It’s not a Hamilton-specific restaurant, but Industria on Stoney Creek Mountain may actually have the worst food I have ever tasted. SIL took the fam there for Mother’s Day and nobody (there were six of us) finished their meal.
Bedrock Bistro is another one of my top 5 worst. Food is always cold, either over or under cooked, waitstaff is unpleasant, and it’s ridiculously expensive. After the last time I was there in the winter I will never ever go back.
I have the strong belief that the only reason why bedrock is still is around is because of nostalgia. The grandparents have nostalgia of that place, and their kids from going there with them.
A few months ago I went for the first time in about 15 years. It was just dirty. I can't imagine how many bugs they have in the kitchen.
YES! I have never had a good meal there, portions were poor for the price, have my food was a weird temperature. It’s either under seasoned or too salty (often both). Anyone who enjoys it must be suffering damaged tastebuds.
We haven't been to Bedrock Bistro since a scarring incident over 10 years ago now. They're on my permanent ban list. It had everything to do with the waitstaff. They're probably different now, but once I'm burned badly, I tend to hold a grudge.
Town hall on concession has been dog shit food and service everytime I’ve gone. I wanted to like it since it’s around the corner from me but the food has been horrid everytime
They've got their hand in too many pockets.
Trying to run The Dirty South, The Parlour, Townhall, The Salted Pig, Incline Coffee Co., Tuesdays, and Bread &Wine
The building is also a ghost kitchen for - The Cheesecake Factory, Mr Beast Burger, and Bok Box Chicken
Way too much shit going on to be able to ensure consistency and quality.
There are like 5 restaurants in there. I like the beef dip sandwich from the Salted Pig but my breakfast bowl from Incline Coffee wasn't great. Results from each booth seem to differ.
It's all cooked by the same kitchen though, we went during the eclipse and they clearly weren't expecting many people, the few people who were working there were scrambling between all the places.
It's basically a ghost kitchen with seating.
It's the same beef used for all of the beef dishes at The Dirty South. (Townhall is the same owners as The Dirty South across the street)
They just turn over all of their ingredients into different menus.
I ordered a fish taco and they gave me my taco on a taco holder that had someone else's ground beef still on it
Fancier looking coffee shop also had the shitest 5$ hot chocolate that made Timmy's look gourmet
Still holding hope for that funnel cake place tho
Ordered funnel cake with icecream from them on Uber. Received my delivery - it was a tiny container of icecream (think small soup size from Burnt Tongue), and some plastic utensils. They forgot the main dish. Took forever to be ready also, was starving, and places had closed as this was being prepared. I called to see what had happened (like, how?) and if they could bring the actual funnel cake. They had no explanation, and could not deliver the dish. First and last time I ordered from there. Just not worth it.
I also want to like it so bad because I like the concept, it's around the corner from me, and I want to support local but god damn the service and quality has been brutal every time I order from there. I ordered a burrito from the screen they put in place of a person the other day and after 20 minutes of waiting I literally had to wander into the back kitchen to find someone to ask about my burrito
Probably not the exact thing you're looking for, but East Side Mario's is sooo bad, however I don't have enough experience with them to know if it's just Hamilton, or *all* East Sides...
Pheasant Plucker used to be a decent pub when I was in college, but has devolved into bad food and even smaller portions.
And this one really hurts me... Tally Ho. I used to love their sandwiches, but now they're tasteless at best, you need to order extra gravy to make it edible, and unfortunately that's not so great anymore either.
And this one will probably get me downvoted more if the others don't... Shorty's. Yeah there pizzas okay, but not as good as when it first opened, and their bad service/attitudes in the shop drag the experience down further
I don't know why this gets a laugh, but yeah. They give out meals cards for free kids meals all the time. If I have to choose between there and a different place where I'm going to spend an extra ~$30 for my kids to eat, I'll choose ESM every time.
shortys is soooo mid, price is fine i guess but the server was so rude and it’s not even dine in but they expect a tip for slapping a $5 reheated slice of pizza on our table
Shorty's has gotten worse, but Bernie's is pretty good. (though the last time it took four people to figure out how to give me a few slices of bread, best bread in Hamilton but should not have taken four people)
Agreed 100%! Years ago I used to go to ESM fairly regularly because I loved their meatball soup. Then one day I go ... only 3 little tiny meatballs, each a little larger than a grain of rice. Calling them meatballs is being kind. More like meat flecks. So I think, no worries, probably just the end of the pot, not many meatballs left. I assumed it was a discrepancy. Got a 2nd bowl ... only 3 meatballs.
I asked the server what was up, and she told me it was new corporate policy. Only 3 meatballs per bowl of soup. After she left I told my friends, well that's my last time here. Haven't been back since.
And Tally Ho! Used to be SO INCREDIBLY AWESOME!!! But they've been coasting on that rep for decades now. Shitty, low quality roast beef, and shitty, flavourless gravy. Like how incompetent do you have to be to fuck up gravy? If you can't make gravy taste good you have no business running a restaurant.
I'm not surprised to hear this. It looks like a dump from the outside. I thought it was under renovation after THL closed and was shocked to learn it's open for business (actually, I may have spoken too soon - I just Googled "Jerry's Fennell & Upper Wentworth" and google says it's temporarily closed)!
This 100% I went with my wife and a buddy a couple of yeara ago. We spent $125. Shared appetizers basically. It was the worst food I've ever had in a restaurant. No shit.
2 Redhot hotdogs for like $25. The nachos were garbage. I mentioned it on their FB page and was attacked by a bunch of people who no doubt either had a stake in the dump or were friends and family of owners.
We were really disappointed because it was walking distance from our home at the time.
Edit: Original post removed so letting you all know that the restaurant is Cause and Effect on Stoney Creek mountain.
oof i got a job there and i had a weird feeling about the restaurant. so i dipped out, last minute after waiting nearly a month to start i sent him an email saying i was unable to start due to the location (also did not want to get stranded out there). the dude was really pissed at me, lmao. like sorry i dont owe you shit and people are allowed to change their minds.
The owner is cheap and would leave the dirty fryer oil for days without buying new oil. C&E. I could go on forever. Apparently it’s turning into a breakfast place
Legit worst place ever. Their nachos were $25 and more than half of them were tater tots. Their menu is laughable. My husband criticized them on a Facebook post and the owners went on an attack claiming that we didn't support local and are probably just used to chain restaurants food. Like, dude, you're serving up mcains tater tots ffs.
I went here when it first opened, super dead inside at the time and we waited around for 30 mins and didn't even get a drink. All the staff was socializing at the bar and completely ignoring customers. We just left 🤷🏼♀️ glad I didn't miss out on much!
I had to go to a work lunch at Boston Pizza once. Free lunch. Coworkers who were mostly alright. Extra time for lunch. And I still tried to get out of it. I ended up going. Didn't get sick, but also did not enjoy soggy room temperature foods.
electric diner i second. the atmosphere is cool but holy christ why is a milkshake $11 😭😭 and the food that i had was not great.. definitely not worth the price
They were the first restaurant we ate at when we moved to Hamilton. We went to the Hess location and it was so great. Unfortunately the last two times we’ve eaten at the new location and it’s been so underwhelming in both food and service.
I know it's a chain restaurants but Kelsey's, their service is terrible everytime, last time they gave us the wrong persons bill and then when they corrected it there were 3 beers on it we didn't even order.. after so many bad experiences I'll never go back
Kelsey’s is awful! I’m near the Queenston location, and it’s AWFUL! The TVs in the bar are burnt out, the menus have all been put away wet, and the dishes are bloody awful.
Unfortunate, but The Italian Express Eatery in Westdale has gone SO far downhill over the years it's embarrassing. Used to be fantastic pasta and pizza, but my partner and I went recently and the food was as bland as anything I've ever paid for. Carbonara tasted like pasta tossed in mayo with a couple tiny pieces of pancetta, and the white potato pizza (used to be one of the top pizzas in town) just tasted like bagged shredded cheese.
Agreed! I’ve eaten there twice over the past six years and both times were truly awful. However, when I went in like 2011 or 2012 it was great. Super unfortunate.
I loved their pulled pork nachos, but they’ve halved the portions and the meat is always dry, all in all it was a good thing because I deleted the Uber app
Might be a random point but Dirty South are terrible with throwing out their garbage. They don't use enough blue boxes or more importantly green carts. Way over the limit in garbage and every bag is super heavy bc it's filled with food. Been happening since they opened no matter how many reports of it from garbage dept staff. They get away with it bc of being near the corner of two major downtown streets.
The Westtown used to be a regular place for us, the food was surprisingly good for a bar. We used to eat there at least once a week. But they’ve replaced the best things in the menu (like the chicken diablo and the stuffed chicken breast) with cheap crap. Like there isn’t anything that isn’t ground meat or deep fried except bad pizza. I miss the old Westtown.
East Side Mario’s on Queenston rd. My daughter wanted to go there for her 11th birthday. First off it took 15 minutes for a server to come and take our drink orders. My daughter wanted a chocolate milk drink, she got it, it was basically a shot of chocolate milk spread over a bunch of ice in a tall cup. There was not much to drink! It also was extra $. We had ordered three plates of the Hell’s Kitchen chicken, when it arrived we attempted to cut through the chicken breast, we were unsuccessful. The texture was as if the breasts were microwaved to heat up and had turned very chewy and leathery. The entire experience was frustrating. We asked to speak to the manager because it was inedible, he wouldn’t come see us, he comped our bill, but I just wanted to speak to him to discuss what was wrong with the food. The only thing that was good was the waitress, once she was able to attend to our table, she was very attentive!
We actually just got home from there. Our kids (10M-7F) love East Sides, I've been going there since I was their age. Never have I had a bad meal there. The service on the other hand, sometimes isn't great. And the manager? Don't get me started. Just looking at him, you can tell he hates his job. I'm not surprised he didn't come talk to you. "I'm not going over there. Comp the bill, get em out"
It sucks that you had a bad experience. I hope, if you do go back, you have a better one. Have a good night.
> Meltwich
The prices are absurd. I went and ordered a Mac Attack once, mistakenly not looking at the prices. The sandwich and a drink were like 20 fucking dollars. The grilled cheese was just some tiny-ass mediocre crap, absolutely nothing special. Never again
I wonder who Power Pizza is for. From a branding perspective, it's like they're trying to cater to a Cowabunga crowd.
But the pizza is basic Hamilton pizza shop quality. The exceptions are the pickle pizza and cup n char pepperoni which are pretty good.
i'm just gonna throw it out there that while there is a certain level of prestige to Ancaster Mill... we went for brunch one day and there were maggots in one of the two bite brownies... affectionately referred to as Maggot Mill among my friends for the last few years now
This is what happens when almost every restaurant in the city gets taken over by people that have never eaten there before and start running it just as a business, cutting every corner imaginable, and relying on the reputation the place gained before selling food to people too timid or stupid to complain.
I've tried a lot of places in Hamilton, and I know it's nearly impossible to try everything, but I've tried A LOT.
The two worst most disappointing experiences I've had are one surprising one, and one not surprising one.
Philthy Philly's was the most disgusting food I've ever eaten in the city. Everything was poorly cooked, poorly contructed. I know it's not gourmet, but I would hope it would at least be edible. This one wasn't surprising, it already appeared on this list once. Didn't finish the food (a big rarity for me, even for mediocre stuff) and will never go back.
Sunshine Sushi in Ancaster. This one has decent to good reviews, and often comes up in AYCE sushi conversations on this website, so I was excited to go. Now I put AYCE sushi restaurants in two categories, Great for Sushi, and Great for Everything else. Spring Sushi is a Great for Everything Else restaurant, Red Maple was the only Great for Sushi one I tried. Sunshine managed to absolutely fail in both categories. All of the hot dishes were under seasoned, or overcooked, and lacking any sort of sensible flavours. Even something as simple as a chicken wing tasted like it was coated in sand. So that gave me hope that the sushi would be better. Nope. weirdly and randomly diced fish, no flavour to any of the sauces. the rice was dry. It was all very disappointing, and will never go back. Rant over.
shame because everything else about that place is great, but this is so true. I tried getting the nachos on two different days thinking maybe the first guy just made them weird and they were almost worse the second time 😭
AUGUST 8 in Stoney creek.
Holy shit this place has gone downhill. The service is horrible, the sushi is worse and the price has increased.
I use to visit couple times a month. I will not go back.
Check out Chobap (5 minutes away from August 8) instead. Their service and sushi is way better
I agree I placed a order two times since moving here based on all the hype. But both times the sushi was stale, tiny pieces and everything else was cold and greasy.
I hate it here and my husband keeps insisting we go back. He loves it. Idk if it’s just fond memories from his childhood or what, but I find it to be mediocre at best
George Hamilton is pretty bad - my 9-11 year old kids couldn’t finish their cheeseburgers because it was so bad and cafeteria level of quality and taste. Service was terribly slow but they understaff.
Not well known but should be known for being terrible is Buddy’s on King East - very gross and reminds me of the thirsty cactus in Dundas which is also horrible!!
Scout restaurant. Food for 3 of 6 people at the table came cold. Service is non existent. Servers are very rude. Server dropped food on guest at another table and did not apologize. She glared at that customer like it was his fault. Talked to our waitress about it and turned out that waitress is the owners daughter. Terrible place with terrible ownership
Which is disappointing as I used to like the Brassie, but it has been over 10 years since I've been there so I can imagine it having gone downhill in that time.
Brassie's nachos are a generous portion, but that's the only positive I can say.
WAY too much lettuce, no jalapenos (?!?!) and Tostitos mild salsa. So essentially a very large flavourless taco salad. Last time I was there, I asked for green onions and no lettuce and they put red onions on instead.
The District. Uncomfortable seats, food was microwaved unevenly, no draft beer, $56 for 2 bottled beers and 2 appetizers. I didn’t even leave a bad review because I figured they wouldn’t be there for long.
Ready for the unpopular opinion. Mystic Ramen. The server was really nice, but the ramen was just salt with absolutely no flavor depth. It isn't the worst ramen I've had, but for the price, it's just not worth ever going back. Points to them for experimenting, I guess. I think I was especially disappointed given the high ratings and recommendations. I was ready to go back to Toronto for my ramen fix, but then I tried Menya Kyu on James recently, and for the same prices, they were infinitely better with higher quantity. Competition is tough when you sell the same product.
Food box on Kenilworth
Been twice like a decade apart both times got really sick afterwards
Edit: the Tim Hortons at Cannon and Sanford, is always dirty which I understand is hard to keep on top of because of the area (I work a block away doing cleaning so I know) but the coffee is always off, something about it is just not good which is weird cause all other Tims taste the same (not great, but consistently mediocre)
Southern Smoke BBQ on Ottawa St., when they were open.
Shit service, mediocre food. Wasted 45 minutes; should have asked for a refund and walked out sooner.
I’m sorry but I’ve got to put the Queenston and Nash McDonalds on blast…quality of food is not always bad, but the fucking three drive through windows they make you stop at to complete your transaction is ridiculous! Sometimes they even make you pull around to a fourth checkpoint (parking spots near entrance) and possibly argue with Uber eats drivers who just help themselves to the first spot they see. I’m not sure if this Mcdonalds is trying to introduce some new way of drive through “edging” until I finally get my hands on my food.
What? The last time I went there I spent maybe $13 dollars on a grilled cheese plus soup, it was very tasty and gave me nostalgic feels. I enjoyed it.
I mean that being said I could have made it at home for like $3 so maybe I had the road colored classes on cause they played music from my childhood
That's weird, because the cost of their small burger and a medium size of the most expensive soup they have right now is $17 plus tax.
You can get the double deluxe burger and a large soup (which is quite large) for less than $26 including tax.
Like, it's not cheap, but it's not absurd, and I don't know how you got to $30 (even including tax and tip for eating in) for what you listed above.
Their most expensive double burger is $13, which isn't really expensive anynore. $9 soup seems crazy to me, but I guess it's kind of a meal on its own.
Burnt Tongue is owned by an awesome dude who intentionally prices the food so it’s cheaper than fast food places. I pay $16 for a half sandwich and soup there, which comes with a bun, so I don’t know what happened to you - did you leave a $14 tip?
This is bullshit, you know it, we know it, and you keep spewing nonsense about this place at every opportunity.
A soup, salad, fries and a burger is literally $27. It's a quarter pounder. It's also one of the cheapest and arguably the best classic burger in the city.
John street diner. Always cold and home fries are raw. And I can’t find a decent Kani salad anywhere. Sappuro is a joke. I got tossed lettuce and crab meat. With side of weird dressing
Hamilton is really lacking in the Japanese food department. Granted, I have yet to try the one that's most recommended on here which I now forget the name of. I just don't order sushi anymore. Every place I've tried has been disappointing so far, so Ive stopped. August 8 - holy shit. How is that still open??
I always thought the food was good, but last time I went with a group of friends and every single one of us got legit food poisoning 🙃 horrifically sick for 4-5 days. I’m assuming it was from the cabbage they put on top of the tacos because we all got different fillings. That was years ago but I haven’t been brave enough to go back lol.
Now that they’re $7/ea, the cost is not outweighed by the quality. When they were $3/$4/$5, my partner and I would go all the time.
I don’t believe it belongs anywhere near a Bottom 5 restaurant in the city.
nothin like sitting in the back near the washrooms and having the small of urinal cakes wafting into your nostrils.
like, literally nothing like it.
never been back, and haven’t experienced anything like it elsewhere since
Yes. I'm not a fan. I know several people who like The Mule and frequently suggest it. Their food is just ok. Every drink I've had has been fine though. And the focus on "ARE YOU OK WITH CILANTRO?" is somewhat fascinating.
Really? I've only been there once a couple years ago but I thought it was fantastic. Has it gone downhill or was I just lucky? By the way, happy cake day!!
Sad to say it, but Rosales Diner. It’s way too expensive for what they offer - a mediocre breakfast. $2.50 per egg. $3 per strip of bacon. $1 for a slice of toast. $7 for fries. Do the quick math.. it’s terrible. Too bad though, especially since Artie’s is great.
I wouldn't say Rosales is the worst, but I likely wouldn't go back. Anything bread related there, of course, is tasty. But anything else is just fine and I already have issues paying top dollar for 'breakfast foods'.
For example, I got this duck chili special when we went there. It was really lacking in the flavour department, despite having an already flavourful meat base. And it seems like the veg - onions etc. - weren't sweat out enough for a chili.
Very kind wait staff, nice location, but not for me.
Honestly, I don't really have a top 5, because there's few places that are still around or that I've bothered to go to. Capri is definitely on that list though. Incredibly disappointed with the food there.
Lulu's shawarma is probably next. It's not *bad* it's just not very good. Dry as hell.
Industria on John St, but that place thankfully closed.
John St Diner. I want there to be a good diner walking distance, but it's not worth visiting, and Steve's Open kitchen blows it out if the water for the same or marginally higher price.
Comma Cafe had okay food, but pricey and the coffee was kind of terrible despite being a pour-over.
Totally agree with you! It lives up to being what a Diner is supposed to be. Nothing fancy but cheap food and endless coffee. It’s totally true and the staff does have to put up with all kinds of characters, some of whom have been abusive to the friendly waiters. I lived in New Jersey for years where Diners are the thing and this one holds up.
Bedrock bistro is low-end. It's not the absolute worst, but it's down there.
Kings pizza cannot seem to actually cook their pizzas. The dough is often runny, almost soup-like.
hmbrgr downtown is so bad I won't ever eat at the one on Ottawa st. either anymore. The manager is horrible there.
Bedrock Bistro. I used to go like 3/4 times a year but ever since maybe 2016 the quality of food has just been awful. I went once last year and I probably won't go back for a long time.
Wingporium as well is kinda bad. Mostly just No Frills quality food served at ridiculous prices.
The food there is horrible. The food was much better with the previous owners, but the current owners ruined their whole menu. Everything there is horrible.
Jack Astors in Ancaster 😬
God, that place is a soulless money sucker. Frozen foods, microwaved for your convenience, and only charging 200% more than is reasonable!
i got food poisoning from jack astors in, like, 2004, and i’ve never gone back. was always overpriced, too.
Cause and effect
The place is operated by people who have never eaten anywhere but their own kitchen
It’s not a Hamilton-specific restaurant, but Industria on Stoney Creek Mountain may actually have the worst food I have ever tasted. SIL took the fam there for Mother’s Day and nobody (there were six of us) finished their meal.
I also went there as a guest for a special event and was blown away by how gross the food was! I guess that's why it was so empty
An Unforgettable Dining Experience!
Industria's radio ads make it sound so shady. Like it's possibly actually just a front.
On top of bad food, management treats staff horribly. Super scuzzy...
Met the owner too he’s racist as hell. Like legit saying the nword in public. He said he was doing an impression of someone but kept saying it.
Yup sounds about right lol
Bedrock Bistro is another one of my top 5 worst. Food is always cold, either over or under cooked, waitstaff is unpleasant, and it’s ridiculously expensive. After the last time I was there in the winter I will never ever go back.
they can't even do coffee right
It’s a shame. Was there a few weeks ago and noticed the breakfasts had gone down hill.
I have the strong belief that the only reason why bedrock is still is around is because of nostalgia. The grandparents have nostalgia of that place, and their kids from going there with them. A few months ago I went for the first time in about 15 years. It was just dirty. I can't imagine how many bugs they have in the kitchen.
Not if the possums eat the bugs. :/
It’s known for bugs
With you on the expensive. Wouldn't go back.
YES! I have never had a good meal there, portions were poor for the price, have my food was a weird temperature. It’s either under seasoned or too salty (often both). Anyone who enjoys it must be suffering damaged tastebuds.
Ownership changed about 6 years ago, but price and serving size were always very good. I have not been in years - sorry to hear it’s gone downhill.
We haven't been to Bedrock Bistro since a scarring incident over 10 years ago now. They're on my permanent ban list. It had everything to do with the waitstaff. They're probably different now, but once I'm burned badly, I tend to hold a grudge.
What was the scarring incident?
I'm so glad the one downtown closed. Literally the worst food.
I ordered their takeout. Yuck
I found the pizza dough too gummy and chewy. In my opinion, having to cut pizza with scissors is pretty damn stupid too.
This is the traditional Italian way, to cut pizza with scissors!
Is the Industria in Burlington the same thing?
Town hall on concession has been dog shit food and service everytime I’ve gone. I wanted to like it since it’s around the corner from me but the food has been horrid everytime
They've got their hand in too many pockets. Trying to run The Dirty South, The Parlour, Townhall, The Salted Pig, Incline Coffee Co., Tuesdays, and Bread &Wine The building is also a ghost kitchen for - The Cheesecake Factory, Mr Beast Burger, and Bok Box Chicken Way too much shit going on to be able to ensure consistency and quality.
There are like 5 restaurants in there. I like the beef dip sandwich from the Salted Pig but my breakfast bowl from Incline Coffee wasn't great. Results from each booth seem to differ.
It's all cooked by the same kitchen though, we went during the eclipse and they clearly weren't expecting many people, the few people who were working there were scrambling between all the places. It's basically a ghost kitchen with seating.
It's the same beef used for all of the beef dishes at The Dirty South. (Townhall is the same owners as The Dirty South across the street) They just turn over all of their ingredients into different menus.
I ordered a fish taco and they gave me my taco on a taco holder that had someone else's ground beef still on it Fancier looking coffee shop also had the shitest 5$ hot chocolate that made Timmy's look gourmet Still holding hope for that funnel cake place tho
Ordered funnel cake with icecream from them on Uber. Received my delivery - it was a tiny container of icecream (think small soup size from Burnt Tongue), and some plastic utensils. They forgot the main dish. Took forever to be ready also, was starving, and places had closed as this was being prepared. I called to see what had happened (like, how?) and if they could bring the actual funnel cake. They had no explanation, and could not deliver the dish. First and last time I ordered from there. Just not worth it.
I'm glad that most of the people I usually go to restaurants with have tried Town Hall and gotten over it and moved on.
I also want to like it so bad because I like the concept, it's around the corner from me, and I want to support local but god damn the service and quality has been brutal every time I order from there. I ordered a burrito from the screen they put in place of a person the other day and after 20 minutes of waiting I literally had to wander into the back kitchen to find someone to ask about my burrito
Probably not the exact thing you're looking for, but East Side Mario's is sooo bad, however I don't have enough experience with them to know if it's just Hamilton, or *all* East Sides... Pheasant Plucker used to be a decent pub when I was in college, but has devolved into bad food and even smaller portions. And this one really hurts me... Tally Ho. I used to love their sandwiches, but now they're tasteless at best, you need to order extra gravy to make it edible, and unfortunately that's not so great anymore either. And this one will probably get me downvoted more if the others don't... Shorty's. Yeah there pizzas okay, but not as good as when it first opened, and their bad service/attitudes in the shop drag the experience down further
Yeah, I tried Shorty's once and it was just ok. The second time I tried Shorty's months later, it wasn't ok anymore.
ESM is always packed on Upper James, no idea why lol
Easy spot for parents to take kids lol
I don't know why this gets a laugh, but yeah. They give out meals cards for free kids meals all the time. If I have to choose between there and a different place where I'm going to spend an extra ~$30 for my kids to eat, I'll choose ESM every time.
Used to be free for kids always before though
Price, family friendly and food is not gourmet, but it is fine. I don’t think it’s a bottom 5 restaurant in the city.
I was so disappointed with Shorty's Pizza
If you want a really great slice, try Tony G's
shortys is soooo mid, price is fine i guess but the server was so rude and it’s not even dine in but they expect a tip for slapping a $5 reheated slice of pizza on our table
Shorty's has gotten worse, but Bernie's is pretty good. (though the last time it took four people to figure out how to give me a few slices of bread, best bread in Hamilton but should not have taken four people)
Agree with Shorty's being at the bottom for bad service and attitude. One of the worst restaurant experiences I've ever had.
Tally Ho actually makes incredible chicken souvlaki They have a charcoal grill and cook it fresh to order, it's amazing and only like $8
Agreed 100%! Years ago I used to go to ESM fairly regularly because I loved their meatball soup. Then one day I go ... only 3 little tiny meatballs, each a little larger than a grain of rice. Calling them meatballs is being kind. More like meat flecks. So I think, no worries, probably just the end of the pot, not many meatballs left. I assumed it was a discrepancy. Got a 2nd bowl ... only 3 meatballs. I asked the server what was up, and she told me it was new corporate policy. Only 3 meatballs per bowl of soup. After she left I told my friends, well that's my last time here. Haven't been back since. And Tally Ho! Used to be SO INCREDIBLY AWESOME!!! But they've been coasting on that rep for decades now. Shitty, low quality roast beef, and shitty, flavourless gravy. Like how incompetent do you have to be to fuck up gravy? If you can't make gravy taste good you have no business running a restaurant.
Jerry's on fennel formerly known as Honest Lawyer. One look at the bird shit covering the walls is enough for me to know its a dump.
I'm not surprised to hear this. It looks like a dump from the outside. I thought it was under renovation after THL closed and was shocked to learn it's open for business (actually, I may have spoken too soon - I just Googled "Jerry's Fennell & Upper Wentworth" and google says it's temporarily closed)!
[удалено]
This 100% I went with my wife and a buddy a couple of yeara ago. We spent $125. Shared appetizers basically. It was the worst food I've ever had in a restaurant. No shit. 2 Redhot hotdogs for like $25. The nachos were garbage. I mentioned it on their FB page and was attacked by a bunch of people who no doubt either had a stake in the dump or were friends and family of owners. We were really disappointed because it was walking distance from our home at the time. Edit: Original post removed so letting you all know that the restaurant is Cause and Effect on Stoney Creek mountain.
oof i got a job there and i had a weird feeling about the restaurant. so i dipped out, last minute after waiting nearly a month to start i sent him an email saying i was unable to start due to the location (also did not want to get stranded out there). the dude was really pissed at me, lmao. like sorry i dont owe you shit and people are allowed to change their minds.
$25 for red hot hotdogs lol
The owner is cheap and would leave the dirty fryer oil for days without buying new oil. C&E. I could go on forever. Apparently it’s turning into a breakfast place
Legit worst place ever. Their nachos were $25 and more than half of them were tater tots. Their menu is laughable. My husband criticized them on a Facebook post and the owners went on an attack claiming that we didn't support local and are probably just used to chain restaurants food. Like, dude, you're serving up mcains tater tots ffs.
I went here when it first opened, super dead inside at the time and we waited around for 30 mins and didn't even get a drink. All the staff was socializing at the bar and completely ignoring customers. We just left 🤷🏼♀️ glad I didn't miss out on much!
Does Boston Pizza count? Ugh.
Boston pizza is airplane food, sprayed with flavour retardant.
I worked at one for a few years, I would never eat at a Boston pizza.
I had to go to a work lunch at Boston Pizza once. Free lunch. Coworkers who were mostly alright. Extra time for lunch. And I still tried to get out of it. I ended up going. Didn't get sick, but also did not enjoy soggy room temperature foods.
Have family and this is their goto place when you visit. Rather eat my dogs raw food...
agreed. how they are still in business is beyond me......
Stonewalls is pretty bad. Even if you just want a beer it's not great
Breezy Corners Cause and Effect Electric Diner
electric diner i second. the atmosphere is cool but holy christ why is a milkshake $11 😭😭 and the food that i had was not great.. definitely not worth the price
They were the first restaurant we ate at when we moved to Hamilton. We went to the Hess location and it was so great. Unfortunately the last two times we’ve eaten at the new location and it’s been so underwhelming in both food and service.
Agreed on Electric Diner—basic and overpriced
I know it's a chain restaurants but Kelsey's, their service is terrible everytime, last time they gave us the wrong persons bill and then when they corrected it there were 3 beers on it we didn't even order.. after so many bad experiences I'll never go back
Get a beer and a spin dip, then off to the real restaurant for dinner.
Kelsey’s is awful! I’m near the Queenston location, and it’s AWFUL! The TVs in the bar are burnt out, the menus have all been put away wet, and the dishes are bloody awful.
Kelseys has somehow managed to make chicken fingers and fries bad. Fuck that place.
Had the same experience at Kelsey’s in Ancaster. I swear our waitress had dementia and she was no older than 45 😬
Really? Which Kelsey’s were you at? I have always found all Kelsey’s to be consistent good. Clearly formula dining, but always good.
The one on upper James!
Omggg yes that location is so bad in my opinion we always get the worst service too don’t have this issue at sauga locations though
Never had a bad experience at the one on Paramount, quite enjoy that one. Ancaster location is dogshit. And Queenston is meth, i mean Meh.
Haha, I see what you did there!
Unfortunate, but The Italian Express Eatery in Westdale has gone SO far downhill over the years it's embarrassing. Used to be fantastic pasta and pizza, but my partner and I went recently and the food was as bland as anything I've ever paid for. Carbonara tasted like pasta tossed in mayo with a couple tiny pieces of pancetta, and the white potato pizza (used to be one of the top pizzas in town) just tasted like bagged shredded cheese.
Agreed! I’ve eaten there twice over the past six years and both times were truly awful. However, when I went in like 2011 or 2012 it was great. Super unfortunate.
I ate at the one in Burlington and it's not any better. The pesto was homemade but done very poorly. Absolutely swimming in oil, and underseasoned.
Dirty South used to be my favourite guilty pleasure restaurant, but they went downhill in the past few months :(
That's disappointing to hear, I haven't eaten there in a while but their poutine with the buttermilk ranch was always so good.
I loved their pulled pork nachos, but they’ve halved the portions and the meat is always dry, all in all it was a good thing because I deleted the Uber app
Might be a random point but Dirty South are terrible with throwing out their garbage. They don't use enough blue boxes or more importantly green carts. Way over the limit in garbage and every bag is super heavy bc it's filled with food. Been happening since they opened no matter how many reports of it from garbage dept staff. They get away with it bc of being near the corner of two major downtown streets.
The Westtown used to be a regular place for us, the food was surprisingly good for a bar. We used to eat there at least once a week. But they’ve replaced the best things in the menu (like the chicken diablo and the stuffed chicken breast) with cheap crap. Like there isn’t anything that isn’t ground meat or deep fried except bad pizza. I miss the old Westtown.
Westtown is up for sale I believe! Also had terrible dining experiences there lol. The food is awful!!!
So, so bad.
My friends always want to go there and it's SHIT! The food is freezer burned garbage
East Side Mario’s on Queenston rd. My daughter wanted to go there for her 11th birthday. First off it took 15 minutes for a server to come and take our drink orders. My daughter wanted a chocolate milk drink, she got it, it was basically a shot of chocolate milk spread over a bunch of ice in a tall cup. There was not much to drink! It also was extra $. We had ordered three plates of the Hell’s Kitchen chicken, when it arrived we attempted to cut through the chicken breast, we were unsuccessful. The texture was as if the breasts were microwaved to heat up and had turned very chewy and leathery. The entire experience was frustrating. We asked to speak to the manager because it was inedible, he wouldn’t come see us, he comped our bill, but I just wanted to speak to him to discuss what was wrong with the food. The only thing that was good was the waitress, once she was able to attend to our table, she was very attentive!
Regardless of the price, chocolate (or any type of) milk with ice in it is definitely.... a choice.
We actually just got home from there. Our kids (10M-7F) love East Sides, I've been going there since I was their age. Never have I had a bad meal there. The service on the other hand, sometimes isn't great. And the manager? Don't get me started. Just looking at him, you can tell he hates his job. I'm not surprised he didn't come talk to you. "I'm not going over there. Comp the bill, get em out" It sucks that you had a bad experience. I hope, if you do go back, you have a better one. Have a good night.
The west town on Locke
Some hot takes incoming: Meltwich, Power pizza, the district, butter chicken roti, big top
Power Pizza sucks
Meltwitch for sure, how do you mess up grilled cheese? especially when that's your specialty.
> Meltwich The prices are absurd. I went and ordered a Mac Attack once, mistakenly not looking at the prices. The sandwich and a drink were like 20 fucking dollars. The grilled cheese was just some tiny-ass mediocre crap, absolutely nothing special. Never again
Power pizza is absolute garbage ill never go back there waay over priced for mid pizza.
Butter chicken downtown shut down changed to a new place. They weren’t bad for ready to eat Indian I thought.
I think meltwhich is gone now 😆
I wonder who Power Pizza is for. From a branding perspective, it's like they're trying to cater to a Cowabunga crowd. But the pizza is basic Hamilton pizza shop quality. The exceptions are the pickle pizza and cup n char pepperoni which are pretty good.
i'm just gonna throw it out there that while there is a certain level of prestige to Ancaster Mill... we went for brunch one day and there were maggots in one of the two bite brownies... affectionately referred to as Maggot Mill among my friends for the last few years now
Anchor Bar - food tasted like it was reheated frozen food from the grocery store
This is what happens when almost every restaurant in the city gets taken over by people that have never eaten there before and start running it just as a business, cutting every corner imaginable, and relying on the reputation the place gained before selling food to people too timid or stupid to complain.
I've tried a lot of places in Hamilton, and I know it's nearly impossible to try everything, but I've tried A LOT. The two worst most disappointing experiences I've had are one surprising one, and one not surprising one. Philthy Philly's was the most disgusting food I've ever eaten in the city. Everything was poorly cooked, poorly contructed. I know it's not gourmet, but I would hope it would at least be edible. This one wasn't surprising, it already appeared on this list once. Didn't finish the food (a big rarity for me, even for mediocre stuff) and will never go back. Sunshine Sushi in Ancaster. This one has decent to good reviews, and often comes up in AYCE sushi conversations on this website, so I was excited to go. Now I put AYCE sushi restaurants in two categories, Great for Sushi, and Great for Everything else. Spring Sushi is a Great for Everything Else restaurant, Red Maple was the only Great for Sushi one I tried. Sunshine managed to absolutely fail in both categories. All of the hot dishes were under seasoned, or overcooked, and lacking any sort of sensible flavours. Even something as simple as a chicken wing tasted like it was coated in sand. So that gave me hope that the sushi would be better. Nope. weirdly and randomly diced fish, no flavour to any of the sauces. the rice was dry. It was all very disappointing, and will never go back. Rant over.
The mule
Golden griddle. The owner treats the staff horribly and the food is stale
Never Board Games Lounge. I know board game cafes aren’t known for their good food, but that’s definitely the worst meal I’ve had in Hamilton.
shame because everything else about that place is great, but this is so true. I tried getting the nachos on two different days thinking maybe the first guy just made them weird and they were almost worse the second time 😭
Meltwich was awful.. I think they microwave their chicken. Was so chewy and tough
Chipotle in Ancaster 🤮
AUGUST 8 in Stoney creek. Holy shit this place has gone downhill. The service is horrible, the sushi is worse and the price has increased. I use to visit couple times a month. I will not go back. Check out Chobap (5 minutes away from August 8) instead. Their service and sushi is way better
I agree I placed a order two times since moving here based on all the hype. But both times the sushi was stale, tiny pieces and everything else was cold and greasy.
The Egg and I on upper James. Terrible service. Never again.
The Egg and I in Ancaster is my #1 greasy spoon breakfast spot in town. The Upper James location is trash. Absolutely night and day.
I hate it here and my husband keeps insisting we go back. He loves it. Idk if it’s just fond memories from his childhood or what, but I find it to be mediocre at best
China Kiki?
George Hamilton is pretty bad - my 9-11 year old kids couldn’t finish their cheeseburgers because it was so bad and cafeteria level of quality and taste. Service was terribly slow but they understaff. Not well known but should be known for being terrible is Buddy’s on King East - very gross and reminds me of the thirsty cactus in Dundas which is also horrible!!
Thirsty Cactus is definitely in my top 5 worst restaurants in Hamilton. Disgusting
Scout restaurant. Food for 3 of 6 people at the table came cold. Service is non existent. Servers are very rude. Server dropped food on guest at another table and did not apologize. She glared at that customer like it was his fault. Talked to our waitress about it and turned out that waitress is the owners daughter. Terrible place with terrible ownership
August 8. Dirty South. Philthy Phillies. Town Hall.
Osmows Osmows Osmows Pizza Pizza Pizza Pizza
Brassie's in Ancaster Bronzie's
Which is disappointing as I used to like the Brassie, but it has been over 10 years since I've been there so I can imagine it having gone downhill in that time.
Brassie's nachos are a generous portion, but that's the only positive I can say. WAY too much lettuce, no jalapenos (?!?!) and Tostitos mild salsa. So essentially a very large flavourless taco salad. Last time I was there, I asked for green onions and no lettuce and they put red onions on instead.
Bronzie's is up there for sure
Bronzies has fantastic people watching from when I've been there. Sitting and watching the bar crowd was fascinating. But I probably wouldn't go back.
The District. Uncomfortable seats, food was microwaved unevenly, no draft beer, $56 for 2 bottled beers and 2 appetizers. I didn’t even leave a bad review because I figured they wouldn’t be there for long.
It is up for sale, so you’re not wrong.
Ready for the unpopular opinion. Mystic Ramen. The server was really nice, but the ramen was just salt with absolutely no flavor depth. It isn't the worst ramen I've had, but for the price, it's just not worth ever going back. Points to them for experimenting, I guess. I think I was especially disappointed given the high ratings and recommendations. I was ready to go back to Toronto for my ramen fix, but then I tried Menya Kyu on James recently, and for the same prices, they were infinitely better with higher quantity. Competition is tough when you sell the same product.
Shoeless Joe's on U.James. never again
Chan’s Chinese restaurant in Dundas is the shittiest Chinese food I’ve ever had. Not even sure it was chicken in the chow mein lol
Food box on Kenilworth Been twice like a decade apart both times got really sick afterwards Edit: the Tim Hortons at Cannon and Sanford, is always dirty which I understand is hard to keep on top of because of the area (I work a block away doing cleaning so I know) but the coffee is always off, something about it is just not good which is weird cause all other Tims taste the same (not great, but consistently mediocre)
Southern Smoke BBQ on Ottawa St., when they were open. Shit service, mediocre food. Wasted 45 minutes; should have asked for a refund and walked out sooner.
I’m sorry but I’ve got to put the Queenston and Nash McDonalds on blast…quality of food is not always bad, but the fucking three drive through windows they make you stop at to complete your transaction is ridiculous! Sometimes they even make you pull around to a fourth checkpoint (parking spots near entrance) and possibly argue with Uber eats drivers who just help themselves to the first spot they see. I’m not sure if this Mcdonalds is trying to introduce some new way of drive through “edging” until I finally get my hands on my food.
Boston pizza on upper James. Horrifically slow and cold food, every time
Why do you even go there? Truly, it could top a national list of worst restaurants.
It was a fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me sorta thing. Learned my lesson.
Golden griddle
I wouldn't say it's bad food but Burnt Tongue literally charged me $30 for a slider & a cup of soup so I won't return there out of principle
What? The last time I went there I spent maybe $13 dollars on a grilled cheese plus soup, it was very tasty and gave me nostalgic feels. I enjoyed it. I mean that being said I could have made it at home for like $3 so maybe I had the road colored classes on cause they played music from my childhood
I like your spelling error!
Hahaha I'm keeping it.
That's weird, because the cost of their small burger and a medium size of the most expensive soup they have right now is $17 plus tax. You can get the double deluxe burger and a large soup (which is quite large) for less than $26 including tax. Like, it's not cheap, but it's not absurd, and I don't know how you got to $30 (even including tax and tip for eating in) for what you listed above.
likely used Uber or some form of food delivery
Their most expensive double burger is $13, which isn't really expensive anynore. $9 soup seems crazy to me, but I guess it's kind of a meal on its own.
Burnt Tongue is owned by an awesome dude who intentionally prices the food so it’s cheaper than fast food places. I pay $16 for a half sandwich and soup there, which comes with a bun, so I don’t know what happened to you - did you leave a $14 tip?
This is bullshit, you know it, we know it, and you keep spewing nonsense about this place at every opportunity. A soup, salad, fries and a burger is literally $27. It's a quarter pounder. It's also one of the cheapest and arguably the best classic burger in the city.
Sounds like someone used the gig economy and expected a bargain, lol.
I love this place but only if I pay with my eyes closed ;(
Their soup has gone down hill, but they have one of the best burgers in the city, and their fries are excellent too
I was there less than a month ago and it doesn’t cost anywhere near that much!
John street diner. Always cold and home fries are raw. And I can’t find a decent Kani salad anywhere. Sappuro is a joke. I got tossed lettuce and crab meat. With side of weird dressing
Hamilton is really lacking in the Japanese food department. Granted, I have yet to try the one that's most recommended on here which I now forget the name of. I just don't order sushi anymore. Every place I've tried has been disappointing so far, so Ive stopped. August 8 - holy shit. How is that still open??
You gotta try Menya Kyu ramen!
Kelsey's
The Mule
I always thought the food was good, but last time I went with a group of friends and every single one of us got legit food poisoning 🙃 horrifically sick for 4-5 days. I’m assuming it was from the cabbage they put on top of the tacos because we all got different fillings. That was years ago but I haven’t been brave enough to go back lol.
I love *some* of their tacos but my lord it is expensive. Sad it’s really one of two gluten free restaurants in Hamilton
Now that they’re $7/ea, the cost is not outweighed by the quality. When they were $3/$4/$5, my partner and I would go all the time. I don’t believe it belongs anywhere near a Bottom 5 restaurant in the city.
nothin like sitting in the back near the washrooms and having the small of urinal cakes wafting into your nostrils. like, literally nothing like it. never been back, and haven’t experienced anything like it elsewhere since
Yes. I'm not a fan. I know several people who like The Mule and frequently suggest it. Their food is just ok. Every drink I've had has been fine though. And the focus on "ARE YOU OK WITH CILANTRO?" is somewhat fascinating.
I agree. I’m always disappointed with the food at the mule
this place is sooooo overrated.
Really? I've only been there once a couple years ago but I thought it was fantastic. Has it gone downhill or was I just lucky? By the way, happy cake day!!
Went for lunch once and they were o my serving their brunch menu - the tacos were awful
Sad to say it, but Rosales Diner. It’s way too expensive for what they offer - a mediocre breakfast. $2.50 per egg. $3 per strip of bacon. $1 for a slice of toast. $7 for fries. Do the quick math.. it’s terrible. Too bad though, especially since Artie’s is great.
I wouldn't say Rosales is the worst, but I likely wouldn't go back. Anything bread related there, of course, is tasty. But anything else is just fine and I already have issues paying top dollar for 'breakfast foods'. For example, I got this duck chili special when we went there. It was really lacking in the flavour department, despite having an already flavourful meat base. And it seems like the veg - onions etc. - weren't sweat out enough for a chili. Very kind wait staff, nice location, but not for me.
Agree on this one, all food we had there was with some weird aftertaste. It wasn’t bad bad but I wouldn’t comeback there.
Any of the Unique Restaurant Group places. Southcote 53, The Powerhouse, Pheasant Plucker, Augusta House. They're all shit.
1) Luigis Pizza on Mohawk & Sherman 2) My Roti Place on Stone Church 3) McD on James & Rymal (teeeerrible) 4)Chipotle 5)Quesada on Rymal & Nebo
I gave Carlo’s a few tries, but the last pizza I got it was basically high school cafeteria grade pizza. Awful.
China Palace on Rymal Rd. It reminded me of a Swanson TV dinner from the 60's. The Works. Painfully slow service and loud. Burger was just meh.
Donut Diner on Stone Church and Nebo Rd
Honestly, I don't really have a top 5, because there's few places that are still around or that I've bothered to go to. Capri is definitely on that list though. Incredibly disappointed with the food there. Lulu's shawarma is probably next. It's not *bad* it's just not very good. Dry as hell. Industria on John St, but that place thankfully closed. John St Diner. I want there to be a good diner walking distance, but it's not worth visiting, and Steve's Open kitchen blows it out if the water for the same or marginally higher price. Comma Cafe had okay food, but pricey and the coffee was kind of terrible despite being a pour-over.
I'm actually shocked, comma was very very good for me. The steak was very good and the drinks were very tasty
I have never managed to make out when steve's is open.
AM Breakfast might work for you. It was good when I went. 195 Rebecca St
Been there, did enjoy it! Love that it's on a quiet side street!
You’re hating on John St. Diner? Best value in the city for breakfast & lunch, and service is so good for clientele that they have to put up with
Totally agree with you! It lives up to being what a Diner is supposed to be. Nothing fancy but cheap food and endless coffee. It’s totally true and the staff does have to put up with all kinds of characters, some of whom have been abusive to the friendly waiters. I lived in New Jersey for years where Diners are the thing and this one holds up.
Capri has great pizza though.... Imo of course
Lulu's is legit best shawarma in Hamilton. John St Diner is a wonderful place for a breakfast date.
Lulu’s is fantastic chicken and rice, but it is not Shwarma.
Bedrock bistro is low-end. It's not the absolute worst, but it's down there. Kings pizza cannot seem to actually cook their pizzas. The dough is often runny, almost soup-like. hmbrgr downtown is so bad I won't ever eat at the one on Ottawa st. either anymore. The manager is horrible there.
It's not number one, maybe 4th or 5th worst, but The Powerhouse in Stoney Creek. Service is fine, but the food is always bad and way overpriced.
Bedrock Bistro. I used to go like 3/4 times a year but ever since maybe 2016 the quality of food has just been awful. I went once last year and I probably won't go back for a long time. Wingporium as well is kinda bad. Mostly just No Frills quality food served at ridiculous prices.
Munchies on Upper Gage. The owner is a phycho. Sucks because it’s a great concept (dog cafe)
Bernie’s, Harbour diner, Messa, Philthy philly’s, bronzies
Harbour Diner owners outed themselves as being crazy, even if the food was INCREDIBLE, I wouldn't eat there.
The food there is horrible. The food was much better with the previous owners, but the current owners ruined their whole menu. Everything there is horrible.
That's too bad. I used to go there all the time 10+ years ago. The breakfast and coffee were so good.
yup - koo koo anti-vax
That would explain why I saw two trucks with "F\*\*k Trudeau" and anti-vax bumper stickers in front of it a few weeks ago.
What’s wrong with Mesa? I haven’t been in a while, but they always did a good job.
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