Rose Garden Restaurant — Restaurant in Burlington

On July 31, 2020, I was walking with my daughter son-in-law and my two grandchildren across the road in the bird sanctuary on Plains Road. Now I’m 62 years old and like the rest of you’ve been at home for many months and it was such a pleasure and I look so forward to being able to go walking with my grandkids. We had gotten a little ways into the trail and unfortunately I have stomach issues and I felt like I might have to go so I said I wouldGo across the road to the gas station that I noticed when we drove in. Decided it was the Rose Garden restaurant. Now when we started to go for a walk I left my purse in the car and my son-in-law had my keys and my mask was in my purse.

When I arrived at the gas station I went in and said that can I please use the washroom the mail apologized to me and said they had just taken their toilet out and I would have to go next-door. I quickly walked next-door by this time I realized I really did have to go and I asked the lady at the front could I go into the washroom and her response was very rude no. I pleaded with her and told her I had been walking with my grandkids and my daughter across the road and I have to go. She says I needed a mask and I informed her I don’t have a mask it’s in my purse which is locked in the car..Her response was well she can show me a mask and I told her I obviously don’t have any money on me. She THEN SAID I WILL GIVE YOU THESE TISSUES AND YOU CAN GO ACROSS THE ROAD IN THE BUSH! I informed her I’m 62 years old and I’m not going in the bush and she says too bad and she had use the bush many times. Now because of my stomach issues I’m in pain and I tried to tell her but she asked me to leave and I was in tears ..I was so humiliated because people heard this that we’re sitting out in the patio and a couple took pity on me and offered to buy the mask for me and told the waitress to give her the mask. She still refused but finally relented and said I could go in. She said she must sanitize your hands when you walk in here and when you walk out like I was some kind of a dirty pig. Like the rest of you I’ve been living with Covid and know what I have to do I don’t need to be humiliated and treated like I’m a low life off the street... I cannot begin to tell you how humiliated I was. This is all new to watch the social distancing and mask and gloves and everything but so far I’ve complied.

My point of writing this I realize that there’s Rules the restaurants in all of us have to abide by in these times.... However sometimes there’s got to be exceptions to the rules in clearly this case there should’ve been without humiliation. I am going back down to the restaurant tomorrow because the man did not pay for my mask as the waitress finally said no don’t bother. I’d also told her that if she let me use the washroom I would come back for lunch but my daughter was so angered by what happened she said we’re not stepping in that restaurant and I didn’t dare as I do my daughter would speak up and say something. I feel like I do all the dollars for the mask and I’m going to go tomorrow and pay up. I’ve come to realize because of all the strict rules and regulations out there it’s going to be very difficult For people like me to go out from now on.

I know this restaurants been there for a lot of years and I’m sure the owners are quite nice however Your staff totally humiliated me and embarrassed me and obviously I would never go there to eat. I’m also discouraging other people from eating here as well... I totally feel discriminated against and if you do this to me I hate to see what you do to...

We take the kids here all the time because it's a casual environment and a great place to practice our 'restaurant manners'. The staff are always very patient with the kids, and are kind. Staff must get treated well, as it's the usual roster when we go to eat. The all day breakfast is great - my only complaint is the potatoes. They are not undercooked in the sense of a raw potato, but undercooked in the sense that they haven't been browned and they don't require teeth to eat. They are nicely seasoned though. The coffee could be stronger, but I like a strong coffee. My partner has had the Turkey Dinner and it is FABULOUS. A whole plate of turkey and veg, and potatoes - the servings sizes are great for him because he's a big guy. It was worth the money - full stop. He has had fish and chips here too, as has DD, and they both LOVED THEM.Hub says it's flaky and moist, and the batter is perfect. The fries are amazing too! Hub loves the clubhouse and the Veal Parm as well. Pancakes are light, fluffy and delish. I ADORE their Bibimbap - its a Korean rice dish that comes in a special bowl which keeps cooking the rice and leaves it crispy on the bottom. It comes with a 'hot sauce' which is really the flavour for the dish- don't worry, its pretty mild. It is crazy good and crave-worthy. The restaurant itself isn't much to look at, but they have big comfy chairs which are a total win! Lots of sunlight floods in because of the greenhouse style roof on one side. We love Rose Garden and go back as much as we can as a family; we have yet to have a bad meal or...

Honestly yummy Korean Stone Bowl Bibimbap. Marinated beef, several vegetables, rice and Korean Gochujang sauce, all mixed in a super-heated granite bowl. It’s tasty, healthy and filling! They also have all the usual Western sandwiches, roast beef dinners and other western fare, but the Stone Bowl Bibimbap is really the star. My mother is vegetarian and asks for it without the beef. She says it’s one of the best she’s had!!

The staff are friendly and the owners are genuinely nice. I love eating here when I pass by the area. Charming location just a stones throw away from the Royal Botanical Garden. Visit any time of day, but I love sitting in the dining room on a quiet snowy day and staring out the windows… enjoying my Stone Bowl Bibimbap!

Edit: Over the last several years, I have been introducing friends and family to the Rose Garden Restaurant. Each of them have introduced others to this gem of a place! I’m hoping I don’t have to wait 20 minutes to be seated in the future. 😅

Edit: Every time I visit, I quickly scan the tables to see what people are eating. I see people of all ages ordering the hot Korean stone bowl bibimbap.

Here’s a trick! Mix your ingredients together with the sauce and push the rice against the wall of the super hot stone bowl. Give it a couple of minutes while the rice gets toasted against the hot bowl. The slight toasting will give it a nutty flavour and an added texture to Enjoy!

I’ll have to try to remember to add photos in the future… when the stone bowl arrives, I forget all about the photos until after...