RestaurantThing: Saint John Reviews

New review added to Vivaldi's

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:58 GMT

Delicious!
The ambiance is enhanced by live piano on the weekend and the fettuccini is to die for!

New restaurant Vivaldi's added

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:55 GMT

Added a new restaurant Vivaldi's.

New review added to Vito's Dining Room & Lounge

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:54 GMT

The french onion soup was terrific! The chicken Paragianni was delicious. This place has been in business for over thirty years and appears to deserve its success. Prices aren't cheap with the chicken dish priced at 16$ but well worth it.

New restaurant Vito's Dining Room & Lounge added

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:52 GMT

Added a new restaurant Vito's Dining Room & Lounge.

New review added to Turn Of The Tide

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:51 GMT

Saint John's most elegant dining......
I tend to be leery of restaurants located in hotels unless your in, lets say Las Vegas at the MGM and Wolfgang Puck is in the kitchen.....but this is truly a superb restaurant with a personality all it's own and sufficiently removed from the bustle of the Hilton hotel it's in to have achieved an intimate decorum not found elsewhere in the city. The restaurant is a tad pricey but the service and food is superb. It's long been an enormous frustration of mine to find myself in a city with the finest seafood anywhere in the world and to find so many restaurants still serving frozen, mass prepared filets. Turn of the Tide avoids this problem and the entire menu is an absolute delight. From the beverages to the appetizers, main courses and desert its all first rate. If you ever have a chance to partake in one of their many buffets, I would say theirs is simply the finest anywhere in the province. The décor is intimate and ideal for a romantic dinner for 2 or a reception of 12. The bar upstairs is also worth stopping by…..you’ll meet the best bartender in Atlantic Canada, enjoy good drinks and a spectacular view of the harbour….even better is the summertime café the bar features, out on the “boardwalk”…..the fish & chips aren’t to be missed!……The Turn of the Tide is truly the city’s premier restaurant if your looking for the whole package and you’re looking for great, traditional, Atlantic Canadian seafood etc. Dress code implies a sense of the more formal and suit’s and ties are an appropriate fit if not required….the pub upstairs is just as tasty and casual with many fewer menu items. Enjoy!

New restaurant Turn Of The Tide added

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:49 GMT

Added a new restaurant Turn Of The Tide.

New review added to Tim Horton Donuts

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:46 GMT

Need some Customer Service Training
Over the past few months things haven't been going very well. This is an extremely busy Tim Hortons, so why do they leave a trainee by themselves, or even just one person on counter? There have been many times over the past few months when the drive thru and both counters are lined. It takes 10 min before you even get waited on (No Exaggeration). For the most part it is not the employees fault. They need more help at busy times. Two nights ago I went to the counter and a young tall guy just looked at me, turned around to another girl and said COUNTER loudly, and walked out back. How about saying "we'll be with you in a minute?" It just looked rude. Or the time a girl had to peel a bandaid off of her finger b4 she served me and then didnt wash her hands? ewwww. I went thru the drive thru one nite and the coffee cup was so full that when the girl handed it to me it leaked all over my arm and on my clothes. I had to go home and change. There are many times when i go in there that there are 4 or 5 employees standing at drive thru talking to each other about what they're doing later, and one person so busy on counter by themselves. And I don't want to just highlight the bad points because sometimes the service is great. Having employees that smile and actually listen to what you order is customer service; however, everyone makes mistakes and things are unpredictable, but that's understandable. I just think that there needs to be more employees at busy times, and an excellent training course on customer service.

New restaurant Tim Horton Donuts added

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:45 GMT

Added a new restaurant Tim Horton Donuts.

New review added to Tapps Brewpub

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:43 GMT

unpredictable
We eat at tapps at least once a week, great food always filling and good atmosphere.Servers unpredictable sometmes they are good and sometimes not. Will still be going to Tapps but may leave with pockets heavier or lighter depending on the server as we may leave a tip and may not. But very nice food and nice atmosphere. Recommend higly.

New restaurant Tapps Brewpub added

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:42 GMT

Added a new restaurant Tapps Brewpub.

New review added to Suwanna Restaurant and Inn

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:41 GMT

The Cuisine really hit's the mark.....
Suawanna has the unenviable task of competing in a city, notorious for eschewing anything that departs from the traditional, familiar or inexpensive. Whether by luck or good management, or perhaps both, this restaurant has managed to survive long enough to ensconce itself into the culinary landscape of the city and offer its first class Thai cuisine to local residents and travelers alike, in search of authentic Asian dishes. The location is on the city’s west side- less than 10 mins from the city core and a $15 cab fare for tourists in the uptown area. The views from this part of the city are gorgeous- especially in the summer and there’s lots to do in the area once there. The menu is widely varied but true to the Thai theme and food quality is consistently good. A great place for 1 or 2 to dine and even more fun for a large party of guests, allowing everyone to sample from the broad section of Thai fare. The drinks are ok but unmemorable- unfortunately, few if any premium spirits are served so requests for Grey Goose, Kettle One, or Tanqueray No. 10 are more likely to draw a look of confusion than appreciation. The dining rooms are spacious, charming and authentic Victorian. The ambiance is pleasant but a little tired looking in appearance. The overall effect though is pleasing. My main criticism in past years were the actual menus themselves, which were presented on a piece of folded, photo copied paper and very well used…..when these sort of details escape the owner or are seen as “good enough” buy the owner it sets a limit on my personal expectations for what the restaurant can offer….unfortunate since if offers so much. The new menus are an “improvement” but the restaurant needs to be properly re-branded with greater attention to the finer details to earn it the sort of rave reviews, that the food served there deserves. Deserts are consistent with other menu offerings in terms of quality and selection. Food presentation is good and the service is what you would expect for a restaurant of this calibre. Value for the cost of a meal is consistent with restaurants in it’s class…..not cheap but not quite overpriced.

New review added to Suwanna Restaurant and Inn

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:39 GMT

Saint John's Best Restaurant!
Originally from Stanley, a couple years back the Suwanna Restaurant moved to Saint John. After a slow start, this Thai restaurant has become a very popular change to the incredible number of fast food restaurants the city has to offer. Located at the old 'La Belle Vie' restaurant site over on the west side, the restaurant has sufficient parking and a nice view of the river as you go inside. When I first started going to this restaurant, I tried a different dish each time I went. Once I tried the Matsaman curry, though, I was hooked. This restaurant easily competes with higher-scale similar restaurants I've been fortunate to visit throughout Europe and the United States.

New restaurant Suwanna Restaurant and Inn added

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:37 GMT

Added a new restaurant Suwanna Restaurant and Inn.

New review added to Slocum and Ferris

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:35 GMT

Meet Your Friends at the Markret
Dave runs a great spot in the middle of the Saint John City Market. The food is fresh and tasty! Slocums also sells the best butter tarts ever. I enjoy the friendly atmosphere, fast service and really good variety in meal choices.

New restaurant Slocum and Ferris added

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:33 GMT

Added a new restaurant Slocum and Ferris.

New review added to Robin's Donuts

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:31 GMT

robins rocks
Excellent coffee, too bad only one, out of the way location though. Well worth the extra trip for drinkable coffee though.

New restaurant Robin's Donuts added

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:29 GMT

Added a new restaurant Robin's Donuts.

New review added to Reggie's

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:28 GMT

A Guilty Pleasure!
I agree with all the points made by the previous reviewer. This place’s lack of ambiance is so distracting that you may actually not actually notice it’s lack of ambiance….think 1920’s London meets 1970’s kitch add a dash of local colour, unconventional service, lawyers in power suits, city workers in over-alls, secretaries, IT nerds, brooding artists, hot looking 30 something mom’s and the occasional political heavyweight and you might be getting a picture of things. The food is simple but good. The bathrooms are waaaaay down stairs and the whole place is just a little off beat but you just can’t go wrong. That’s all a part of the charm. It’s clean, friendly, sort of, and great for breakfast or lunch. My personal favourite is a Club sandwich with fries. Writers, casting directors and people watchers will appreciate its colourful allure.

New review added to Reggie's

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:26 GMT

Not Known for their Side Salads
Saint John's much-loved greasy spoon. This is friendly place that is popular with folks from the Brunswick-Square crowd. This place has very simple rules - go to the cash and order your food and drinks, sit down and wait for your name to be called. They always have lots of newspapers and magazines so it makes a nice break. Of course the regular 'political scene' shows up for breakfast so you can get in on the latest gossip around town. Their delivery service is a nice bonus. Despite Reggie 'retiring' and the place going to new management, Reggie's still around and the new fella is doing a good job in running the show.

New restaurant Reggie's added

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:24 GMT

Added a new restaurant Reggie's.

New review added to Orient Express Restaurant

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:21 GMT

Great Takeaway Chinese in Saint John
Fantastic little Chinese restaurant on Rothesay Road. Not a great ambiance, but it's fab for takeout. The food's high quality, the flavouring is interesting (in a good way), and the menu offers something for everyone. They take cash and VISA.

New restaurant Orient Express Restaurant added

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:19 GMT

Added a new restaurant Orient Express Restaurant.

New review added to O'leary's

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:18 GMT

O’leary's is a local institution and a sacred watering hole for locals looking to get in touch with their Irish side….and hey, this is the most Irish city on the continent so feel free to saddle up to the bar and indulge yourself. The front bar will disappoint anyone looking for a touch of “The Brazen Head” but after a few pints in the back room and some authentic Irish music you’ll be none the wiser. This spot is more about good beer, Irish gigs and friends than good pub food. A little lacking on atmosphere but a quaint little spot none the less.

New review added to Ming's Home Cooking

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:16 GMT

I Loved the Food at Ming's
I eat lunch at Ming's quite often. I find the service friendly and the food very good.

New restaurant O'leary's added

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:16 GMT

Added a new restaurant O'leary's.

New review added to Ming's Home Cooking

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:14 GMT

Do Not Recommend -- Horrid Food!
Heard great things but was sorely disappointed! Do not recommend - one diner's sauce tasted horrible and waitress said it was from a can. The owner refused to refund the cost of the meal even though customer could not eat it. If you want bland, canned Chinese food that claims to be homemade and a rude owner who does not care what his customer's think - he told us not to come back when we complained - this is the place!

New restaurant Ming's Home Cooking added

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:12 GMT

Added a new restaurant Ming's Home Cooking.

New review added to Lemongrass Thai Fare

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:10 GMT

Terrific!
Fantastic Thai food, great Thai seafood dishes, excellent atmosphere! We'll be back someday, I hope!

New restaurant Lemongrass Thai Fare added

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:08 GMT

Added a new restaurant Lemongrass Thai Fare.

New review added to Keystone Kelly's Restaurant

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:07 GMT

Great place to eat in Saint John!
Keystone Kelly's is an excellent and high recommended place to eat while in Saint John. The food is very reasonable, high quality and tastes great. The service leave no complains, with quick, friendly and pro-active help. Everything I tried was great, and they had a wide variety of meals to choose from -- everyone in the family will be happy. A great 'feel' to the place, with interesting decor. There will be plenty to look at while you wait for dinner to arrive. My only regret is that I didn't discover this place earlier on my trip. Once I found Keystone Kelly's it was the only place I ate. Looking forward to returning!

New review added to Keystone Kelly's Restaurant

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:05 GMT

Great food, fast service and the servers were great. We were a Hockey team that went April 2 at 8:30 and I was very impressed with the whole atmostophere. Thanks

New review added to Keystone Kelly's Restaurant

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:03 GMT

Home of the gristle burger!
I think this might be more personal than my other reviews but I just can't find a single redeeming feature to the food here. It's just poor quality. But since it's been around forever, I guess this isn't as big issue for other people as it is for me. The decor is friendly, and if you can demonstrate that your under 12 years of age they'll weigh you on a big scale and let you "pay by the pound".....but even weighing in at a $1.85, this 38 year old eat won’t there.

New restaurant Keystone Kelly's Restaurant added

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:01 GMT

Added a new restaurant Keystone Kelly's Restaurant.

New review added to Jeremiah's Deli and Catering

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:52:00 GMT

Great Food
Excellent sandwiches and salads. The service is quite good.

New restaurant Jeremiah's Deli and Catering added

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:51:57 GMT

Added a new restaurant Jeremiah's Deli and Catering.

New review added to Java Moose

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:51:56 GMT

Excellent Coffee
I very much enjoy their products. The service is so so.

New review added to Java Moose

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:51:53 GMT

Premium Coffees- Best in the region.
For all it's charm and beauty, Saint John, won't be noted for many contributions to the culinary world anytime soon. However, for coffee aficionados and anyone in search of a great cup of java……there’s only one place to go in Saint John: Java Moose. Let me preface my comments by first saying that few thing’s are as simple to make as a good cup of coffee and yet this supposes 3 important things: 1) The person drinking the coffee actually knows what good coffee tastes like- one cup of Java Moose will solve this problem 2) You start with GOOD BEANS , roast them properly then grind them properly……yes grinding is very important – the size of the grind will yield the proper flavours for coffee / espresso (NOT “EXPRESSO” PLEASE!)/ cappuccino etc and the type of grinder: that is, to say, a “burr” grinder which will leave those fresh ground flavours in the grinds and not spoil or taint the flavour with the “heat” generated by conventional grinders- again, one cup of Java Moose will clarify this matter further and finally 3) brewing the beverage properly and serving it fresh.- the solution?….you guessed it! Java Moose! Now, I won’t make any disparaging remarks about Tim Horton’s here. Let’s just agree that while your allowed to like….even “love” Tim’s, don’t pretend for a moment that it’s good coffee. It’s simply not. I like Tim’s too, from time to time, but as serious coffee drinker I pride myself on tasting the difference and nowhere in the city is this difference more pronounced than at Java Moose. While the city may not be ready for Peaberry Kona or Jamaican Blue Mountain, the guys at Java Moose have defined premium coffee in the entire region. With an assortment of signature blends that’s sure to keep things interesting on every visit, you’ll never be disappointed with their products. The service is great at the city market location but unmemorable at their other locations. The only criticism I can offer is on their coffee cups…..I thought I had a “bad” cup one time and took it back and was promptly given a new one, but I’ve since learned that, without fail, their cups “sweat”. Guaranteed, every time. If you take more than 15mins to drink your cup you will observe this phenomenon….which is more annoyance than a serious problem. C’mon guys get those nice heavy paper cups with the nice “sleeve”! The bottom line is that these guys know coffee and they have great consistency serving great products, every time.

New restaurant Java Moose added

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:51:53 GMT

Added a new restaurant Java Moose.

New restaurant Java Moose added

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:51:51 GMT

Added a new restaurant Java Moose.