Luke, explained some options, some South African nomenclature and his top choices on the menu (he said they were all his top choice). We ended up choosing the Ramp steak, Lamb steak and an Afrikaneer Pizza as an appetiser for 4. The pizza was thin crusted, filled with toppings and adequately spicy. The steaks were done perfectly to our preference, potatoes and veggies were fresh and seasoned to perfection. For dessert we went for the Pineapple Raviolo, which again, tasted delightful. Overall, the ambience was great, it was cozy for a frigid winter night, the open style wood-fire kitchen was a pleasant sight, our waiter Luke and his colleagues were amazing, the food, did not leave much to be desired, it was great. I’d recommend.
Braiihouse is a must-visit in Stratford! Luke was an exceptional server, drinks were fresh & well-made, and the lamb stew is outstanding. Excellent portions, great vibe, and way better than other spots!
My favourite meal this year was at Braai House. We started with cocktails in the bar on the first floor then moved our way upstairs for dinner. The bar is beautiful, with dark and sophisticated tones, and friendly staff. You won't find this type of food and drink menu anywhere else, it's definitely unique and adventurous. The restaurant upstairs is cozy and still sophisticated, welcoming and knowledgeable staff, and intimate. You're able to sit at the bar, at the chef's bar or in the dining area. All 3 courses we had were so well executed, everything was high quality. Loved the whole experience. If you visit, Stratford, you have to check out Braai House!
If you find yourself in Stratford, this spot is an absolute must for dining! The service, the people, and the food are nothing short of exceptional. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our dinner, dessert, drinks, and the warm hospitality from both the waitress and the chefs. We’re already planning to return with friends—highly recommended!
My husband and I recently visited Stratford for the first time, and our first meal in town was at the Braai House. It set such a high bar that the following evening’s dinner at another highly popular restaurant couldn’t compare! Service: From the start, Braai House impressed us with their flexibility, accommodating our reservation change from 7:30 PM to 5:00 PM when our plans shifted unexpectedly. Every staff member we interacted with, from the host to the servers, was incredibly professional, friendly, and always greeted us with a warm smile. They patiently answered our questions about the menu, introduced the ingredients of each dish as they were served, and checked in at just the right moments to ensure everything was to our liking. The timing between courses was perfectly paced, making for a relaxed and enjoyable dining experience. Food: While I don’t recall all the exact menu names, the dishes we tried were truly memorable. We started with a squid appetizer that was tender, flavorful, and a delightful surprise. For our mains, we had the chicken and lamb stew. The chicken was beautifully seasoned with herbs and the lamb stew was rich and hearty, both paired perfectly with the fresh, well-cooked side vegetables. The stew also came with specialty buns that complemented the dish wonderfully. For dessert, we enjoyed a chocolate cake that was anything but ordinary—it had layers of texture and a refined flavor that made it stand out. We couldn’t be happier with our experience and can’t wait to bring our family along on our next visit!
Braai House is my favourite restaurant! A true Stratford gem. Each dish is crafted with a care to every detail. The flavours are unique and intricately connected to an amazing tasting experience. This is my second time and each visit has been an absolute treat. Perfect spot to bring friends or a date. Customer service is excellent and the chefs take it to the next level. The beef tartar was heavenly!! Cannot wait to return for another 3 course meal. Thanks for rocking it, Braai team!
We came before our theater show and they were so respectful of our timing. Sat at the chefs table and it was a great experience watching staff working together to prepare the most delicious food. Our food was sooo good! 5 stars. We will definitely go again.
Braii House is a true gem for fusion South African cuisine! The dishes are spiced perfectly, bringing out bold and authentic flavors. The service is amazing—friendly and attentive from start to finish. Plus, the decor is absolutely gorgeous, creating a cozy and vibrant atmosphere. Everything was on point, making it an unforgettable dining experience.
Sat at the chefs table. Absolutely one of my new favourite dining experiences. The chef s were so kind to speak with us, explain everything that was going on kitchen wise and food wise. Very personable people and the waiters were so attentive. Now onto the best part - the food! My goodness this is now in my top 5 best meals ever. Don t shy away from the traditional food served here you will not be disappointed! I will definitely be back :)
What an amazing restaurant. From the moment we walked into this restaurant we were all impressed with: the elegant decor how warmly we were welcomed to the restaurant how attentive & knowledgeable our server was there were 6 of us at our table and we all ordered different dishes & appetizers and everyone raved about their order We had a wonderful evening and we all agreed to visit this lovely restaurant again to try other tantalizing dishes. If you are looking to try a unique restaurant, I highly recommend booking a table at Braai House in Stratford.
I first thought I wasnt going to post this because private non-franchise restaurants in Canada need boosting, not the kind of critique I am giving. Still I spent close to $300 for 3 people so its worth a review. First, I know South-African cuisine. At its worst, it is a copy of old British and Dutch non-cuisine with a bit of spice thrown in. At its summit, it is a powerful hothouse of blends of spices from all around the world, India, China, Malaysia, Mauritania pushed into bland British ingredients to make them just amazing. I ordered biltong, boboti spring rolls, my colleague ordered a pizza funghi. This was underwhelming. The biltong were at the bottom end of flavor for South African biltong - and there were supposed to be two flavors on that board. The bobotie rolls were OK - which means a 3 out of 5 - because it just didnt pack enough typical South African flavor. We ordered monk fish, quarter chicken, and I ordered the Plant along with some boereworst. My companions were impressed with the fish and the chicken. I wasnt with the plant, which was supposed to be a vegetarian dish that I desecrated with boereworst (farm sausage), a sausage that again was very average. I had chosen it because it was the only curry on the menu. South Africa has loads of curries. This one was very disappointing. The veggies were undercooked: let me stress, I know crispy veggies which I love, and I know undercooked. This was the latter. My colleague confirmed the same with the monk fish veggies. Overall evaluation - why does a South-African place have so few curries? Bobotie is essentially also a curry dish, and I am stunned that a place with a pizza oven (which is not South African) would not use that to make some amazing personal bobotie dishes. Also, reminded here of the dichotomy within South Africa - the Afrikaner crowd which clings to British low-flavor dishes, and the melting pot South African crowd which celebrates spice. This place is definitely on the low end of flavor. Nice atmosphere, nice service, but disappointing in delivering full South Africa.
Food was excellent, but the heritage tomato salad wasn t up to snuff. Regular, underripe tomatoes - our fault for ordering so late in the season, but it should also be stricken from the menu. The steak was delicious, as were the desserts. Excellent service and a discovery of delicious South African red wines! We will be back, and ask better questions about seasonal items.
Relaxed ambiance, beautiful decor; attentive, friendly and professional service. The cook on our steaks was perfect, the food nicely seasoned and the Malva Pudding the perfect end to a memorable night. We had a great experience at the Braai House and look forward to returning to try some new dishes and the patio next summer.
We went for our anniversary and it was beyond our expectations. A gorgeous setting with the warmest of service. The food, of course, is the real star. We had the best steak weve had in a long time, beautifully seasoned and cooked over fire. Incredible. Thank you for a really special night.
Food and drinks were absolutely phenomenal. Ordered spring rolls, lamb, and specialty pizza. Spring rolls and lamb dish were especially fantastic. Service was also second to none. Would highly recommend to everyone!!!
4 of us didn t get even in the restaurant even though I had a reservation. After 20 minutes of being ignored andI felt that we were a bother to the hosted. We decided to leave. An apology or alternative bar seating while waiting would have been nice but the hostes was ignoring us.
I like this place and everything looks yummy but we got a pizza tonight for to go and it was so burnt that we could only taste the bitterness from it I gave 3 stars because I like the place and they are always nice but the pizza was so bitter burnt, it was unpleasant to eat. The review is just for awareness, not to be rude... we will go back in the future and hopefully it will be better
What fun! The South African-inspired menu was delicious. The bobotie spring rolls reflect the dish perfectly. Protein portions are super large and the wood-fired braai creates wonderful flavours. The deck looks very nice, though we sat across from the kitchen to watch the staff cooking. The wine list is short and doesnt have too many South-African offerings, but we had a great time.
On a recent trip to Stratford Ontario the Braai House restaurant was recommended by several locals as the place to go for dinner. It was absolutely amazing. We sat at the chefs bar to watch the orders being cooking. Chatted with the chef and his staff. Food was incredibly, fun cocktails, good wines. We will definitely be back next year.
Had a reservation and waited 1 hour for our meal. Finished the whole meal in 5 minutes bc I was starving due to the wait and small portion of the food. Is it worth $150 for this kind of experience? I don t think so. Edit: if the owner was in the kitchen all night then you should see us cuz we sat at chef s counter. We waited patiently maybe that s why no one recall serving us. Chefs were extremely busy so we didn t say anything but waited. Your place is understaffed as an owner I m sure you know what s happening.
Not my favourite experience. Service was great hence 2 stars but thats about where it ends. In terms of concept, flavour & feeling full it was a fail. Concept is lost I feel, doesnt translate to the food, maybe because the flavours were just flat. Nothing special. Not one thing stood out. Perhaps it was the fact that the portions were absolutely TINY! And I dont mean that we expected pub size plates, I mean when I order an app with pineapple chutney on top it should be more than 4 or 5 tiny 1mm2 pieces of pineapple LOL For example, scallop appetizer... you think fine dining youd get maybe 4 nice size scallops. It was 3 BAY scallops for $22. Come on! You cant even cook those nicely because theyre so small. Thats basically stealing from people haha. These werent appetizers. It was an amuse bouche or a tasting menu LOL If at least the flavour in these mini apps was incredible, like your mouth was bursting with flavour Id understand but it was simply nothing special. Steak tartar was under seasoned and again the size of a table spoon haha. The tuna tataki app had a GIANT rice cracker on it but then a teaspoon of tuna haha like what? Dont waste your money. The only thing that actually had some flavour were the spring rolls but come on, we didnt go to a nice place and spend over $250 to be wowed by spring rolls. Mains were uninspiring, actually a little on the outdated side... while the apps were modern style. Dont recommend. Not memorable and the menu is a total mess. Another cookie cutter no ambience restaurant with sub par food. Save yourself the disappointment and skip this one.
My husband and I loved our dining experience at Braai House. The ambiance is wonderful, our food and drinks were delicious and our server Luke was fantastic. We definitely recommend.
Chose Braai House after reading many reviews both for this trip and for a dinner last year (went elsewhere for that meal, but Braai House was high on my list). Very positive experience pre theatre on a Saturday night!! Beautiful decor and lovely vibe. We were seated near the open kitchen but the front was lovely with a view of beautiful bar. Because of the pre theatre rush, the place really fills up and everyone is on the same timing. Our server Luke was definitely busy but did a good job. My cocktail was on point. (South China Sling) The food is very good. We did the prix fixe with a couple appetizers for me because I often find appetizers to be more unique. We really enjoyed the flavour of everything and it was all well presented. I would have appreciated a third scallop, but they were cooked perfectly. Tartare was delicious. My husband really enjoyed the duck (a few fingerling potatoes might have been nice?). Panne Cotta was uniquely constructed with ganache on the bottom. Overall very good, just perhaps could increase the quantity a little bit for the price point. Overall a really great experience and would recommend. Thank you !!
Nice looking place with some interesting dishes. Everything we had was super good.
Great food ..excellent service..unique atmosphere. Highly recommend.
Did the chefs table. Wife and I loved it.
Drinks were okay. I liked my apple cider: Both the cocktails were NOT up to the mark. The food was a big hodgepodge and disappointment: It was all quantity but no quality at all, hardly any flavours. we would not have known if the chef did not tell us it was South African inspired. We reached at 12:09 and we were the only guests. Then by 1:00 pm, it was one third occupied on a busy Saturdays afternoon. I have eaten flavourful South African inspired food including at Nandos but this was nothing like or anywhere close to any. Disappointing Will not be going back anytime soon. Parking: Plenty of metered parking around. Cost just &1.50 for an hour. Max 4 hours. There is a lot right across the theatre as well
Beautiful space, close to the Avon, and delightfully inspired menu and cocktails.
Everything was here was amazing. The food, the drinks, the service. We will absolutely be back again!
Absolutely fantastic food experience! Shake your tailfeather tequila cocktail, lamb sirloin, smoked half chicken and the best beef tartare anywhere all of it was very delicious and the service was excellent. We had a great time! We will definitely be coming back
I came because of its status on TripAdvisor, but found it unfortunately underwhelming. Its a pretty restaurant with fine decor, and our server was nice, however the food portions were much too small for the price. It was also the worst Top Sirloin I think Ive had... Unflavored and stringy. I had to ask for salt and my wife had to send back her duck which was undercooked.
We had a wonderful delicious meal here but I left with a sour taste in my mouth because of the credit card machine. Tipping options were set to 18%, 20%, and 25%, or no tip . No option for custom or other. Forcing a tip amount on your customers is bad form. If I had cash I would have used the no tip option but alas we were on a date and I didn t want to make a scene so I begrudgingly selected the 18%. When I mentioned it gently to the server his explanation was yeah I m trying to get that changed which reeked of condescension.
My husband and I had an amazing evening at The Braai House. We were thrilled with the menu options. We really enjoyed the cauliflower and spring roll appetizers. Very flavourful and generous portion size. We had the sirloin and chicken mains. Both were cooked beautifully and tasted like we were back in Cape Town. Well done! We received attentive, efficient and fun service and were personally greeted by the restaurant manager. You won t go wrong making the Braai House your post theatre destination!
We had the best night celebrating here having dinner at the bar watching the chefs while visiting from BC! The food was outstanding and it was so fun watching it all being prepared and interacting with the chefs. They made it all so special for us! We let the server and chefs recommend the menu for the 5 of us which was so fun. The meat was cooked to perfection.
A few weeks ago my wife and I had what was likely the best meal we had ever eaten. I am 51 so that is saying something. Service was excellent as well. Highly recommend the scallops!! Food
We had an excellent meal here after going to the theatre. The steak was fantastic! They also did a great job of accommodating my partner with celiac disease.
Fantastic food and uncommonly warm and accommodating service all set within a beautiful room with a beautiful back patio. The menu is just different enough to distinguish itself from other high end places without being remotely intimidating. Get there early to make sure you have time for a pre dinner cocktail (or two!) from their extensive cocktail menu. Enjoy!
Sat at bar overlooking the kitchen. Amazing experience. Loved talking with the chefs as they prepared. Talk about fast paced. Great drinks. Fabulous food. We had the spring rolls (to die for) and the chicken and steak. Highly recommended
In town for theater and had a very nice meal. Limited wines by the glass but fun and interesting selections. The roast chicken was so good and special with seasoned potatoes and Brussels sprouts. My friend had the duck special. Very nicely prepared. My second dinner here-doesn t disappoint.
Top notch service and very good food. The staff went above and beyond to ensure we had a great experience.
Ate here before a play. Was told only the prix fix menu was available. I got three scallops for the appetizer. Fair but very small. One scallop was fairly underdone bordering on raw. I had the duck entree which consisted of three small slices of duck with a small glob of parsnip and some very tough leeks(I think). The duck was good but the serving was pitiful. My partner had the steak entree which was incredibly tough to the point of almost being inedible. I believe it was the cut used rather than the cooking method. I was definitely in need of a stop at Wendy s for a burger after the show as that dinner was not near substantial enough for the price. I am sure somebody may be enthralled with the artfulness of the meal but I was extremely disappointed with the portion and the price.
Sadly, our visit was cut short due to illness completely unrelated to this restaurant. Aside from this however, this was one of the best restaurant experiences Ive had in my life. The staff were all very kind and welcoming. We reserved the chefs counter and thoroughly enjoyed watching them make these artful dishes. I got the Plant dish with the boerewors sausage, and was blown away by how delicious it was. This restaurant will be at the top of our list for my next visit to Stratford, especially since we feel we didnt get the full experience on this trip (again, not their fault at all).
Perfection.
I really never complain I also don t have a super high expectation level when trying new places tonight however warrants some feedback - tried the biltong platter - it was fun, tasty and a good shareable good start! We had the lingcod and chicken for mains - the chicken was in my opinion cooked to safe temp but not how most people would want to eat it and I try a lot of chicken!! Check out my reviews! the cod was kinda the same however it wasn t warm when I got it, so the entire time you are eating you keep thinking this might be good if it was warm and cooked like 2 min more - pretty disappointing !! The atmosphere was a 10! Service was a 10! But it would take an invite with some specialized attention return it was just such a big miss
We enjoyed a great meal! The food was so fresh and flavourful. Loved the atmosphere and efficient service. The staff does their best to make sure you are not rushing to make your show time if you have plans to see a play after dinner. Definitely a must try while in Stratford!
The food was way overpriced and the taste was almost edible. The portions were so small. The service was excellent. My wife and I spent over $160 and left starving. Never again!!
Nice two or three course menu.
We loved our visit and enjoyed all the food we tried on the prix fixe menu!
Wow! Great food and the server was just as fantastic as the food! Love servers with a fresh sense of humour! 3 of us were there for dinner and all three of us were raving about our entree choices. Cocktails were also yummy. Atmosphere is very chic, classy and feels higher end. Next week they open their upper lever which is supposed to be even more chic and higher end. We will return!
So glad that Braai House is back. Amazing place for dinner and drinks. We will definitely go again soon
Great service, the lamb dish was excellent and the vibe is great.
Incredible food, service and atmosphere
My wife and I spent our 9th wedding anniversary at braai house this past weekend and before I get into the review I ll start with saying the food was really good, and the drinks were out of this world. Services seemed to have forgotten us and a different server started serving us, but it was busy so that likely had something to do with it Now for the not so great. My wife and I shared the scallops which were really good. The salsa was flavourful, and the scollops were cooked well, but that s kind of where it ended. My wife had the cod as her main which wasnt bad, I got the T-bones and that s where the issues came. I like my T-bones medium, and had the menus said the steak was 1/8 inch thick I would have ordered it rare and even then it d be impossible to nail that cook with a cut that thin. The steak cost 48$ which had it been a decent cut would have been worth it, but if I had to guess I d say the cut was 4-6oz, and at that small why even serve a T-bone. I was very underwhelming and I was actually pretty disappointed when I saw it. Either advertise the weight or just omit the tbone. When someone sees T-bone on a menu they kind of have a preconceived notion about the size, and whether that s fair or right it still happens. The one redeeming factor of the dish were the side as they were top notch, but I didn t order 48$ worth of potatoes and salad, and then seeing that half a chicken is 10$ less it was pretty mind boggling how the came to the price point for the paper thin T-bone. Which is why I gave the 3 stars for the food. Will my wife and I go again? Likely, but only for their great drinks. we will go to fosters inn for entrees
It s as simple as this. Braai House is the best place to eat in Stratford. The food is exceptional, the service can t be beat, the atmosphere is great. We love it! Dietary restrictions: They go above and beyond to work with all dietary restrictions Parking: Parking in Stratford is challenging at the best of times!
When the owner comes over to your table and personally greets you, answers your questions and delivers as promised...how can you go wrong?!
Lovely meal, excellent staff
Great food and service
This restaurant had been on our radar for a while. We finally got to try and I have some mixed take on it: - food is fabulous, very flavourful, maybe somewhat eccentric but very enjoyable. Beautiful presentation - portions tiny, making the price/value maybe a one star (even for Michelin Star rated restaurants....which this is not) - nice and tasteful decor - music WAY WAY WAY too loud to be able to enjoy the flavours of the meal - service: meh.... we were not well attended to, almost like they thought we wouldnt be high end customers or return customers and didnt caters to us accordingly. Well, we spent 200+ for two and had totally intended this to be a go-to restaurants.- well think about that now.. - when asked about some of the items on the menu the waiter was very clearly not wanting to spend time explaining (which he then did for the table next to us, from where we picked up some information) - when we finally got to order drinks he was already gone when I had my mouth open to order a bottle of mineral water in addition to our order of alcoholic beverages - every time when he did finally show up at our table he would give off the vibe as he is annoyed to be asked any questions-- (it got slightly better as the evening went on, but it left a very bad taste for the overall experience) but then spent very patient and elaborate time at tables around us. The noise and the feeling of there being a different treatment for different guests will make us think twice to make a return visit to this establishment. -
My husband and I had such an amazing experience the best food we have had in a very long time. Service was also lovely! Cannot wait to go back! Highly recommend!
Had heard this place was great and expensive. It was truly great but I was pleasantly surprised at the price of pizzas we enjoyed- standard dine in price. Fabulous gin cocktail too!
Amazing place to visit with friends or for a date. Out of this world experience. Great food and great service. Would recommend this a 100%
This place was incredible! The cocktails were interesting and delicious, our duck was flavourful, and the rooibos cake hit the spot. The ambiance was cozy yet cool, and the service was stellar. 10/10 would recommend this to anyone.
Troy cooked us a beautiful meal and took the time to explain all the dishes to us. We experienced wonderful flavours, atmosphere, and service at Braai House. Thank you!
Amazing restaurant! Had the tasting menu and all 9 courses were incredible - the flavour combinations were so interesting and delicious, the plating was beautiful, and it was so much fun to get to watch the chefs put everything together! The house brewed New England style IPA was also delicious. I wont soon forget this experience, and I cant wait to go back!!
Best restaurant in Stratford. Went here for Valentine s Day dinner and had a seat at the chefs table. It was an incredible experience. The chefs prepare flavourful dishes right in front of you. I would highly recommend
Fantastic experience. Honestly one of the best nights out you could imagine. Food, wine list, ambience to the max. Recommend the chef s tasting menu.
What a feast for the senses! This was such a wonderful experience. We celebrated our anniversary at Braai House and recieved the warmest welcome. We couldnt be happier with our decision to sit at the chefs table-- lovely, interactive, immersive experience. The bison was especially phenomenal. Many thanks to the chefs and all of the staff. We will be back!
Amazing prefixed dinner selection food was excellently prepared atmosphere was fantastic service was exceptional couldnt recommend more highly
Was just blown away by this place. It has to be the best restaurant I ve ever eaten in. It was a culinary experience, with a Michelin level chef. All the food was well balanced, with sweet, sour, and salty notes. The sauces were phenomenal. Each dish has several elements and the chef makes an effort to add a crunch factor to each dish. The food was truly phenomenal.
Excellent, exciting, and extraordinary.
The food here is absolutely incredible. I sat at the chef table purely because I love watching people cook, but they do offer a social aspect that I didn t take part in as I m not a social person. It was a great experience for me. I was really impressed by the way the chefs worked together. The kitchen is rather small and even with 4 chefs in the kitchen they had such a beautiful rhythm around and with each other that it was never a problem. They executed beautiful dishes all night with amazing focus and quality. And the taste!! And the drinks!! Omg don t sleep on the drinks. Try as much as you can. Don t come here once, this requires multiple visits. They were doing a 3 course price fixed menu this weekend. I started with a bunny chow appetizer that was probably the best dish I ve ever eaten. The squash sauce in the bottom, I wish I had a spoon to finish it. It was perfectly balanced. I had the duck breast entree. I ve never had duck in my life so bit of a risky order. It was amazing. I don t know if I ll like it anywhere else but I loved theirs. It so creamy, smooth and flavourful. The peri peri sauce it s served with was a perfect flavour match. The rooibos sponge dessert was light, perfectly spiced and the perfect finish to an amazing meal.
Modern and stylish spot located on second floor. We were in town to see a play and found via Google search. We were excited to try some of the South African dishes but arrived to find a very abbreviated prix fix menu along with some pizza as the only offering. Despite this our large party ordered many of the dishes and found them interesting and well presented. We felt the best were the bbq shrimp and curried squash. We thought maybe a grill house who offer platters of steak but they were more like tasting dishes. Nonetheless rather tasty and good value for money. Service was ok but not amazing.
We went to Braai House for a nice meal and evening out, and we were not disappointed. Overall the atmosphere and the service we had was great. The real star of the evening was the food. We had the steak and the smoked duck breast and wow was it good. Next time I am in Stratford I will come back here again.
I had the chance to celebrate my birthday at the Braai House. A south African inspired restaurant in Stratford, ON. My wife booked us a spot for two at the chefs corner where we had open view of our feast being prepared. The food&drinks were delicious and the staff took special care of our evening. Special shout outs to head chef Eric and his team and our attendant Luiz for nice evening, we will be back!
Delicious food, fantastic service! Our server was attentive, knowledgeable, and very pleasent! Well definitely go back, and well recommend to our friends and family!
This is an example of what going out for dinner should be! Amazing atmosphere, impeccable service and delicious food!
The service, the smell, the food and drink are among the best. This is one of our favourite spots.
Nice place but the curry was just meh.
Still sifting through the post-pandemic restaurant scene? Sift no more. We had an absolutely fabulous meal at the Braai House. The food was exquisite! The atmosphere, contemporary, yet warm, and the service was very attentive and not in the least bit annoying. All of this for what we considered a very fair and reasonable price.
I left feeling very happy with my incredible meal. Scallops and halibut were absolutely amazing. Ambience was spot on, and service was just as good.
blessed
Food was to die for, absolutely great service, food and atmosphere. Lovely, friendly people. Great value for the price. Drinks were delicious and reasonable.
Great drinks, food, service and vibe! Thank you for offering vegan options. Our vegan meal was one of the best we ve ever had .
Meal was OK but Id be a bit wary if you have food allergies. I flagged our allergies with our server and he let us know we could order all of our 4 dishes to be safe and then we could share. We heard them call out the allergies when they read out the order (seated near the kitchen), but one of the appetizers still came out on top of the aioli (egg allergy). We tried to flag it with our server to ask him to clarify that it was aioli (and not made with vegan mayo), but couldnt find him, and eventually had to flag it with another server (but by then my husband had eaten most of that appetizer and I had the other one as the food was going cold and we couldnt find anyone to raise it with). Eventually it was dealt with (yes, they made an error and it was regular aioli) and they brought us out a replacement appetizer made correctly, which was fine though at that point it was more food than needed. To apologize, while waiting for our mains, they brought us a tomato salad. Again, lovely gesture, but by then wed had 4 appetizers between two people and still had mains to go! The meals themselves were quite nice - the appetizers were actually better than the mains in my opinion, though the duck was nice. The pork was OK but a little tougher than I had expected and we were so full I really struggled to get through it. If it werent for the food allergy issue I would have said it was a solid 4 stars in terms of quality and value for money.
We had the best meal here! Enjoyed a great meal with friends as we spend a few days in Stratford. Had the scallops appetizer and duck main and it was phenomenal. Great service, wonderful atmosphere and our sever David even got us a ride over to the Stratford Theatre so we did not miss the start of our show. Thanks to Stacey for the drive over, we so appreciated it!!
Very good food, friendly staff, and good atmosphere. Will go back next time were in town.
Amazing food and good service! Price fix menu that we had was well worth it despite our surprise upon arrival...and choices excellent. We had Feta dip which was perfect app for 3 to share! (One person choosing price fix app&main. The other 2 choosing main& desserts) Mains- 2 of us had Ontario pickerel on excellent quinoa, delicious and curry sauce very flavourful. Braii bowl was amazing, added chicken but it would be excellent without too. Great portion too. Desserts excellent too, Malva and coconut Panna cotta YUM!!! I bet the Brownie Bouchard 3rd choice would have been excellent too! Great choices on non-alcoholic drinks too which is nice not all restaurants offer these! Altogether despite price fix menu, we thoroughly enjoyed our meal! Thank you Braii Bar!
Great cocktails, a tightly curated wine list, brilliant food, first rate service
Outstanding meal with exciting food and unique ingredients. Exceptional service from everyone we encountered. Wheelchair accessibility: Up a long flight of stairs. Not accessible.
Must try.
We had an awesome experience at Braai House. The customer service is simply outstanding. We made reservations online to sit at the bar before catching a show at the Avon theatre around the corner. Before our reservation, the restaurant called us to explain how the restaurant works (they have a prefix 2 or 3 course meal before the theatre), and mentioned that because we were seated at the bar we had the option of ordering from their pizza menu too (only available after 7pm elsewhere in the restaurant). When we arrived, we were seated promptly and had a great view of the whole restaurant. The bartender, Joel, surprised us with campaigne on the house because it was my husband s birthday. That was a nice touch. Even better, after ordering our drinks, Joel noticed that my husband was having an alcohol free night and offered him a tonic instead of the champagne. That was most appreciated! Sitting at the bar gave us a great view of Joel mixing all of the drinks. That was a lot of fun. We ordered the Cape Town pizza and fries. Both we outstanding! Thanks to Joel and to everyone at Braai for a great experience. We will be back!!!
We went for dinner after a play and greatly enjoyed the set menu. The mussels were cooked in a delicious sauce and the boerewors was absolutely devine. Really, really good South African food. Dietary restrictions: They have gotten free options, such as the mussels and boerewors. Kid-friendliness: I was surprised and happy to see that they had a kids menu with many kid-friendly options.
We waited 30mins for drinks Then waited over a hour for main entree Arrived 720pm it s 830pm still no entree Very very unacceptable I don t care at this point I feel this was The worst service we have ever experienced Just awful
Exceptional from start to finish. Dined at Chefs table and it proved to be one of best dining experience ever. Personal thanks to Chef and his staff for their hospitality. It was with great joy we watched them in action meticulously preparing a variety of apps and entrees. Flavors of Tuna and Scallops were best ever. Look for wars to returning.
Great service from the moment we got in there.. Multiple staff wished us Happy Anniversary and served us a complimentary glass of champagne.. Could it get better? It did.. The food was amazing! Every course was a treat! And watching from the chefs counter was like watching a cooking show.. Highly recommended Braai House! A great place to celebrate a milestone!
Great Place to visit the food and service are above what you will find around Stratford
This establishment came highly recommended to me so I had to try it hence the food Enthusiast in me. It is classy and elegant dining indoors and on the patio highlighting South African dishes with a twist. We had the prix fixe menu and everything was intelligently prepared. Every bite of whatever you ordered is hands down an explosion in the mouth, you can taste all the individual spices and its not overpowering by any means. Chefs are 10 out of 10, dont change anything . Staffs are very friendly, attentive and knowledgeable about Stratford, the menu and the Spirits. Will be back in a heartbeat to try other dishes on the menu. Vegetarian options: Available Dietary restrictions: available Parking: Paid parking Kid-friendliness: Available Wheelchair accessibility: Available on first floor. Call to confirm before you show up
Vegetarian options: Good vegetarian options Food
Great food, sat at the chefs table and Aaron was great filling us in on how each dish was prepared, along with the rest of his staff. Highly recommended.
Absolutely phenomenal experience. If you can manage it, get a reservation at the table overlooking the kitchen, and you can watch the chefs work. Sous and Head Chefs took time to chat and make us feel welcome. Will absolutely be coming back. Appetizer: Beef Tartar Main: Duck Breast Dessert: Malva Pudding
Wheelchair accessibility: Braai House is not wheelchair accessible. It is on the 2nd floor with only stairs available. Braai Bar is on the 1st floor and might have wheelchair access Food
We celebrated our anniversary at Braai and had a great experience. We had reservations on the first level and were seated on the patio. The food was fantastic and service was excellent getting us finished up in time for our theatre tickets. It was a wonderful evening and we highly recommend this restaurant.
Wow! The food really wowed me. And the the atmosphere and service were equally good. What really amazed me each person in our party tried a different main and each was spectacular! Especially the vegetarian curry-a standout!! We shared a bottle of the Shiraz, which was equally spectacular. Truly an amazing dinner. Highest recommendation. You will not be disappointed. Vegetarian options: The vegetarian curry was AMAZING! Highly recommend!!!
Superb all round! Food spectacular, environment excellent, service A1+. Parking: Lots of choices. We parked down by the Patterson Theatre and enjoyed the walk through town. Food : 5/5 |
A staple for us anytime we want a treat. Excellent service, and an awesome ode to the beautiful cuisine of South Africa.
Had a fantastic meal here, the scallops and duck were amazing. Friendly staff and we had a really nice conversation with the chef.
Had their seared scallops and ribeye. The food was delicious, and very creative!
We were visiting Stratford to watch a show and had no idea how seriously the food was here. We decided trying Braai house on a beautiful Friday evening. We were seated in their patio. As we sat down, our server introduced himself (cant remember his name) and was very friendly and warm. He brought us 2 glasses of complimentary sparkling wine as we were celebrating a birthday. Really made us feel special. The menu was the Prix Fix and from start to finish it was fantastic! The dishes were beautifully presented and all the flavours went very well. Our favorite dish would be the Ribeye. It was an awesome experience and will absolutely be coming back when we visit Stratford.
Focus on higher value tables was evident.
My wife and I dined here before seeing a show at the Avon Theatre last night. We had made reservations at the Chefs table and noted on the reservation that it was for a special occasion as we were there to celebrate a birthday. Upon entering we were impressed by the aesthetic and overall ambiance. Beautiful restaurant and the Chefs table provided a unique view of the kitchen. We were seated by our hostess and welcomed by our server. It was disappointing that neither the hostess or server knew about our special occasion that we made sure to mention in the reservation, nor cared to ask. They were serving a fixed menu that had options that were very appealing. We started with drinks and chose to add the fries as a starter and they were excellent. I was pleasantly surprised they had stout on tap and my wife had a cocktail which she quite enjoyed. We decided on the scallops and tuna dishes to start. They were both delicious and we would recommend them. Wonderful flavours and textures with just the right kick. We both followed our starters with the ribeye steak which was disappointing to say the least. It was much tougher than it should be for a restaurant of this standard and the flavour didnt taste anything like ribeye. My wife commented half way through that she was certain it was sirloin. We decided to skip dessert at that point and to move on. Overall we had a good time, but if we were to return, we would avoid the set menu and look to the tasting plates. Being let down by the steak and lacklustre service definitely soured our impression. It just wasnt the memorable experience we were hoping for.
We went in for dinner without a reservation and sat at the bar. I ordered the bartenders favorite cocktail and was not disappointed. Although we waited some time for the food (they were obviously understaffed) everything was delicious. Recommend: the lamb burger and peri peri cauliflower.
I had the scallops, lamb, and fries. The food was delicious, my only complaint was serving size. The server could have used some more personality. All in all, good experience.
Honestly an excellent meal all around
One of the best meals we ve ever had. We had the fixed price menu before the theatre. Scallops were perfectly cooked and so flavourful. Steak and cod entrees were outstanding. Banana dessert to die for. Service was impeccable. Highly recommend
When Michelin reaches outside of Toronto it will surely find Braai House. This food and atmosphere is comparable to the finest places we have eaten all over the world. Absolutely a destination venue. No matter where youre coming from, definitely worth the trip. You cant imagine the gastronomic experience that awaits you. Can not wait to return. Chef Arron Carley is next level.
Found this hidden gem through my partner taking us out for a nice evening dinner. The staff are extremely knowledgeable and know what they are serving when it comes to wine and food. The food was amazing, for desert I recommend the Banana Malva, which will have your taste buds screaming with joy! We ordered two appetizers, two main courses and one desert, the bill came to around $105. Great food and affordable place! We have been here twice now and will continue to go back.
A perfect gem of a 5 star restaurant in the heart of Stratford. The food truly blew us away and I can t believe we stumbled upon this place. The view of the kitchen and chefs hard at work is a nice touch. Love the ambiance. Perfect date night and possibly the best dishes we ve had in months. Thank you!
Gee, I wish I could share my experience at this restaurant, but after having made a reservation over a month ago, to celebrate my birthday with a friend of mine, who is coming all the way from Ottawa so we can see a show at the Stratford theatre, I get an email the evening before confirming my cancellation. Strange, I would not have cancelled this reservation and there was no explanation so I thought maybe it s a mistake. I called the restaurant and there s a message saying that they re closed. Someone actually warned me about this restaurant saying that it s hit and miss with the food, but when the food is good, it s really good, but it s not exactly a trustworthy, reliable establishment. I actually never thought that those words would come to fruition for me, but here we are. Extremely disappointed, now without a reservation and having to seek something last minute. Then again, with the couple negative reviews I had from friends about this place. Maybe it s a bullet dodged. Would not recommend whatsoever. Oh forgive me for not living my life on social media and for not scanning your posts cause I have a busy life that barely affords me time to look at personal email, much less Braai Bar s social media announcements. So in light of the reply could the restaurant, knowing this was happening well in advance, not have notified patrons with more than just a reservation cancelled email and no explanation?? From the below reply it s obvious this was not a decision made in the last 24 hours. Have the decency to consider those who are coming from afar and send notification well before. Not 24 hrs before the reservation, while sending the reservation CONFIRMATION two days ago. Obviously there is something larger and dramatic going on behind the scenes, but you still have an obligation to be professional. The way this all went down seriously unprofessional.
To quote Seinfeld: They know how to take the reservation. They dont know how to hold the reservation Drove half hour to find door locked. Checked email found that they canceled the night before. No phone call. From the sound coming from the back of the restaurant I suspect that they might have booked a private event. Bad customer service. We wont be back.
Had the tasting menu, fantastic is all that need be said!
Omg! It was sooo good. Simple dishes but taste was really amazing. Everyone was friendly and they accommodated our requests. Pizza, dessert, drinks everything was just super good. Must try!!
Great service. Incredible food. An ideal restaurant for a special occasion!
The food was delicious. The cooks were so friendly and the food was fun to watch being made, however, the waiter rarely came by to ask how we were doing. Our food was taking a long time, so we would have gotten another appetizer if we had known it would take so long but nobody came to us in between our appetizer and main meal. We tried to get his attention but it seemed to be too busy with other customers to hear us.
Best restaurant ever! We ve been several times and it always exceeds our expectations. Better than places in Europe or major cities. Incredible service and the best food period without any pretentious attitude. A gem!!
Great beer, great food and great service !
If you re going to charge $48 for a halibut entree, it should be REALLY good, and I shouldn t still be hungry after. Disappointing to say the least. Waitress had an attitude and seemed annoyed by any questions we asked about the menu.
Meh. I guess the atmosphere is okay, but the food wasnt great and our server was lost. 6 ppl at a table. First, drinks took forever and one was forgetten totally. Then they bring out one persons app almost 15 mins before everyone elses, he eats it and when done, the other apps come out. Who does that? Dinner was nothing to write home about. A $52 steak with a slew of cheap, charred veg. Something ordered was also forgotten. That is my second time having a less than worth it experience here. There wont be a third.
OMG, fantastic food. South African fusion? Amazing pizza and apps, had corn bread and charcuterie. No pictures you have to come.deeeeeeelish
Incredible food and experience.
Nice pancake whisky
The wood burning oven infuses smokiness in everything cooked on it, and adds a pleasant aroma to the whole restaurant. Many of the menu items were new to me but everything was delicious.
My review is very mixed. The last time we sat at the chefs counter and it was fabulous. We then went to the bar and it too was fab. I m so disappointed tonight. Called for a reservation at 5 pm , left a msg, called 2 more times. It is now 10:07 and I have heard zip. Would have loved to come for dinner but had to make a reservation elsewhere.
Very cool place, kitchen bar is a nice feature, allows you to watch the chefs in action! All of the chefs were very friendly and kind. Very cool atmosphere and friendly people food was excellent as well. Great experience!
Menu is South African-inspired. Food was excellent, cocktails were interesting and different, (red) wines were South African and very good. Service was very good...servers were attentive, but not intrusive. We were sat beside a noisy table of 10 men, some of whom were very noisy...the reason for a ranking of 4 instead of 5. Will return, but will not accept a table located beside such a large group next time.
Unbelievable food. You will not be disappointed with any of the food or drinks
Creative food, great atmosphere, and solid drinks. Modern international food with largely South African influence, a beacon of quality youd usually only find in a large city. This is the first place we ate at after the first lockdown, and the first place Id recommend to any visitor to Stratford.
Great food and environment. Has a big city vibe in Stratford. The flavours were incredible.
The food and drinks are spectacular here. This was a real treat and Johnny is an excellent host. 10/10 - so happy we stopped here on our trip to London. It makes us want to come back to Stratford and spend time here.
2022 June 16: Had another wonderful meal with my wife at Braii in Stratford. In particular I had the sampling platter with cheeses, meats, a great dipping sauce and great thin potato chips made in the kitchen. The young lady who served us was excellent. I expect Braii would do great even in Manhattan, LA or Vegas, thats how good it is. ==== Wonderful meal, great service, excellent IPA beer made with South African hops, and fine dry white floral wine. The owner is a South African who married a Canadian and moved here [lucky fellow!, lucky us!] Great location too, easy walk to the Avon Theatre, we sat outside along the street side and it was perfect on a fine Stratford pre-theatre afternoon. Highly recommended.
Food is fabulous.
At the time of dining Chef Julian, head chef. The food was incredible, menu curated by the owner who has first hand experience with South African food and the Chef who is well researched, and bold in his ways of preparing the food. Every aspect of fire for food preparation is played with here. A South African restaurant but other parts of Africa are honoured, at times subtly. Standout dishes: Bobotie, Ribs(spring menu), and Chefs uniquely prepared pineapple. -1 star for room for improvement: wait staff
Exceptional restaurant experience. The food is truly outstanding - make sure to try a pizza and the steak. Those were the major standouts for us. Just a special thanks to the owner and servers - wonderful service.
Small town at the height of theatre season, dining options are limited. Noisy. Expensive. Small portions. Faint flavours. Pizzas were enjoyed. Wheelchair accessibility: Second story, long staircase. Did not see elevator, but I wasnt looking for one.
Wow, what an amazing experience. Every detail of the menu, food, decor, ambiance and service was amazing. We sat at the kitchen bar, so we could see the dishes being prepared. Very cool. The menu was truly unique and the flavors were so complex. This is the best restaurant experience I have had in years. Do not deny yourself the opportunity to eat here. You will not regret it.
This was possibly the best restaurant I have ever been too. I ordered off of their fixed price menu and got a cocktail and every single item I had was absolutely perfect. We were already talking about going back as we drove home.
Overall good food. The blend merlot was good as well.
We had our friends over in Stratford for the day and enjoyed a fantastic dinner, party of four, on the gorgeous patio. Our servers were very attentive; they checked if we were part of the theatre crowd and had great recommendations for our drinks and food as we ordered throughout the evening. We dined leisurely, shared plates style, feeling as though we were a million miles away from everyday life. We were all fairly new to South African cuisine; the flavours were amazing complemented by a lovely cocktail (enlightenment), beer (chef s table lager) and wine (Chardonnay). We shared the cauliflower appetizer (delicious spices, dressing, and char) and buffalo carpaccio appetizer (delicate and smoky servings with micro greens and a mustard dressing). Our shared mains were the margherita pizza (generously topped with cheese for days) and full rack of ribs (spiced-savoury-tender-fall-off-the-bone meat with potatoes and red cabbage). We finished it off with espressos and a sweet treat, Malva; it had a quenelle of a smoky ice cream surrounded by sugary crispy wafer of sorts and light touches of a bready/cake in the bowl. Accented with a few edible flowers. Delightful and yummy! We have had many people recommend the Braai house to us and are so glad that we tried it out. They are a great dinner spot for special occasions, date nights, conversations, and on and on!
Great service, great food and atmosphere. Worth every penny!
I dont say this often, but honestly one of the best meals Ive had in a very long time. Everything was unique and exquisite. Worth the visit to Stratford just for dinner!
Very creative menu and the food is fantastic. We sat at the chefs table and the kitchen was very organized. Will come back. Strongly recommended!
Braai House is an exceptional restaurant. The staff are friendly and helpful. We spoke with the chef and followed his recommendations for dinner. Each dish was absolutely fantastic. The imagination and quality of each dish made the whole experience worth while.
Inaccessible and proud of it. The food might be good, but you need to climb 20 stairs without a handrail in order to find out. If you are at all mobility challenged forget about it. There is no mention of this on the website or anywhere. It is after all 2022. This restaurant should be ashamed. We booked far in advance. Left us scrambling on a busy Saturday night, and ruined our date night.
Hands down the best meal I have ever eaten. Ever single bite kicked me in the face with flavour. I had the PrixFixe which started with a smoked tomato amuse-bouche which set the stage perfectly for the barrage of flavour bombs to come! My entre was the Boererwors Sausage with grilled spring onion, Chakalaka (A tomato relish) and Pap (fried polenta). The elements werent great individually but when you put it together it just sang. My main was Smoked Duck with Peri Peri sauce, charred Broccolini and a puree that I cant remember what was in it. The duck was cooked perfectly, but when you got the char on top and the smoke going through it, it was amazing! Then dab on some of the PeriPeri which was alive with the freshness of orange and spiciness of peppers and it made what I thought was already perfect even better! Dessert was a berry cheesecake that perfectly captured the best of summer though I went halvsies with my friend who had the almond cake with Apricot and it was just as delicious and indulgent! The petite four was a minature chocolate chip cookie bite that started pretty ho-hum, but then the dark chocolate kicked in, and as that was finishing there was a strong bite of black pepper that gave you something to think about. I have never had a meal like it and I will be dreaming of it for years to come. Other notes: Service was a little overwhelmed and it was slow for the hostess to seat us, but we ended up sitting at the chefs table and had a very enjoyable evening chatting with the chefs and watching them cook! It was well worth the wait! Sadly the restaurant is not at all accessible with a long steep flight of stairs to the second floor the only way into the restaurant. Plan accordingly!
Came here after Richard III. Everything was excellent. Had the prix fixe menu. Flat iron stake was done to perfection. The desserts were very flavourful. Would 100%come here again.
A very mixed experience. The food was excellent and a lot of effort has been put into two very attractive patios at the rear. We arrived on time but waited at least 5 minutes to be noticed. They tried to seat us inside near 3 very noisy groups and we were ready to leave before sitting down. They looked for a found a toble outside and we enjoyed it very much but for volume of the music (we are seniors; our ears still work). We ordered from the prix fixe menu but our desserts seemed to have been forgotten. The cost of dinner for two was more than the cost for three at one of our favourite Stratford restaurants. In short, they are trying but falling short; excellent food, very mixed service.
Lots of great dining options in Stratford, this one didnt fill the bill.
This was focused on South African cuisine and spices/flavors. The food was delicious with beautiful presentation. Open kitchen design to observe chefs preparing your meals using a brick oven. The staff are so friendly and attentive. We were thanked for dining with them by no less than six staff members as we walked out. Beautiful atmosphere, the outside patio is a must to dine on. Even though this is fine dining, we were there for 3 hours, dont feel the need to get too dressed up. Kid-friendliness: Not for kids. Dishes are fancy, unique, not typical. Wheelchair accessibility: This was upstairs, I didnt see wheelchair access.
Very nice date night place to go. The food was awesome!
An outstanding experience. It was a joy sitting at the chefs table and watching the cooks hard at work, in the fires and on the plates. What a beautiful craft to behold! The staff were all tremendously attentive and friendly, in a genuine and non-overbearing way. The food -- wow. Such an exciting array of bold flavours. For instance, I had no idea potatoes could be so sensational! Everything was. The meat was done to perfection and the vegetables truly sang. A special nod to the IPA made in house, a really excellent beer. My cocktail (Enlightenment Juice) had passionfruit tapioca pearls floating in it! That was a first for me. They have really mastered their craft here, they are enjoying themselves and they are proud, with good reason.
We had a wonderful dinner bridging Richard III and Alls Well that Ends Well at the Stratford Festival. My husband had the prix fixe meal with the farmers sausage, iron steak and dessert. I loved the duck and shared his appetizer and dessert. The full menu would have been too much. The patio was large and the dining room was very modern. The music reminded me of a chic European bistro. The service was impeccable and the sommelier/waiter even suggested a sample before l selected my beverage. All those that need to leave for their show were quickly dispatched. No question about it, we will return.
Great atmosphere and food. Loved our time here and the variety of flavors.
We had an amazing experience our first time at the Braai house. We were sat at the high tops looking into the kitchen and it was such a fun experience. We were greeted by the chefs, who were all lovely and informative, and got to watch them make all of the dishes on the open flame. I highly recommend these seats! Our food was spectacular- I was extremely impressed with everything we got and everything we saw that was being prepared. Definitely exceeded our expectations!
Beautiful atmosphere, excellent cocktail (All Gas No Brakes), and incredible flavours in the appetizer and main. However, price point was a bit ridiculous in terms of value. I had to double check the price of my Plant entrée - $36 for a small serving of mushrooms and eggplant (with some fantastic spices and sauces, albeit). And $16 for a tiny plant-based app is too much, in my opinion. Pizza wasn t very good - it s clear that this restaurant s strength is in the South African flavours. Otherwise, well done.
AMAZING. Fabulous service, cocktails, and food. They will ask if you re going to a StratFest show after, and serve you accordingly. Make sure you save room for dessert! We would absolutely go again. It was so good, I forgot to take the usual Instagram food photos!
$36 for a plant dish,That takes nerve. The A few vegetables were placed neatly on half of the plate, the remaining half of the plate was left empty.
Great vibes and food!
A little loud at times. But overall a fantastic experience. Parking: Limited available. Food : 5/5 |
Fantastic, a great experience every time! Have been to Braai several times (especially when they had the tomahawks on the menu!!) and both the food and service are always top notch. Recently, Braai came to the rescue when another local restaurant messed up our reservation and would not seat my group. With a full dining room they still found a place for us to have another fantastic meal. Thanks Braai House for being what hospitality should be!! Expect to see us again and again.
Outstanding dining experience here! The food was superb (my husband said his plant-based dishes were the best he had ever eaten in a restaurant), the presentation was exquisite, and we both really enjoyed the mocktails on the menu. It was very interesting sitting at the counter overlooking the kitchen, and being able to ask questions of the chefs. My husband wants to return for his birthday dinner this winter. Thank you for taking care of your vegan diners as well as the carnivores who obviously flock to this restaurant. Keep up the outstanding work!
When looking for a unique place for dinner following an afternoon at the Stratford Theatre, the Braai House venue & menu certainly stood out! A South African-inspired restaurant in Stratford of all places? This we had to try! It s a popular place with both locals and visitors, so getting a reservation wasn t easy. Our play finished at 5:00 pm but the first available reservation by the time we looked several days prior was for 8:30 pm. We took it, figuring that this was worth a three-and-a-half hour wait. And we were not disappointed! Braai House is located up a long flight of stairs on the second floor of a building, over its sister restaurant, The Alley. It s worth the climb! The seating is comfortable, the atmosphere is relaxed, the service is friendly and timely. Electro-pop and other kinds of music play in the background not too loudly, at least not to the point where you can t hear each other talk. All cooking is done on grills & pans over an open wood fire, with a wood-fired oven to one side for making pizzas. Seating is available on bar stools along a counter overlooking the kitchen so you can watch the chefs preparing the food if you like. We opted for the more comfortable seating at a dining table, but could still see the flames and kitchen activities from where we sat. The menu is creatively divided into various sections. Sparks covers the appetizers. Combustion lists the main dishes. Pizzas is self-explanatory. And desserts are listed in the Embers section. Ingredients are primarily sourced locally. We started with an appetizer called Bobotie, which consists of 3 curried beef & pork samosa accompanied by the tastiest chutney we ve ever had, with a dollop of duck egg custard on top. For mains, my wife opted for the half-rack of smoked ribs with South African BBQ sauce and pistachio dukkah and accompanied by another tasty chutney and a bowl of mashed potatoes with a wonderful crust on top. The meat literally fell of the bones and was incredibly tasty. I went for the duck dish, not something you see every day on a menu. The smoked duck breast was so tender & tasty. Some grilled greens, a crispy, fried dough ball filled with savoury duck confit, and a dab of red peri-peri sauce made up the rest of the plate. It truly was outstanding! A Lekker Lager beer helped wash it down. For dessert, we wanted to try the Koeksister, but they no longer had any. We went for the Malva Pudding instead, but it wasn t that appealing to us. Kind of a dry muffin with some ice cream. But to each their own! Maybe you ll like it :) We will definitely be coming back to enjoy this unique place with its unique menu again!
There was a bit of a mix up with our reservation but I quickly got over it because the food was so good lol. We did the prix fixe and it was all amazing and good sized portions for fine dining. I prefer a non-alcoholic drink option and the bartender made me an amazing drink, which is a treat. Service was good too, overall really nice. Well be back.
My partner and I came here for my birthday dinner. We booked the restaurant a couple of weeks in advance. When we first arrived, we were informed of 90-min seating, which was not included in any booking confirmation prior. We ordered 3 appetizers, 4 drinks and ribeye steaks for our mains . There was a 15-20 min waiting period between appetizers and mains. During this period, we were unpleasantly surprised when a staff member dropped off a take-out box before our steaks were even served. We were also approached by another staff member who asked us to move to a different table to accommodate a larger group of 14 during our meal. Once our mains arrived, We felt rushed (only 15 mins left) and did not get to enjoy the steaks. We felt like we would not have time for desserts although I had been wanting to try. At the end of our meals, the other tables around us, who arrived even before us were still eating, which made us wonder if the restaurant only did this to us on purpose. The lack of good customer service we received have definitely outweighed the good food. $300 could have been better spent at another local restaurant.
Incredibly delicious food. Wood fired pizza and meat options with South African touch. Crafted cocktails and amazing beers. Hands down. Tried three different apps and two mains everything was delicious and well balanced. The pizza crust is amazing. Surprisingly the flat bread with the lamb had a different crust since we both tried the pizza and the flatbread one after another. Incredible flavor profile. Definitely will go back soon!
This place was amazing! From the atmosphere, to the service, to the drinks, to the food A solid 11/10. My partner and I made a spontaneous trip to Stratford and found this place on google when searching for places to eat in the area and it did not disappoint! We came in early November and the weather was about 16 degrees so we decided to sit on the patio where they had cute little wooden booths and a nice fire place in the center along with portable heaters around each table to keep customers warm. My partner ordered their duck and I ordered their mushroom and sweet potato pizza and oh man was it delicious. The duck was cooked perfectly, melt in your mouth type of meal and the pizza! Never would of thought I d like sweet potatoes on my pizza. Our server was really polite and didn t come around too often giving the perfect amount of room for us to enjoy our experience without interruptions. If my partner and I do come back to Stratford for another spontaneous visit, we will definitely be coming back here!
Vegetarian options: Limited vegan options. Food
Delicious food, great friendly service, and great atmosphere
This place was excellent. The service the food amazing. We had recently been to a Michelin Star restaurant and this was better.
Braai House is my first choice in Stratford restaurants, but until this week, I hadn t experienced their tasting menu at the chef s table . and what an experience it was! Umami! I oohed & ahhhed through every delicious bite! The chef s were meticulous in their work and super down to earth & friendly. We had amazing drink pairings as well and our server was extremely knowledgeable. This was was of my best birthday s ever!
Great experience. Great atmosphere. Had drinks and shared some small plates. Delicious. Had trouble finding it, but it s there :)
Absolutely amazing experience! From the drinks to the apps and the entrées. Everything was incredible! Our service David was very good as well
Really fun. Unique experience. Cod was the best thing I had all year.
An experience, not just a meal.
Great Service and get atmosphere. Great food and a mush stop.
Fantastic service, great taste, and well presented! My family was from South Africa and instantly fell in love with the atmosphere and the food. My brother is a chef back in Cape Town and we where given a gift card from my mom and dad. My mother called to take care of the rest of the bill and the staff where able to figure out our table and go out of there way with their service! Thank you!!
Wow! What a gem - amazing and creative house cocktails. Tasty apps and super South African inspired dishes. We will be back!
My husband and I decided to try Braai house for our anniversary this year. (since we were finally allowed out). And it was such a great experience. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with positivity. The atmosphere was cozy and perfect for our special occasion. The food was great, the drinks were great. The server was amazing. He was very knowledgeable and had great recommendations. Hands down 10/10. I will definitely recommend and we will definitely be back.
We had the best dinner at Braai House! My South African husband and I were in Stratford a couple of weekends before and were sad to find out that this place is closed on Sundays. We made a special trip two weeks later, on a Saturday, just to visit this place. It was totally worth it! We both enjoyed it so much, and it reminded my husband of his home cuisine, only more sophisticated , according to him. We will definitely return and try more dishes. The food, atmosphere and service were all amazing. Thank you everyone at Braai House!
Food is so good and service is awesome too
The food was very good. The pizzas are more than enough for one person and possibly great to share. Some of the entrees were smaller for the gentlemen in our party, but everything was very good. There was a little bit of a delay after our first round of drinks waiting for someone to refresh/take our second drink order.
My new favorite spot. Everything about Braai House is awesome!!!
We were here for dinner ealier this year and it was excellent. We were excited to come here again but this time it was very disappointing. The severs were all extremely attebtive and great but the food was very disappointing. We started with an octupus appetizer which was served dried out and almost unchewable. For my main I ordered the elk whic was $48. They served me a piece of elk that was no more than 2oz in size and over cooked and hard to chew. Elk has to be prepared rare which any chef would know. $48 for a chewy over cooked 2oz piece of meat is not good. I told our server that the elk was overcooked and chewy and he apologized and offered me a free appetizer. One would expect they immediately offer to replace the elk cooked properly. We are not sure we would recommend this place any more or give it another try.
Incredible. Service, food, atmosphere - all 10 out of 5. Made our weekend! Thank you!
I took my fiancé to Braai House for her 50th birthday because I had heard so many rave reviews about there. Everyone was right! It was the most special dining experience my partner and I have ever had. The atmosphere, the staff, the background music and the food were beyond sensational!!! I have found my new favorite restaurant and I can hardly wait to go back!
Very fun restaurant ambiance, neat back deck, modern classy interior with Afrikaans words translated on the walls. The open kitchen is extremely cool, allows you to see the fancy wood oven and barbecue setups, and the smell permeates the whole restaurant. Food was delicious, tasty and with interesting flavours like the chakalaka, boerewors sausage, and the chive butter! Will definitely go again!
The food was spectacular! It was like nothing I have ever had before!
Amazing! Highly recommend!
Amazing! Cocktails, food, service and venue were all impeccable. We had the Elgin & Mushroom kindling and The Braai bowl & funghi pizza. Each dish was soo well presented and so flavourful. Will definitely come back if we ever find ourselves in Stratford again.
It was a nice night, and good atmosphere, but felt it was overpriced for what was delivered. Still, I did enjoy the appetizers and in house beers.
We did the tasting menu last night and it was one of the best meals I ve ever had. Service was excellent. Here are some of the photos from our meal experience. I highly recommend you go & enjoy the tasting menu before it disappears from the Braai House menu offerings.