If you're going to live in a place where the government runs the liquor store at least Ontario…read moreknows how to do it (most of the time). So it's Sunday before a Monday holiday and I realize it's 5:45pm and I haven't a drop of booze for a BBQ I'm attending tomorrow. AHHH!!! Ok don't panic, some place has got to be still open! Luckily, the LCBO on Bayfield Street in Barrie is open until 6pm on Sundays, which quite possibly saved my life. Not only was it open, it has the best selection of beer and party drinks I've seen at an LCBO in a long time! Maybe it's catering to the cottage country crowd but there are even more beers to choose from here than in most Toronto LCBOs. They have a good VQA selection as well as a large selection of wines from across the world. On this visit I got: 4 tall cans of Steamwhistle (my favourite!), 2 Muskoka Cream Ales (read my Volo review), a bottle of Fresita (only the best strawberry wine from Chile), and the wife got plenty of other essential survival items as well. Thanks LCBO for making my long weekend BBQ a success.

Yummy food, nice staff, shaded outdoor seating. The salad was good and the bacon fries were…read moreincredible, wish I got a pic. I got a mocktail which I enjoyed but cannot recall which one.

Doesn't look like much from the outside but it's a great…read morecasual spot for pizza and beer. The pizza had generous toppings. Service was very friendly and attentive as well.

The Speakcheasy is one of my favourite spots for a date night or a night with friends. The space is…read moreso cozy and their events are always so well done! I have been to Mother's Day tea, scotch tasting, a murder mystery, wine and cheese pairings, a New Years Cheese tasting, a Halloween themed event and others. Be sure to keep your eye on their monthly events, they sell out quickly!

Oh. My. Goodness. I am RAVING about this place. I went on a mother daughter date with my mum…read more We got the French Onion Soup, and the Classic Fondue. It was the perfect amount of food and it was incredible. I would also recommend the Speak Mimosa I would recommend making a reservation after 7pm, just to be safe. The waitress was friendly, checked in, but didn't linger. I've been to the Melting Pot before - and it does NOT compare. It was priced as expected - it's not a fast food restaurant and it's worth every dollar. (Two soups, the classic fondue, two drinks and tips was just shy of $100). I've attached a poorly taken photo - we were too excited to eat it to get a picture in time.

Food was delicious, service was fantastic and ambiance was welcoming, warm and clean…read more Sorry, didn't catch our servers name, but she was great and very attentive to our party of 6. Had the Mongolian bowl - Amazing!!

What a great experience tonight at B'spoke. The atmosphere is quaint with perfect lighting and nice…read moredecor, the servers were super nice and attentive while giving the air of modern and cool! Then the food omg...we had the whipped feta app: the garlic bread was so fresh and the feta with pomegranates was to die for. Good serving size to share. I had the bison sliders, toasted buttered brioche buns and good quality meat, each with its own unique flavours so delicious. I was stuffed. Friends had the Perogies and bowls and everyone was so happy with the quality, uniqueness and quantity. All for excellent prices. I had the red sangria and it was so tasty with beautiful presentation. Go go go! I am going back this weekend!

J'adore is such an amazing cheese and chocolate shop in downtown Barrie. If you're entertaining,…read morelooking for a gift, or just looking for some delicious cheese, chocolate, accompaniments or bottles of your favourite beverages, this is your spot! Staff are always very friendly helpful. Be sure to also take a peak downstairs at "The Speakcheasy" if you're visit when they are open.

Oh this little store is such fun! There is a fantastic selection of cheeses and the chocolate…read moreoptions are adorable with different little shapes and tasty selections. I really appreciate that there is also a wall of biscuits and crackers opposite the cheese counter to pair with the cheeses, so if you are in a rush to create a delicious display, you have everything you need in once place. The staff are also lovely, and always willing to offer a sample of a new cheese. Its obvious that everyone working in this store really cares about the business and their customers - it's always clean and they handle busy times very politely. I only wish I lived closer!

Well someone has to be first to review so it may as well be me! I'm relocating to the GTA from Old…read moreMontreal and my first order of business (after finding temp housing) was to locate a cool brewery that I can take my Golden Retrievers to. Check and double-check, mission accomplished. This is a brewery so let's start with the beer. I've been here 5 or 6 times now and have tried many of the beers on tap. They are all very good to down-right excellent with a large variety that's sure to please any beer lover. My personal favourite to date has been the Pinot Noir IPA which is super smooth with an interesting wine finish. Great stuff here! The ambiance is great, the brewery is in the old fire house and is decorated emphasizing the history of the space. One of the bartenders is even a real firefighter, how cool is that? On many Saturday afternoons they have live music which adds a great vibe. A duo called JJ & Alyssa are playing right now and the live music experience is fantastic! Oh, they have a couple of leather sofas that my older Golden Nessie is going to LOVE. I might buy a house in the neighborhood just to be walking distance to this brewery, high praise indeed. Stop in and check it out, you won't be disappointed.

When I am in Aurora, I tend to visit this LCBO. I don't drink alcohol often, but this store is my…read morego-to when I do need to get craft beer. This store has the best selection of craft beer. The other Saturday, I walked in and a woman offered me a sample sip of some craft beer from Sarnia. It was amazing. I immediately got a bottle for $6.50. I am more a coconut rum and Coke girl. I have plenty of rum at home. So, I often come here for either a wine with fruity notes or beer. The cider beverages intrigued me. I tried the pear and spiced rum varieties. The pear cider was excellent. I have yet to try the spiced rum. Don't forget to use your Air Miles card to collect points here. As usual, you get all your booze in paper bags. (230)

This LCBO is a new addition up in A-town (that would be Aurora). It's situated right in the middle…read moreof a mini plaza complex which is kinda odd placement, but who cares as it does it job. It's clean and well organized and all the staff are friendly. Surprisingly even during the day there are quite a few staff on the floor so you never have to go searching for help. It is a bit smaller than other LCBOs but it had everything you need for a great evening...or a great afternoon (who am I to judge when you start drinking...it's 5pm somewhere!)

Came here with a large group of mom's for a mom's night out and we had a fabulous time! Our server,…read moreyoung guy with a mullet, was amazing, made sure we were all taken care of and dealt with a group with so much ease and professionalism. I ordered a peach/ginger drink and it was strong but really tasty, highly recommend! A few non-drinking ladies were given great recommendations for virgin cocktails! The food was also really good, most people got burgers which looked really good. I got the duck pizza which was really tasty but the crust could use work, it was a bit too crunchy and flat, I'm not sure what style I would call it but I prefer either a lightly crisp crust with a chewy bite or a fluffy crust, this was neither. I am a bit snobby when it comes to pizza so I'm definitely particular but the toppings were really unique and tasted yummy! Next time I'll go for a burger for sure. The service was excellent, I had made special arrangements to bring in a group of 16 people, and, being moms to young babies, some of us showed up later/earlier, some left earlier/later and we all had separate bills, so I know it wasn't the easiest to manage but our server honestly nailed it. We all had our drinks done perfectly, food came out all at the same time, nothing was missed, and he was soo genuine and friendly. We really had such a nice time! Thanks so much HBH for making our night out so fun!!

Bathrooms stink but that's because the building is probably 200 years old. Beer is ok.read more

Disappointing Experience Overall I had high expectations for…read morethis restaurant, but unfortunately, it fell short. The biggest issue was the incredibly slow service--waiting for each dish felt like an eternity. While the staff was friendly, the food itself didn't live up to the hype. What looked promising on the menu ended up being underwhelming on the plate, lacking the flavor and quality I had hoped for. There's definitely potential here, but they need to work on both their timing and their execution in the kitchen. Disappointing Experience Overall I had high expectations for this restaurant, but unfortunately, it fell short. The biggest issue was the incredibly slow service--waiting for each dish felt like an eternity. While the staff was friendly, the food itself didn't live up to the hype. What looked promising on the menu ended up being underwhelming on the plate, lacking the flavor and quality I had hoped for. There's definitely potential here, but they need to work on both their timing and their execution in the kitchen.

Absolutely Outstanding Experience!…read more We contacted Michael & Marion's to host my son and now daughter-in-law's wedding, as we've always loved both the food and service there. From start to finish, it was hands-down the best choice we could have made. Kent, the owner, was an absolute pleasure to deal with -- professional, accommodating, and completely transparent. He clearly outlined what was available and what to expect, with no hidden costs or "nickel and diming." When it looked like our ceremony venue might fall through, he even offered us the restaurant space as a backup, which was such a thoughtful gesture (thankfully, we didn't need it -- but the offer said everything about their level of care). We met with Kent twice and Jade once, and the process felt almost too easy -- so informal and effortless that I thought it might be too good to be true. But it wasn't. When we arrived on the big day, everything was exactly as promised -- and even better than I had imagined. Throughout the evening, Jade and the entire team were incredible. They were attentive, professional, and seemed to anticipate every need before we even had to ask. I never once felt like I had to manage a thing. The food was phenomenal, the service outstanding, and the atmosphere absolutely perfect. I would highly recommend Michael & Marion's for any event or special occasion. I'm eternally grateful to Kent, Jade, and their team for making this day so smooth, memorable, and truly perfect. Angela McKeown

The hours posted are not correct, Dial A bottle closes in the evening and doesn't open till late…read moremorning, also the area advertised is not always covered, I have had many people refer me to Dial A bottle because they "deliver regularly to my area" and they are one of the only services that advertise that, "we will deliver to your area!"and when I phone I'm told they do not deliver to me and cannot help me in any way. Very Very poor service, if you can find another service I would strongly recommend anything else, even calling a taxi to pick it up for you, it might cost more but they'll actually get you what you order without arguments over the order or over your payment/change. I strongly recommend using any other company. When visiting friends or family I have regularly tried using them and have not once had an order delivered correctly, and have multiple times been charged for things I did not order and had to fight with the delivery person over the bill. I wish I could give them zero Stars

Simple order: a 6-pack of beer, a bottle of wine, and Smirnoff coolers. Got a call from the…read moredelivery guy while he was at the LCBO, telling me he couldn't find the wine, and spent more than 5 minutes on the phone with me, before finally asking for and finding a wine. Arrives, and has a gift pack ($12 more) of the 6-pack of beer, and was stunned when he realized the price - he hadn't even looked when he bought it! He went to get the right beer, called me from a different location asking me if I wanted the gift pack or the 12 pack... neither of which we asked for - he wasn't at the LCBO... he was at the beer store at this point. Told me (with exasperation) that it would be longer b/c he'd have to go back to the LCBO - not sure why I had to tell him that yes, that would have to happen b/c we had ordered the 6. Wow. Never again.