Blowers & Grafton (Creekside) — Restaurant in Calgary

Faced racism at this sorry excuse for a restaurant. We went in the evening (about 6 pm) with my husband and our young son. I immediately realized that it was clearly not a "family friendly" place in the evening (no other kids and everyone was only holding drinks), so I suggested we leave - although it would have been better if the restaurant mentioned this somewhere that they turn their place into a bar in the evening. My husband said that we should just grab a quick meal since we were already seated. But that's not the reason I am pissed off at them. I am upset at how we were treated there after this point. The waitress, who looked like a teenager came up to us and the first thing she said to my son was "Wow, if you were my child you'd be in bed by now. What are you doing here?". We ignored the comment and quickly started placing the order. Btw, if you have stayed in Canada and are not native Canadian, then you will understand when I say that the portion sizes are humungous, even for kids meals. I asked the waitress to only bring part of the meal meant for my son because we didn't want to be wasteful. I expressly mentioned that we would pay for the kids meal in its entirety. Still, she proceeded to confirm twice and then said,"you will still need to pay for the whole meal even if you are only eating a bit. you cannot just pay for what you eat." I was shocked by the blatant racism I experienced here. The staff’s attitude and tone was unacceptable. I mean, going by her logic, do people usually exhibit this kind of behaviour in restaurants? or she considered that WE would specifically behave that way? If so, why? My son was coughing a bit, so my husband requested a hot chocolate for our son. Note that he said the words that it was for our son. What we got was a scalding, boiling glass of goop in a GLASS cup. No straw. It took us 10 minutes to bring it to temperature where we could take a tiny sip. There was no way we could give it to our son. Anyway, I just asked her over to make the rest of the order takeaway because by this time, I was itching to get away and never come back. She brought the food to the table and gave us a box to pack. We packed it up and left. The takeaway we got was average and food was dry and meh. I usually avoid writing negative reviews, maybe this is why it has taken me almost a year to write this one. We have been to neighbouring restaurants in Symons Valley Parkway but never experienced this kind of behaviour. My recommendation is to go to The BroKin Yolk instead. They are amazing in every way - staff, food...

I was really excited to go to Blowers and Grafton to try out the lobster rolls.

My husband and I went on a weekday afternoon; it was very busy, but we managed to get a table after about a five minute wait. The server was very attentive, and since we both knew what we wanted (lobster rolls and seafood chowder) it did not take long to get our meal.

The lobster rolls were about $21 for market price at the time, and it was as an extra $4 to upgrade our side to the chowder, which seemed reasonable and on par with other restaurants. When our food arrived, it was hot and fresh and looked absolutely delicious. After a few bites, however, we were quite disappointed.

The lobster rolls did not have very much lobster at all - it was mostly shredded, and there were no big chunks of meat. It definitely did not seem like a full lobster between the three mini rolls. We found the flavour to be somewhat bland as well. The rolls themselves were nice and buttery and toasted, but it was a bit too much bread after awhile and we did not finish the rolls completely. We also found the flavour of the chowder to be lacking and it had somewhat of a thin consistency.

I did not want to write a review after just one disappointing experience of dining here, so I returned about a month later with a friend. She convinced me to order a donair, and I'm so glad she did.

It was the best east coast style donair I've ever had! There was so much flavour and it was bursting with meat. The sauce to filling ratio was perfect. It was also served take-out style in a wrapper which I found quite quirky and unique.

We ordered the small size, and at first when I saw the donair in the wrapper I thought it wouldn't be enough food. It was decievingly small however, as it was so stuffed with fillings.

My only critique is the cost and size of the sides. You have to pay to add on a side to the donair - it's $4 for a tiny bowl of fries and $7 for an equally tiny salad. While delicious, the salad is certainly not worth $7!

During my first visit, the service was great, however on my second visit, which was equally busy, it took over 20 minutes for us to get a water and iced tea. So, it can be a hit or miss for service - I would not recommend coming if you are in a rush!

The overall atmosphere is great, and it's a fun place to be. I will definitely return for a donair, but not a side. Worthwhile to check out for a taste of...

A Delicious Halifax Hangout with a Dash of Brooke’s Magic!" If you're looking for a place where your taste buds can have as much fun as you do, Blowers & Grafton is the spot! Having read some of the positive reviews we went in expecting a good meal, but I left with a full belly, great memories, and the sense that we have definitely found our new favorite hangout.

From the moment we walked in, the delicious aromas instantly made us drool— but let’s talk about the real star of the show: Brooke, our fabulous server!

Brooke was like the magician of the day, effortlessly juggling orders, recommendations, and jokes that had us laughing. Need a drink? Brooke’s got you covered. Unsure what to order? She’ll guide you through the menu like a foodie Sherpa. Honestly, if she had recommended eating the napkins, we probably would’ve tried it (her suggestions were THAT good!).

Brooke, deserves a round of applause, and possibly a medal for patience with me. I kept on telling her that I would need to come back to see if the food was always this bad. THAT WAS A JOKE BY THE WAY! The food is like a rainbow in your mouth. She was like a dining ninja— making sure we were always smiling, and somehow predicting what we were craving before we even did. It's like she had a sixth sense for our table’s happiness!

The food? Let's just say, it was the kind of delicious that makes you question why you don't eat here every single day. The menu is extensive so be prepared to spend a while studying it. And don’t get me started on the drinks and cocktails. There is an extensive and eclectic drinks menu —each one tasted like a mini-vacation in a glass.

We went on a Saturday afternoon so it was reasonably quiet, but we are told that come the evenings, and especially Band nights, the atmosphere is exactly what you want for a Maritimes night out: lively without being too loud, cool without trying too hard. It's the kind of place where you can let loose, laugh with friends, and soak in some seriously good vibes.

So, if you're in the mood for great food, amazing service, and a side of fun, Blowers & Grafton has you covered. Just be warned—you’ll leave plotting your next visit before you even get to the parking lot.

Blowers and Grafton, you’ve got a winning combo of mouthwatering food and superstar staff. We’ll definitely be back! P.S. Remember to...