Restaurant Caramela — Restaurant in Gatineau

I usually don't write bad reviews, but this place stuck out to me enough to warrant writing one. To start, the service was horrible. We seated ourselves, grabbed our own menus, and when it came time to order, we were told that our choices of food were out of stock. Understandable, but you should always tell your customers what's not available before they make a decision. I opted for the tilapia, rice as a side and taquitos. I'm a little confused as to why Mexican food is served at an African place, let alone COSTCO brand taquitos. My girlfriend had boneless chicken. Despite being the only people in the restaurant, we waited around 40 minutes for our food, which turned out to be some of the worst food I'd ever eaten. The seasoned rice was very oily and tasted flavourless. Not only that, but the rice was served piping hot in a very hot bowl. The only way to achieve this is by MICROWAVING old rice. Ugh. The tilapia was served as a whole fish, gutted and fried. Unfortunately it was old and devoid of all moisture and flavour. Not only that, but the boneless chicken my girlfriend ordered had...

I had the pleasure of dining at Caramela in Gatineau on February 1st with my spouse and another couple, and it was an exceptional experience from start to finish.

The atmosphere of the restaurant is clean and modern, creating a welcoming environment that immediately set the tone for a lovely evening. The decor is tasteful, adding to the overall vibe without being overwhelming.

Now, let’s talk about the food—simply outstanding! Each dish was a delightful experience, expertly prepared and bursting with flavor. We also indulged in some cocktails, which were equally impressive. They were well-crafted and complemented our meals perfectly.

The service was another highlight. Our server was attentive and friendly, ensuring that we had everything we needed without being intrusive. It was clear that the staff takes pride in their work, contributing to the overall positive experience.

In summary, Caramela is a gem in Gatineau. With excellent food, fantastic cocktails, and attentive service, I can’t recommend it highly enough. We’ll definitely...

Très mauvaise expérience. Ma copine avait réservé une table il y a plus d’un mois pour célébrer sa graduation. Nous sommes arrivés à 17h, le restaurant était vide, mais le gérant nous a immédiatement informés qu’il était strictement interdit d’apporter notre propre alcool, ce que nous ignorions — j’ai donc immédiatement remis les bouteilles dans la voiture. Par respect pour l’occasion, nous avons tout de même commandé une bouteille de champagne à plus de 160$.

Après avoir commencé à boire, la serveuse vient nous informer que ce soir-là, c’est buffet seulement — une information qui ne nous avait jamais été donnée à la réservation, ni à notre arrivée. Nous avons attendu près d’une heure avant de pouvoir passer nos commandes, la serveuse a pris nos noms… mais les plats sont arrivés deux heures plus tard. Pour couronner le tout, ma commande n’a jamais été servie. Trois heures après notre arrivée, j’ai finalement dû annuler mon plat.

Aucune attention, aucun respect du service, aucune organisation. Pour un événement aussi important que la graduation de ma copine, cette soirée a été gâchée. Je ne recommande absolument pas ce restaurant et je n’y remettrai plus jamais les pieds.

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Terrible experience. My girlfriend made a reservation over a month in advance to celebrate her graduation. We arrived at 5:00 PM — the restaurant was completely empty — and the manager immediately told us that bringing our own alcohol was strictly forbidden (something we were unaware of). I respectfully brought the bottles back to the car and still decided to order a $160+ bottle of champagne to celebrate the occasion.

About 30 minutes into our meal, the waitress informed us that tonight was buffet only, which we had not been told when booking nor when arriving. We waited nearly an hour just to place our orders. After giving her our names, our food took another two hours to arrive, and in the end, my plate never came. After three hours in the restaurant, I had to cancel my order altogether.

No attention to service, no sense of organization, no respect for the occasion. This was supposed to be a memorable night for my girlfriend’s graduation, and it was completely ruined. I do not recommend this restaurant and will...