As pleased as I was with my last lunch at The Epicurean, I was equally impressed this trip. The service was ( Michelle) charming and attentive. And the gardens were as beautiful as ever. A really delightful place to sit and enjoy a leisurely meal. The gnocchi was fluffy with a generous red sauce and the tiniest kick in the sausage. The vegetables that were roasted for the panini were perfectly caramelized and delicious . The salad was fresh with cucumbers and cherry tomatoes and a sweet ( raspberry vinaigrette?) dressing. I wouldn't hesitate to go there again and I definitely recommend it. read more

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Lovely large patio. Flowers are exquisite. Efficient service. Shared Mediterranean tapas and Village salad. Delicious. Perfect amount pre-theatre Staff friendly and attentive read more

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I was at this restaurant on Sept 17 and saw an incident that honestly left me stunned. A customer mentioned to the server that her chicken looked undercooked. She wasn't upset, wasn't demanding anything, and wasn't even asking for a replacement -- it was just a simple comment. The owner, John, suddenly came out and confronted her in a way that felt completely out of proportion. His tone was sharp, loud, and aggressive. He kept insisting she eat the chicken because he had cooked it, even though she calmly repeated that she wasn't complaining and didn't want anything changed. Instead of calming down, John's behaviour became more heated and hostile. Things escalated to the point where John told his staff to call the police on the couple, despite them sitting quietly and not causing any disturbance. The situation became so tense that the couple ended up calling the police themselves because they felt unsafe. What really stood out was that the staff acknowledged what happened and admitted they were familiar with John's reactions. Several customers nearby even told the couple to leave without paying because of how out of control things had become. The couple insisted on paying anyway because they didn't want to do anything improper. Watching this unfold was extremely uncomfortable. I would strongly advise people to think twice before coming here -- no one should risk ending up in a hostile confrontation with the owner. Based on what I witnessed, this was not normal or acceptable behaviour in any restaurant. We will not be returning and we will be telling all our friends and family to stay away from this restaurant. read more

Great customer service! Lovely surroundings. Onion soup and mushroom soup were a little overly strong with herbs. Beet salad was excellent! A little overpriced IMO. read more

The Epicurean is not bad but it's not great. It's ok. My fries could have been better. It felt like I was served the last of the fries. They were short small fries. They weren't what you would get at first grab out of the fryer. Also, the chicken Caprese sandwich had a pesto spread on it. Caprese doesn't have pesto seasoning. This was an unusual combination. Caprese should have basil but not pesto. The sandwich flavors were a bit off. The service was good and attentive. The restaurant had a relaxed environment and nice people. read more

The Epicurean - French Near Me - Niagara-On-the-Lake, Ontario

Leo our server provided excellent customer service. The ambiance & food was amazing!!

I had the most terrible experience with this restaurant. The chicken breast was uncooked and when I brought it to waiter attention the owner John Angelakopoulos started yelling in front all of his customers and staff to prove his food was the best then started telling his staff to call police. It was such a dramatic and terrible experience. Pls keep away from this restaurant read more

Ambience was great. Lots of little touches. Front and back patios set up for outside dinners and an impeccably set out interior eating area with large comfortable tables and booths and an inviting bar area as well. Freshly made drinks like sangria reminiscent of my time spent in Spain last year. A variety of food offerings. We started with a trio of babaganosh, tzatziki and hummus with warm pillowy soft pita bread. In addition to the sandwiches, salads and pastas on offer in the menu there were also specials. I had the prosciutto lunch special sandwich and it was not just a sandwich. Generous portions of prosciutto and just the right mix of condiments and other toppings. This came with a generous potion of fries. My dining companions had sandwiches and salads and were similarly content with their choices. Service was great from the time we walked in the door. We were enticed in by the friendly staff out near the entrance. They were so kind and even gave us a tour of the place to help us decide where we wanted to sit. This was such an unexpectedly nice cosy and delicious lunch in a heavily touristy area but it didn't feel touristy at all. I can see myself coming back here again for a fancy meal or a satisfying dinner. read more

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This would be 4 or even 5 star review but we were totally turned off by how they nickel and dime you here. We felt the prices were a little on the high side to begin with but it's NOTL so prices are high everywhere. But we asked for lemons for our waters and he told us there's a 50 cent charge for that. I have NEVER heard of that in my life. Then to add insult to injury it's not just 50 cent, it's 50cent per slice of lemon!!!!! You've gotta be kidding me. There was 4 of us and we charged 2.00 for lemons to go with our waters. We had a brand new server who is saying don't shoot the messenger. The food was very good. The ambiance in the back courtyard was nice but what a turn off. BTW they also charge $10 a plate for sharing. read more

Cute place, food was good. They charge $10 if you want to share an entree. Ended up ordering an appetizer for $18 instead of just paying $10 for nothing. More food than we wanted. read more

Overpriced and not even good. Service and atmosphere is not impressive tbh not worth it u should go somewhere else

Navigating the world of fine dining amidst tourist traps can be like finding hidden gems in a sea of pebbles. In such bustling spots, there are still a few standouts that cater to a discerning palate: read more

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Even though I felt underdressed, I thoroughly enjoyed my dining experience at Epicurean. My sister and I strayed away from the group to see what this pleasantry had to offer. It was around lunch time and it was a moderate crowd, but we chose to take the first seats at the bar. We ordered the veggie flatbread, fish and chips and calamari for our appetizer. Other than the food coming out at the same time (mainly because we ordered all at once), it was quite enjoyable. Everything was tasty right on down to the fries. The service was also quite pleasant. Definitely worth a trip if ever at NOTL. read more

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After spending an afternoon around town, we wanted a spot that was dog-friendly. Supposedly, this was dog-friendly, as long as you were outside. When it started to rain, we asked if we could be seated even if it was by the door. They didn't allow us nor would they put any effort to see if they could accommodate us one way or another. So, that's a minus on the staff. The food was good, but a bit pricey. They were filling and tasty. Nothing was dry or overcooked. Would I go back? Maybe. If I was with my dog, I would look for a different spot. read more

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We had a wonderful lunch here and our server, Tammy was outstanding. The food was delicious, the presentation lovely and the restaurant itself was just really neat. We loved the decor of the restaurant and enjoyed learning more about the area from our server. read more

The 2nd time that I've been here and like the last time we sat in their spacious patio Crab cakes for starters followed up the Caprese Salad with chicken and the Grilled Salmon Everything was very well presented and decent portion size The veggies that accompanied the salmon were outstanding as was the rice The crab cakes were flavourful and moist Sarah was a real pro and if it wasn't for her this review might've got a 3 star rating PS: I noticed that the family at the neighbouring table were offered bread only after they specifically asked for it We were offered no bread and I thought that was extremely strange for an establishment that is in such a prime location and serves good food and above average prices I would've given Sarah a generous tip because of the quality of her service, but I find it annoying that in some restaurants, like this one, that the tip % options start with 18% going up to 25% read more

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Strange dining rule here. Two of us went in for a small app to share. The waiter told us there was a 6$ share fee. There has to be two items ordered to avoid the fee. We could order a bread basket for 9$ along with the app to avoid the share fee. This makes no sense to me. The app was a two person dish and they would not have to split it for us to eat. The food was good but remember not to share! read more

The Epicurean - A shareable app - French Near Me - Niagara-On-the-Lake, Ontario

Started with arancini, moved on to an amazing duck confit over house made gnocchi in a lovely cream sauce, finished with a lovely crème brûlée. Service was great as were the cocktails. I'll be back! read more

This is the second time I have visited this restaurant. I love that it is tucked away from the street. It allows for a more quiet dining experience. Large groups such as ours can be difficult to service but our waitress was very kind and patient especially with the 6 and 3year old with us. Unfortunately we did have to ask for side plates as most of our appies were to be shared. And for some reason we weren't asked if we wanted more sparkling and flat water. As for the food, it is decent enough for me to return but if I'm being honest I didn't find it exceptional. However, the menu is vast enough to satisfy many different palates and the price point is attractive enough that you do not feel like you over paid for cloth napkin settings. Overall, this restaurant is good and if I can be sure of one thing, it's that everyone will find something satisfactory to eat. read more

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AMAZING !! We made a reservation, and arrived early. The host was nice, and walked us to our table right away! Sarah our server, who was so sweet, attentive and funny, made sure to get us started right away. She let us try two wines so that we could make a decision on what fit best with the food we wanted, and she also made sure to be extra cautious of a nut allergy. We ordered : Shrimp cocktail Caprese salad Carbonara fettuccine NY strip steak done medium rare (cooked to perfection) A bottle of their house pinot noir (konzelmann) And a apple pie al a mode This was our first time visiting Niagara on the Lake, and this restaurant was the perfect choice. It is on the pricier side, but well worth it. They have a very nice dining room, along with a beautiful patio to the back left of the building, and the bathrooms were clean. Overall 10/10. P.S. Sarah-- we hope you make it out to Arizona to experience the vacation you've been dreaming of! read more

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Nice location, great food and service. Our Tuesday evening visit was very enjoyable. We will certainly return again.

Very nice restaurant with great open air patio seating. It was a great little stop in Niagara on the Lake for lunch on our Memorial Day weekend visit. Sunny day good food good drinks shade of the trees and a great staff. read more

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Charming restaurant in the heart of downtown. My salad was huge, fresh, and delicious. My daughters enjoyed the quesadillas as well as the atmosphere. Our waiter was kind and attentive. Many tables ordered fish and chips as well as soup of the day, we should have, they looked and smelled fantastic. read more

We spent $130 after tax and tips on 2 meals (Atlantic salmon $35 each), 1 salad ($17), and one pint of beer. I enjoyed my salmon. While $35 was on the higher end, it was well worth it. The service was really good but I don't like when payment terminals start at 18% and by default display 20%. I'm not a big of fan the tipping culture in Canada, to begin with. I think servers should be paid a living wage and there should be some sort of a standard VAT like they have in Europe. I tipped 20% because the server was really good, but normally I tip 10% everywhere I go. I could care less that servers expect me to tip at least 15% when in 90% of cases their service does not exceed expectations or what they're supposed to do at a minimum. Anyway, I digress. Our server was great and the food was good. I don't see how this place averages 3 stars. Yes, the prices are on the higher end but you get quality food in return and their patio provides an ideal respite from the crowds on Queen St. I definitely recommend this place. read more

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We walked in on a Sat at 2:30pm for a late lunch as the place we came to town for was closed from 2-5pm. The menu is simple, clean and that was attractive to us as we wanted a nice healthy lunch. Unfortunately- although the experience wasn't bad- it also wasn't good. We had a dog with us and the front hostess told us it wasn't an issue and we could be seated on the back patio- when we walked back there it became a huge deal and we were told that they had to check as there was already one dog on the patio... (NOTE: the back patio is HUGE and actually in the back alleyway). A dog friendly patio is a dog friendly patio- I don't know what regulation states that a dog friendly patio means only 1 dog allowed per patio? Anyhow, they decided amongst the group of them it was fine and sat us right next to the table with the other dog.... Again weird bc if the issue is separating the dogs.... Why on the huge patio were we at the table right next to the other dog? They told us our pup had to be to the one side of the table- fine, but again, if you've been to their patio- you'll see it's the back yard of the other business... I'm not sure where these random rules came from. Dog drama aside, we should have taken that as the opportunity to leave- but we were tired and didn't have lots of time left. We ordered, I had the trio dip and my partner had pesto wrap and a drink. The drink was done well, the food- sadly was very bland (and I'm someone who doesn't own salt and loves egg whites). I was very confused as the dips were all very lack lustre- the hummus was sooooo running it couldn't even keep its shape- I would be surprised if they made that on-site... my partners pesto wrap didn't taste like a pesto wrap at all. Food is definitely not their forte. The server- I think she was new... pleasant- but that was it. Last note- the bathrooms- they have 2 stalls in the female bathroom and if you got the one that was smaller- you better be a small person because the toilet was pretty much against the door (I'm a small girl) and when I turned to sit on the toilet I ACTUALLY smashed my face right into the hook on the back of the door as the door is that close to the seat. When I stood back up my butt was basically touching the door- I have no idea how someone who use this toilet without touching the door of toilet itself. AVOID that stall! read more

Good meal, ambience, yet was a pricey meal. Our server Sarah was outstanding, overall very relaxing experience. The 3.2 rating was a bit misleading read more

We were very disappointed with the manager this evening. We had a reservation for 12 but when we arrived they did not have a table set for us. What was frustrating is when we checked in at the hostess table the people ( a group of 8 )did not have a reservation and were seated before us. Our group ended up at 3 separate tables for dinner. read more

The Epicurean is the go-to restaurant in Niagara-On-the-lake for quality gourmet foods. The village is picture-perfect but two-dimensional, a Potemkin village of wineries and housing developments. I used to stay in the Queens Landing Hotel with the air conditioner and the fireplace both on full blast. I used to like the Thymes lotions that I would only buy in this charming village in the fig leaf and cassis flavor. The B&B's are from the era when B&B really meant you'd get served breakfast. Now that label seems to have been abbreviated to just a "B" for bed. It read more

Wow. What a great place. We both had panini sandwiches. The veggies on mine were so fresh with crisp panini bread. Their side salad had a dressing that was the perfect balance between vinegar and red raspberries They had a drink that was purple gin, grapefruit, and fresh squeezed lemon. So light and refreshing. Couldn't have had better service. Great ambiance and wonderful cappuccinos! Stop by !!! read more

My second visit to this Charming little town, and I wanted to try a new place. Was received warmly, and was seated promptly on a mostly empty place. I got a table by the window, cozy. Shiraz, a very pleasant, attentive young woman was my server. The entire staff were very friendly. Blustery Fall Afternoon, I needed warming quickly. Hot Green Tea started to help the process of shaking off the chills,followed by Roasted Red Pepper Soup. Savory and rich. Canadian Bacon Sandwich consists of Pork Tenderloin, Arugula, Tomato, Fries & a Side Salad. Perfect balance of texture and flavors. I'll return for sure. read more

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Great little spot in the cutest town I've been in a while! The service was beyond friendly, like most people in Canada, they had awesome specials and the food tasted really yummy. The options were a little limited but worth trying. French onion soup is a must try, as well as the fish and chips. The burger has the most healthy-looking ground beef o have ever seen and tasted! Please come and enjoy the nice patio while the weather is good. There's also lots of space indoors too! read more

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Think this was the most expensive lunch, we had during our vacation. The portions were small and not much flavor. Not worth the high cost. We had two adults and two kids, order three meals, they charged us a 5 dollar fee for share a dish. read more

Food: Nothing special. Onion soup had no flavour and not enough cheese. Too much bread. Service: Terrible. Treats customers poorly. Overall: Do not recommend. read more

Great food and probably the only time we will go as I live in the states. The chicken supreme was excellent and cook perfectly. My friends enjoyed the salmon and burger. I will go again if I'm in the area. read more

Very nice lunch. Service was very good. Mussels were very good. Kids bologonese was very good. Steak sirloin special was great. read more

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Really enjoyed this place, cozy and welcoming food was also very solid. French onion soup was the best I've had in all Canada, and the fish & chips were really tremendous as well. Had the pork chop as well one night and that was also really flavorful. Biggest asset to this establishment however is the service, we had Sean and came back as much as we could during our stay to see him again, charming, friendly, knowledgeable. The kind of guy who makes you want to keep coming back and keep ordering more. Highly recommend requesting him if you visit!! read more

The storefront is nothing exciting, but ask to be seated in their back patio and you will dine under a huge tree which provides amazing shade, view and a light breeze. Dined here for lunch when there was a weather heat effect warning and didn't feel the heat all. So serene! With respect to the food, had the Caesar salad for $14 and added grilled salmon for $13. The salad was heavily drenched in creamy Caesar salad dressing, which I didn't like much. It tasted all right but it's quite heavy and it tasted more like it was store bought rather than made in-house. Asking for the sauce on the side can remedy this situation. The salmon was fresh and tasty. You can taste that it came from the grill. However, the salmon size was super small, quite underwhelming and I was disappointed at first sight. What saved this meal is that it was actually a really tasty salmon piece. Service was efficient and friendly. Be careful wth your drinks because leaves may fall on your table/drinks while dining. The inside has a nice look to it as well. Beautiful chandeliers inside. Although the serving was on the small side, the quality of the actual salmon made up for it. read more

The Epicurean - French Near Me - Niagara-On-the-Lake, Ontario

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Our dinner was outstanding. The Bruschetta was perfect. The in-house made-from-scratch Crab Cake was out of this world and the Mushroom Risotto was a next-level execution. I didn't much care for Niagara-on-the-Lake but this restaurant was fantastic. read more

Additional fees/costs not included on the menu ($5 extra plate fee). The waitress only offered bottled water, and charged the table for the privilege. French Onion soup lacked any flavor. The cheese was chemical-tasting and almost certainly fake. The Rueben was nothing to write home about, and had less flavor than an Arby's Ruben. Waitress took our order and didn't return to provide the bill until we flagged her down. Everything felt very superficial, and the prices did not justify the quality. The toilet in the Men's bathroom was broken, which is normally a health violation. read more

Food was really great. Service at first spotty but then went well. Even saw Charlie the skunk! read more

The Epicurean - Charlie! - French Near Me - Niagara-On-the-Lake, Ontario