Caribou Kingston — Restaurant in District of Canberra Central

My partner and I came here for dinner with some friends, whom also highly recommended the place. Our experience, unfortunately, did not reflect the high praise from our friends, nor the highly rated reviews that the Caribou usually receives. I would like to preface by saying that the venue was fully packed with customers, and Canberra had recently reopened after COVID, so the staff were likely pushed to their limits that evening.

I'll start by saying that their menu looks fantastic and the look and feel of the venue is a lovely rustic wooden cabin vibe. They had loads of Ice Hockey paraphernalia hung up and TVs showing ice hockey games on them. The live music that night was also on-point. The Prettirinas, a local duo, we're playing some fantastic covers! I was hoping that since they had a dedicated pizza menu that the pizzas would be amazing, but they were quite basic - not worth the $22 price tag in my opinion. However their Maple Bacon topping tastes amazing.

Now to the negative part of the review - our food order... My partner has dietary requirements, so my other reviews are usually a reflection on a venue's ability to cater to custom requests.

My partner wanted the Chicken Tacos, but requested that many of the ingredients be removed. The person that took our order was helpful and even double checked with that we wanted many ingredients removed, so I knew he had recorded it.

When our order came out, my partner's tacos had every ingredient on them that we had requested to be removed. I took the food back to the kitchen staff to inform them, in the hopes (and expectation) that they could fix the issue. One of the chef's took my query and their immediate reaction was to look at the receipt on their wall and tell me that there were no special instructions. At this point I was surrounded by other staff from Caribou, who were all asking to help me - I was very happy with this response! It's good to see staff trying to help out a customer.

The first non-kitchen staff member then asked about my problem, I explained our issue, and she then told me the same thing - there was no special instructions on the receipt so she cannot help me. I was a bit confused that their first reaction was not to apologise and offer to remedy the issue. Thankfully a different staff member stepped in to ask what the problem was, but it was the person that took my order! He looked at the receipt and realised there was a problem. He explained to the kitchen staff that the changes were not recorded, and that it should have shown up in the receipt. He then apologised to me and said he would fix it up for me.

I was very thankful for the way that the last person dealt with the problem. That should have been my first interaction.

Unfortunately there was also a small issue with my order. I ordered a pizza, but when it came out (which was a much less complicated order) it was also missing some things I requested... But after my first interaction with returning food, I didn't want to go through the pain again, so I just endured.

I want to reinforce that as I said in my preface, I suspect that the staff were overworked and stressed out, and I was the unfortunate victim of a few mistakes and stressed out workers.

I would like to revisit the Caribou in the future, perhaps at a time that is less busy, to experience their full...

So disappointed. The minute our party walked in after a long day of driving to and from the snow fields we were judged and verbally harassed.

The two women of our group went to use the toilet before sitting down. Me and my 2yr old son found a table and attempted to find a menu. My son was standing (in his ugg boots) on the pleather/leather seats momentarily while I tried to find the menu when the owner walked directly up to him and said "can you please get off my seats. I don't come to your house and stand on your chairs do I?" His tone was rude and aggressive. His manner was completely out of line. When our the two ladies returned from the bathroom , I told them we were leaving due to how our son was treated. Upon leaving, I asked the man if he had children and how he would feel if I talked to him the way he had to my son. He responded that he wouldn't have a problem with it if they were standing on my chairs.

I can appreciate a venue owner not wanting their premises mistreated but this was a gross and alienating experience, not to mention a very dramatic reaction to a 12kg bub with soft soled ugg boots standing on a pub cushion. I can't help but think that the owner was judging us by what we were wearing and that half of the group were people of colour and one of them a fat person and all of us dressed pretty shabbily from being in the snow all day. The fact that the ladies went straight to the bathroom before ordering anything probably made him feel as if we were just their to use the facility. Truth be told, it was the only place open and we were willing to spend big at this establishment as the menu seemed pretty attractive and we were very hungry.

My wife had left a review right after the incident in early August and it seems to have disappeared. I wonder if this one will too?

First rude Canadian...

If you’re looking for a bar that nails the whole Canadian vibe, look no further! This spot is a total gem, serving up the best of Canadian and overseas brews with an impressive range that’s sure to please any beer lover. The service here is top-notch—super friendly and always ready with a recommendation if you’re feeling indecisive.

The ambiance is a sports fan’s paradise, especially for hockey enthusiasts. The walls are decked out with memorabilia, and the energy during game nights is electric. It’s the kind of place where even if you’re not a die-hard fan, you’ll find yourself getting caught up in the excitement.

And let’s not forget the patrons! You’ll be surrounded by fellow Canadians who are just as passionate about their beer and hockey as you are. The whole experience feels like one big, welcoming Canadian family gathering.

The only downside is that it gets pretty crowded on game nights, so you might want to arrive early to snag a good spot. But with such a fun atmosphere and great selection, it’s totally worth it. If you’re in the area, definitely swing by for a drink and soak up the fantastic...