Best Restaurants Open for Newyears Eve this year in Waterloo – 2024

**Thursday Evening Date Night** We don’t visit this restaurant often, but when we do, it’s usually a pleasant experience. On this particular night, my partner ordered the black cod with gnocchi, and I opted for the stuffed portabella mushroom. For our appetizer, we tried the coconut calamari. The food was delicious, and the service was attentive, especially considering our server was new and made sure to let us know. She was very helpful throughout the meal. However, my partner’s dish, though tasty, came with a shockingly small portion of fish. When the server asked how everything was, he politely inquired, “Where’s the other half of my cod?” At $35, it seemed unreasonable to be served such a tiny portion, mostly consisting of pasta. To address this, the manager offered to have another piece of fish prepared, but when it arrived, it was completely raw. At this point, they apologized and offered us a free dessert, which we declined. My partner then requested that his meal be comped, as the issue wasn’t resolved. Initially, the server returned with an offer of 20% off, which felt inadequate given the situation. After some back and forth, the manager ultimately decided to comp the entire meal. While they did “fix” it in the end, it felt like a bit of a negotiation, and by then, the experience had somewhat dampened our evening. We understand that prices are rising, but $35 for mostly pasta felt excessive. Although the situation was eventually handled, it did affect our overall experience.

Went to milestones last night with my wife for a relaxing dinner and had an amazing time. The food was fresh, hot and delicious. The restaurant had beautiful lights decorated that caught our eye. And our server Nicole was such a kind hearted woman, with amazing service, payed attention to detail, and understood our expectations and vibe we were wanting. Beautiful restaurant, we will be back! :)

Went here for a girls night out and the food, service and atmosphere were all excellent. Love the way the lights look on the outside of the building!

Experienced the chefs table at Proof this evening. The 7 course meal was perfectly paired with carefully selected beverages. All 7 courses were presented to us by the talented and personal chefs outlining the carefully selected fresh local foods that were used to make their signature dishes. The unexpected part was hearing how each chef selected a signature dish and the meaning behind them. Wines and beverages were presented to us by Proof bar tender, Kyle, sharing some unique and carefully selected flavours. Haley and Cass were detailed and meticulous when serving and clearing, accommodating substitution requests and were friendly and approachable. Will definitely be looking to both eat here again and host an event here at Proof in the future !!!!

I'll start with the bad, we were staying in the hotel and didn't make a reservation for two of us due to not knowing when we wanted to eat (travelling life) - this led to us having to try to beat the rush. It still wasn't helpful as we had to sit at the bar to eat even though the restaurant was completely empty at 4:30 pm. When leaving around an hour later, still 90% empty with a lot of staff wiping glasses and "prepping" aka chatting to each other. Seems like we could have been given a proper table with a warning that we can't take 2 hours due to reservations coming. That being said, the bartender was professional, attentive and went above and beyond to make our bar eating experience a good one. I wish I knew his name because he deserves a shout out. Thanks to him and the delicious food, this gets a 4.5 star but my biggest tip: make a reservation even if you're not sure on time, estimate it. Tip for restaurant: leave a couple seats in time slots for hotel guests when taking reservations, I understand this may end in mild losses but you are the only restaurant in the hotel so it feels like guests should have options for small parties.

We were pleasantly surprised with the mocktail options available! What we ordered was delicious. We had the onion bhaji and the al pastor mushroom tacos for an appetizer. The portions were generous. For our main course, we ordered the seafood risotto and the fish and chips. The desserts were so cute and delicious. Our server was lovely and attentive.

Our server Rachael was exceptional! One the best servers I have ever had. They were curious and warm which made my mother’s birthday dinner a wonderful experience. The food was delicious. Highly recommend the chicken dish and the scallops. I also really enjoyed the fire oven pizza dishes. Great time. Highly recommend! Also good selection of wines.

I've had my eye on Solé for years but haven't made the time to stop in until now. Took a friend of mine on an impromptu birthday lunch. Had a very pleasant experience. Very welcoming staff, great atmosphere and the food was tasty.

The food is fantastic. The atmosphere is turn of the century beautiful great beer, selection, wine selection, fantastic staff. They had their own parking lot and outdoor seating when the weather permits, a romantic spot if you’re lucky enough to have a date. thank you, Sole. I had a great meal

We had dinner here this past Friday and everything was delicious! The food was fresh, the cheese was plentiful, and we left stuffed with left overs. We ordered this food for 3 and our bill came to around $120. I feel like for the amount of food/portions and how fresh everything was that's a great deal. We will be back for sure! Can't recommend enough! Definitely suggest making a reservation on the weekend as the place was busy! We had no wait since we made a reso.

I came in with my daughter for lunch and it took 15 min for anyone to take our order. Food taste is pretty average food that you can get at the mall. Portions are good including the lunch portions. The atmosphere is nice, but fir me not worth coming back.

Really popular restaurant. I was there around 5 pm yesterday, the restaurant was already full of people, and I had to wait for around 30 minutes. But, it is totally worth it. The food is amazing, and the service is great. The waitress is super nice and friendly. This restaurant definitely will be my favorite place to go.

We enjoyed an amazing reference standard breakfast experience this morning at Korner Kitchen Breakfast and Lunch Eaterery, Clearly we were not amongst the numerous regulars that frequent every morning but we were welcomed just as warmly and graciously! Their selection of breakfast was substantial and we opted for a California Benedict and of course chicken fried steak! Everything was cooked to absolute perfection, full of flavor and not greasy at all. The decor of the restaurant was modern and upscale and bathrooms were immaculately clean. The coffee never got more than an inch below the lip before it was refilled by all of the hard-working friendly servers! For sure this will not be our last time dining here! An easy five stars and highly recommended!

Always a great breakfast here with friendly staff. Tried mega breakfast, crepes banana chocolate for breakfast and wasn’t disappointed. And of course, brewed coffee. Good food, prices and service. Huge breakfast menu. Will try again!

Korner kitchen truly sets the bar in KW for breakfast and lunch. Great value, great food and service and a beautiful atmosphere. The only other place I’d put in the same category is Fireside in Kitchener but I’d give the edge to Korner Kitchen due to the updated and energetic atmosphere. Also don’t be discouraged by line ups. They get you in quick.

The best fine dining restaurant in KW! I had the $145 tasting menu and would highly recommend it, as you get to try a lot more dishes you'd have an opportunity to, otherwise. The Iberico Pork dish was the best thing I've tasted in years -- I will be coming back for that alone. I love the creativity of Chef Kyle! Such unusual, bold, and yet delightful flavour pairings. I just hope the dishes I enjoyed the most will still be there in some form when I visit again...

Trio Restaurant was a great place to stop for a drink and appetizer. We tried the beer and some appetizers, and both were really good. There was live music during our visit, and the performer was excellent—he sang and played the guitar really well, which made for a great atmosphere. Overall, a nice spot to relax with good food, drinks, and entertainment!

I wish there was a star scoring for wine as well! We did the tasting menu with the reserve pairing and it was so good that the wine was sometimes better than the food (and the food was exquisite). My husband and I came for our anniversary. The service was outstanding (Benoit was a perfect host) and the flavours, portion and quality of the food was perfection. Our favourite KW restaurant.

The restaurant caught our eyes when we were driving around the area because it looked very unique and interesting so we decided to give it a shot. The food was amazing. We ordered the Crazy Canuck burger, classic Canuck pizza, pulled pork poutine and pizza poutine. Everything was delicious but our favourite thing was the pulled pork poutine. The place is attached to an antique shop which is cool. We got to check it out as we waited for our food.

5/5 for classic Quebec curd poutine. Delicious and cheesy. Absolutely loved the ambience and attached is the Antique shop. Veggie Za pizza is not recommended though, they should have used some more good quality cheese on it.

honestly we sat down and the smell of the food was AWESOME i scarfed down more than half before remembering i should take a pic, we aren't from the area but will 1000% return. Best fries i have ever had. sandwiches were insane!!! great flavor, crispy bread, toppings awesome. service was fast and insanely nice and helpful to tell us about the area.

Loved this place ! Service was super fast and the food was great. The portions were big and the quality of the ingredients was most definitely there. Great place to brunch before going to the farmers market !

The food with OK. The fruits were good, the hash browns were OK, the eggs benedict was a little bad, the English muffins were over toasted hard like cardboard. I’ve been coming here for many years most of the food is great. Would still recommend.

Great food, generous portions - souvlaki combo was fantastic! Excellent friendly service! Went on a Saturday around lunch so understandably quite busy, but they had everything on track and no complaints! Will definitely go again when we're back in that area.

Amazing food. Upscale pub style; the cauliflower “wings” were so delicious. Everyone at the table raved about them. The duck spring rolls were delicious. The pork belly and fish tacos were also excellent. Great drinks, great service.

Went with some friends and I've got to say it's a solid restaurant/pub. The food was tasty, priced fairly, and pretty fast service. I got the tandoori chicken bowl, while my friends got the pork and olive dip. The olive dip and chicken bowl were amazing and really tasty. I didn't have the pork belly myself but was told it was really dry, so maybe avoid that option. As for drinks they're on the pricey side so do be aware of that. It's a great location in the downtown area and a lot to do after. I definitely recommend this spot!

Great choice of food and cocktails served. Little pub down the uptown area. Cauliflower wings are best. Read so many reviews about tacos. Ordered sam adam cod and jerk tofu both were super tasty. Service is quick and servers are very welcoming and friendly. Would say 10/10 for everything.

It had been a while since my husband and I had been to Ethel’s - 2 years actually. It kind of fell off our radar so tonight we went for a last minute supper at Ethel’s and sat on the sunny covered patio. It was hot out but thankfully they have extra umbrellas we could tilt to ward off the late afternoon sun. We enjoyed some beer and shared their double helping of pulled pork nachos which came in a extra large pizza pan with a few layers, tonnes of cheese, chips, pulled pork and some green onions (it could have used some more onion). And large bowls (not teeny ramekins) of sour cream and chunky salsa. It could easily feed 3 people. Stretchy pants recommended. It was a fantastic and oh-so-filling meal with fast and friendly service. We highly recommend the nachos and plan to come back for several other items on their menu.

Great ambience with good portions of food. Ordered beers and chips & salsa with gluco add-on and it was so filling that didn’t order anything else

Good place for a Friday night. Their patio is one of the better ones in the city. Plus I have to give it to them. They've been a staple of uptown Waterloo for several years. The quesadillas are amazing.

My boyfriend and I tried this place for the first time, and the food was incredible. After taking some time to decide what to order due to the wide range of options, we settled on the duck tacos as an appetizer (though they were a bit small for the price). For our mains, we ordered the steak bowl and ribs. The presentation was impressive, but unfortunately, the service was mediocre. I recommend coming to this restaurant!

My wife and I popped in here for a beverage after visiting the St. Jacob's Market. It wasn't a very good experience for us, unfortunately. The host was on his phone while we waited to be seated. Our server brought us each a beer and was unsure whose was whose and just seemed to guess. Then she disappeared and we didn't see her again. We had to ask the original host for another drink. Then, we were served by someone else. A table close to us was not cleaned up for well over half an hour until we left. The beer came in 16oz servings but priced the same as 20oz in other restaurants. We didn't eat anything, so I cannot comment on the food. The restaurant itself is very nice, and the patio area we sat in was also quite pleasant and comfortable.

Fantastic spot in Waterloo with delicious rigatoni and burgers. The service and ambience were great too. Honestly this place deserves 5 stars but the only reason why I am giving it a 4 is because the accessible washrooms on the ground floor did not have a diaper changing station. In fact none of the bathrooms here have a diaper changing station. The staff was kind enough to show us a place with a sofa for us to comfortably change my new born son’s diaper. It was difficult to get to the room since it was in the basement and they did not even have an elevator. As a result we had to carry everything downstairs. The only opportunity for improvement is to install diaper changing stations in your all-gender accessible washrooms on the ground floor to make it easier for babies and their parents.

We had a great time at Beertown Public House! The vibes and views were fantastic, especially since we sat out on the terrace it was really nice. The food was average, nothing too special, but the overall atmosphere made up for it. It’s a great spot to relax and enjoy the surroundings.

We had a very nice experience here. This location in particular has a really nice atmosphere, can be a bit loud but overall is a great option for the area if you're looking for solid food and drinks. If it weren't cooler I would have gone for their patio which has great people watching. The beer selection is pretty extensive. Although they didn't have the one I wanted in stock, the server did an excellent job of helping me make another selection. If we find ourselves in the area again I'd consider coming back.

Every time I eat here, I have a really good experience!! The service is always exceptional and the food portions are pretty large as well. The atmosphere of the restaurant is nice but the place is kind of loud which is expected for this type of restaurant but also a bit overwhelming haha. All the food was delicious and the quality seemed to be decently high. Overall, I would definitely come back again!

I hosted a brunch with 6 of my girlfriends here to ask them to be my bridesmaids. The food was exceptional, everyone loved their meals and drinks. The food came out super quick, especially for a busy Saturday. But what put it above and beyond was the staff! Our waitress was so attentive and patient with us, especially being a large group of chatty girls. As a really special touch brought over a delicious congratulations cake with an adorable engagement ring design on it! They made our brunch so lovely and special, I’m so glad I chose to host it here.

Wow! What an amazing experience! Tonight, at 7pm my boyfriend and I had a reservation! We were greeted with prompt and professional service by the hosts who graciously led us to our seats which were in a somewhat quiet area as per requested. Then, we met Bryan are server, who was beyond fantastic. He was attentive, kind, and very jovial. I cannot say anything negative as our experience was wonderful from begin to finish. This was our nine months dinner and they made it great. The food I also must add was impeccable. Thank you Bryan for recommending some beautiful cocktails! To top it all off, the dessert we received was so well decorated and very decadent in appearance. We were to fill to eat it but I cannot wait and my boyfriend to enjoy!

Delicious food! The home of the only pasta dish I've enjoyed eating in the last few years (yes, I am not a big pasta fan). The menu is extensive and there is something for everyone. I ended up getting The Mercer pizza ($22.95) for myself, which tasted great but was probably better off shared since it was way too big for me. My coworkers both got a pasta, and the one I am referring to above is the Tiger Shrimp Spaghettini ($26.95) - SO AMAZING! We also tried three desserts, and my favourite was by far the carrot cake. I basically inhaled the whole thing myself. The service was a bit hot and cold - certain parts of it were off the charts accommodating, while at other times it was difficult to get anyone to look our way. We were in a bit of a rush because we were commuting back to Toronto that night and didn't want to leave too late. But on the other hand, when my coworker asked about whether the Spaghettini was meant to be spicy (she added spicy sausage which resulted in this), the waitress graciously made her a half portion to take home that had no spice. We really appreciated that. Overall, it was super busy on a Thursday night so I think that speaks for the quality of the TBK. I will be back!

I loved the pizza. Was worth a cheat night with the rich gorgonzola cheese. There was something on the menu for everyone and it was just so tasty. They did a great job of serving our larger group. This is a great place to visit if you find yourself in uptown Waterloo. Their patio is also gorgeous.

Scout (my two year old chihuahua) and I did a little drive to pick up take out and it was amazing! I’m not familiar with waterloo area so I drove around for 15 mins before I found city parking directly behind the building. I didn’t feel comfortable leaving Scout in a parking lot like that so I called the restaurant and asked if they’d meet me at the door as I pre paid. Staff was amazing I didn’t catch his name but after I had already walked back to my car he called and said he forgot to give me my Gelato and ran back to make sure I got it. I got home Re heated in oven for two mins and poured some vino for a relaxing night. The food was amazing and Scout LOVED the chicken fettuccine Seriously recommend Famoso! I can’t wait to dine in!

Came here the other night before going to a music gig and it’s such a great spot. We’ve been before and Everytime we leave satisfied. The prices are great and the quality of everything does not reflect it. We had a pizza and tomato soup which were both amazing along with an espresso martini and Negroni. Only thing to note was the Negroni had a bit too much vermouth. Our server was really great and everything was ready quickly. They were busy but you wouldn’t know it by how attentive and efficient the service was.