Borealis Grille & Bar

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#5 of 389 Restaurants in GuelphCanadian, Vegetarian friendly, $$ - $$$

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Borealis Grille & Bar

Review

At a glance

Open until 10:00 PM

See all hours

Website

+1 519-265-9007Improve this listing

About

A proud B-Corporation serving up local & sustainable fare. We pride ourselves on waste reduction, protection of our waterways and sourcing the freshest local ingredients.

Features

CUISINES

Canadian

Meal types

Lunch, Dinner, After-hours

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

FEATURES

Accepts Credit Cards

Free Wifi

Full Bar

Gift Cards Available

Highchairs Available

Outdoor Seating

Parking Available

Private Dining

Reservations

Seating

Serves Alcohol

Table Service

Takeout

Television

Wheelchair Accessible

Location

1388 Gordon St, Guelph, Ontario N1L 1C9 Canada

Parking Available

Is this restaurant good for business meetings?

Yes

Unsure

Reserve a table

Order delivery

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Hours

Suggest an edit

Open until 10:00 PM

Sunday

11:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Monday

11:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Tuesday

11:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Wednesday

11:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Thursday

11:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Friday

11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Saturday

11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

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4.0

609 reviews

Excellent

264

Very good

186

Average

Poor

Terrible

lifeguardonduty

Toronto131 contributions

Dinner

Jan 2023 • couples

We had a funeral visitation up the street and decided to have a dinner date first. What a nice spot which is easy to locate. We were initially put off by not being seen by a server within 10 minutes of being seated (too long upon arrival). However, once we were seen, our experience was delightful. The food came quickly after ordering. The portions were perfectly sized and the food was delicious. There is something for everyone on this menu. Highly recommend the friend chicken. The Manitoulin fish came with risotto which is fantastic, but in my opinion, a vegetable should be offered with the meal as well (broccoli, spring salad) We will return!

Written January 21, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Neil P

Guelph1 contribution

Great food and staff

Mar 2023 • couples

Came at 7 on a Friday night. Couldn’t get table and was seated at bar. Place has been renovated and looked bright and charming. Was helped by bartender Tamara (?) who was knowledgeable and friendly. Got a martini and draft beer. Ordered Three sister salad, featured muscles and sweet potato fries. Food and drink were all excellent and Tamara made a special drink based on a few questions asked. Again was excellent. General manager Katelyn (?) also came by and asked us how our meals were and again was very pleasant and helpful. Desert was a chocolate, espresso torte with a blueberry reduction and honey toffee. Was again a generous portions and delicious. Felt like was good value and exceptional quality with fantastic staff. That food was mostly local didn’t impede on quality. One note is menu changes seasonally so might not find a previous favourite. Would also recommend getting a reservation Friday nights if large group or want a table although I thought sitting at bar added to experience.

Written March 25, 2023

normmork

Erin89 contributions

Cold food

Oct 2022 • none

Went to Guelph location for the first time. Decor is fine service very good. Shared a Cesar salad the dressing appeared to made in-house was ok, croutons tasted like they were from a box. My wife had the wild boar chop she loved it even the pesto which she really does not like. I had the strip loin with carrots and parsnips the veggies were delicious and I dont like carrots the potato’s were good, the veggies were hot. The steak was cooked med-rare but served cold the compote butter was not melting. They fried me another quickly. I would assume the steak is aged but it tasted ok but no better than a supermarket steak and as such was a bit chewy.

Written October 4, 2022

EES

1 contribution

Decent food, terrible service

Jul 2022 • couples

I heard good things about the food and I loved that the restaurant sources products locally. So my partner and I went there for my birthday dinner. We sat down , service started off well. Ordered drinks and an appetizer. Drinks were good appetizer was okay, nothing special. Ordered our mains, the server asked if I wanted another drink (my partner ordered his second during the appetizer) and I responded that I needed a few minutes to decide, she said okay and she’d give me a couple minutes. She never came back. During this time we hear her in the kitchen talking about how it’s a slow night. The server and kitchen staff are laughing and joking around, it’s quite audible from the table. Approx. 30+ minutes later, my partner has finished his second drink gets up to find her/ go to the bar to get me a drink. He sees her, asks about a drink and she says in an annoyed way “I’m coming out with your food now, I will be with you in a second”. Finally got my drink, after my main arrived. The food was okay, nothing overly exciting. I would not go back to Borealis, food is slightly over priced and I did not enjoy the overall experience. I used to be a server and on slow nights I would spend extra time checking in/ walking by my customers so I was available to get them whatever they needed. That’s how good tips are made. Not by forgetting the one and only table in the dining room. Very disappointed.

Written July 10, 2022

kpfen

Camrose86 contributions

Nice atmosphere and great food

Sep 2021 • family

We are visiting from Alberta, wanted to eat out at a local establishment, and this restaurant fit the bill. We booked a reservation on open table and were seated immediately when we arrived about 5 minutes ahead of that time. We had the baked ricotta as an appetizer. There were four of us and this seemed to be the perfect size for our family of 4 (parents plus a 20 year old and a 15 year old). For the main meal my husband and I both had the fish and chips and it was excellent. Large portion size IMO and I couldn’t finish the fries and slaw. My older son had the short ribs and the younger had the 2 piece fried chicken. The beef was tender and the chicken was moist and not overly greasy. For drinks my husband and I both had local beers on tap. Overall the food and service was excellent and our main meals came a short time after finishing our appetizer. We were there for a total of about 90 minutes and it was a relaxing enjoyable meal. We didn’t drive there but parking appeared adequate for the location in the evening. I would recommend this restaurant if you are visiting Guelph.

Written September 5, 2021

RetiredOrthopod

Thornbury41 contributions

Poor Experience

Sep 2023 • couples

WE were very dissappointed. Our server was friendly and provided good service. However, the eating arteas were worn and not as clean as we expect. The fish and chips batter was too thick, starchy and under cooked. The fish did not taste fresh. It was to have been "ocean-wise perch". It did not taste like lake perch. The glasses of Angel's Gate sauvignon blanc were flat and not fresh. I would not reccommend this grill restaurant.

Written October 5, 2023

Allisa

1 contribution

Amazing first Experience!

Aug 2021 • none

I am not one to write to many reviews, but our experience was just amazing! Our server ( he did mention his name a few times and I apologize if this is incorrect, I think his name was Jordan!) was outstanding. When he first came to our table he noticed there were some envelopes and a gift box on the table for our friends coming and asked if he were celebrating anything, we mentioned we were recently engaged and asking our friends to be in our wedding party. Once our friends arrived Jordan came over with complimentary wine and everything from there including food recommendations, the wait time for food including in between appetizer and main course and everything was brought over in a timely matter. The entire service was great, we each at one point commented how great our service was, and our food (we all had the steak ) was just delicious! We are definitely going to be returning customers, and thank you Jordan for making our night so special and great! 5/5 Stars for our first visit!

Written August 25, 2021

Sawchuk1

Guelph12 contributions

Stay Away

Feb 2024 • couples

Terrible food, food selection, and facilities. I really do not understand why people think Borealis is so great. I have been to both Guelph and Kitchener locations a few times, simply because they have a good catchy radio ad on the local stations that encourages you to want to go to this place. I have been very disappointed with the flavors of the food in the past, and last night was no exception. Very bland with no creativity. It looked and tasted like something I could have easily made from home. Even the restaurant was very cold. Many couples we saw inside left their coats and hats on just to keep warm. The only heat the place seemed to have was coming from a small fireplace. In conclusion, if you want to take your special loved one or a group out for a nice dinner, go elsewhere.

Written February 4, 2024

ToSquareBob1

Kitchener638 contributions

Better Than the Kitchener Location

Sep 2020 • none

We have eaten at the Borealis location in Kitchener a couple of times, and have left both times wanting for more. The food is good but in my opinion, does live up to the "farm to table" approach they claim to take, and doesn't warrant the slightly higher prices they charge compared to similar restaurants. Guelph was different. We arrived for dinner (with a reservation) and were seated at a nice table on the patio. We had the burger, a turkey burger and a grilled chicken sandwich. All were excellent, served hot, fresh, juicy and delicious. Each meal came with fries which again were piping hot and crispy. Service declined as our meal went on. It started OK, but we were all finished on a patio with only one other table, being looked after by a different server. After at least 10 minutes, the other server said he would let ours know we were waiting and after another 5 minutes we settled up and left. Not sure if we were forgotten or our server had tables in side, but it was a bit of a long wait especially as the night got cooler and cooler. We will definitely be back hoping the service was a misstep, but even if it wasn't, the food was good enough to overlook the service. Many cheers ................

Written September 14, 2020

Peter_K_B_Toronto

Toronto1294 contributions

Nice atmosphere and decor but food was so-so

Jan 2020 • none

This is a nicely decorated restaurant with lots of parking. Four of us (seniors) went for dinner Saturday at 6:30pm. I found most of the entrees on the main menu to be kind of esoteric (in my view) but they had a smaller yellow menu with more typical items, and less expensive. I had the Beef dip, about $16. The fries and the dip were fine but the meat had some white cream on it. Mayo with a bit of horseradish?? Anyway, why would they put that on beef that is intended to be dipped? It was OK, just OK. My friend ordered the fish and chips $20, but it was pickerel and he decided he did not like that fish. His wife ate some of it and said it was fine. The ladies each ordered the Quinoa bowl, no meat, and both said it was good BUT both left most of their quinoa on the plate when they were finished. ($20: quinoa + lentils, ginger, sweet potato, onion, apple, mushrooms, kale, chimichurri... Sounded terrible to me...) Service was great but honestly, I doubt any of us would go back here for dinner.

Written January 12, 2020

BorealisGM

Hi Peter, Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback, I am sorry to read about your experience with our menu. We often get great feedback on the variety of options we provide. Next time you are in if you would like to modify your meal ask your server and we would be happy to accommodate your requests!

Written January 19, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Lee-Ann J

Rockwood302 contributions

Moms' Night Out

Feb 2020 • friends

Some friends and I went out for dinner and decided to meet up in Guelph. Good thing we made a reservation as it was very busy. We were sat in the back room, it was a bit quieter than the main section. Our server and our host we very attentive. We were given the regular menu and the special gluten free menu and we ordered from both. There were so many wonderful options that I had difficulty choosing. In the end I split three appetizers. They were all delicious and my friends also said their meals were very good. Next time I'll try to save room for dessert.

Written February 9, 2020

BorealisGM

Hi Lee-Ann Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us such a kind, detailed review, we really appreciate the feedback. We can't wait to host you again!

Written February 23, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

AlisonMeeks

Guelph56 contributions

Excellent Experience!

Nov 2021 • none

What a delightful experience! From the moment we walked in the door the staff were friendly and attentive. The menu had a lovely diverse selection of items and everything our party ordered was delicious and well presented. We will definitely go back.

Written November 25, 2021

Maryb

3 contributions

Very Disappointed

Nov 2024 • family

I was so disappointed. I went for my birthday dinner with my brother. The place was quiet, I was surprise cause last time I was there we waited for a table… no I know why. Food was way over priced small portions and not all that. Service was good but the menu was limited and overpriced. They act as if they think they are still a high end restaurant and they are not.

Written November 24, 2024

PapaBrick

Toronto58 contributions

Lots of healthy options, great service

Jan 2020 • none

Went with a small group. Everyone found what they were looking for and enjoyed their meals. Our server Tamara was especially helpful with the menu and support with some special dietary needs! She was very knowledgeable about the menu and food in general. Great job!

Written January 19, 2020

BorealisGM

Hi There! Thank you so much for taking the time to provide us with your feedback and leave such an excellent review! I will be sure to share your review with Tamara!!

Written February 22, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

William R

Orangeville5 contributions

Great food, even better service...

Jan 2020 • none

We had dinner at Borealis to celebrate my daughter's 20th birthday. We knew from our experience a year ago that they serve great burgers. Same again this year. However, this year the service was great (not to suggest it was not good last year). Our waitress Tamara was fantastic. She arrived at our table with champagne cocktails for our daughter's birthday, was very attentive and went over the top when the kitchen plated regular fries instead of the sweet potato fries for one of our orders. Great service with a big personality...

Written January 25, 2020

BorealisGM

Hi William! Thank you for choosing to celebrate your daughter's Birthday with us again, it was our pleasure to host you! I will share your kind words with Tamara. We really appreciate you taking the time to provide us with a review and we look forward to hosting you again!

Written February 22, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.