Ale House — Restaurant in Hamilton

I have been a customer at this restaurant for over thirty five years with name changes and different owners

In the last year or so the restaurant was sold and new owners have taken over . I notice that immediately they tweaked the menu , not too much but typical for new owners wanting to put their own stamp on a place .

Because of the lockdowns over the last fifteen months my wife and I have ordered from various local bars and restaurants ,usually about three times a week .The Ale House was on our list of places we used . We never had an issue with the previous owner ,everything we ordered was usually as we expected it to be . I usually ordered the New York steak and it was always perfect .

Since the new owner took over I have ordered the lemon pepper haddock and the curry cream haddock and it was very good . Another time I ordered the filet mignon ,and it was ok . The last time we ordered my Wife ordered a baked potato and when she opened it up it looked like it had been baked a day or two previous . Because of that we dropped this restaurant from our list .

Yesterday we noticed ( on Facebook ) they had steak pie and a T bone steak on the menu ,so we decided to try them again . My Wife called in the order and she was told we could pick up the order in twenty five minutes . After twenty minutes I set of to collect the order .

When I got to the restaurant I was told it wasn’t quite ready , so I waited about ten or fifteen minutes . That was no problem ,I know it takes time to prepare food .

I got the food home and we open up the packages ,my Wife’s meal was steak pie and mashed potatoes . The whole meal was smothered in gravy and the pastry topping was a bit undercooked .

My meal was the T bone steak , I asked for it to be cooked medium well and I wanted mashed potatoes and caesar salad .

It turned out that my steak was cooked medium and my potatoes were covered in gravy . no where on the menu did it mention that my meal came with gravy , one thing I don’t like is mashed potatoes and gravy . Upon further inspection my potatoes looked as if they had been microwaved and mashed with a fork ,they were very lumpy and dry . We don’t know if my Wife’s potatoes were the same as mine as they were so saturated in gravy .I couldn’t eat the steak as it had blood dripping from it . My Wife wasn’t impressed with the steak pie and she says it has gone down hill in recent months .

So for $38.00 I got a Caesar salad and my wife had the steak in the steak pie .I phoned to complain and the lady who answered the phone said she was sorry and she would tell the Chef .

I realize that in these COVID time , things are tough for small businesses , times are tough for everyone . But because of this bad experience we have had to take The Ale House off our list again . It’s sad but they made no effort to make...

Generous portions at a great price but a disappointing experience. Locating parking in this strip mall might be challenging at certain times of the day. Prior to entering the restaurant there’s a mishmash of tables chairs piled up from the summer season, I suspect, under an awning which does not lend itself to pleasant ambiance. Upon entering the restaurant there is no one to seat you and i walked up to the server who told me to sit at any available table and she’d be right over. The decor of this pub has a lot of paraphernalia on the walls with big screen TVs playing sports. There’s a large pool table in middle which wasn’t used this lunchtime. There was only one server for the entire restaurant which did make for a lengthy wait for the food and bill. Additionally there was no service checkup after the food was delivered. Of my party of 4, two of us ordered the prime rib steak/jumbo shrimp. One ordered the shepherd’s pie and the other other was fish/chips. The portions were generous and service was friendly. The steak was chewy and the shrimp was rubbery. The fish/chips were good albeit that the batter had a bit of a sweetness. The shepherds pie was good and tasty. Halfway thru the meal one diner in my party noticed a long hair buried under the chips which was distressing. We informed the server who was apologetic and offered to remake the dish. We accepted but by that time the appetite was spoiled and it was decided to take the rest of the remade dish in a container. The overall cleanliness of the establishment...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Hidden Gem Worth Discovering

Tucked away at the end of a small plaza on Upper Gage, The Ale House completely blew away all my expectations. From the outside, it looks like your typical strip mall pub—but once you step inside, it’s something special. The place is packed with character: vintage license plates, old-school signage, and even nostalgic currency encased in epoxy under the bar. It’s quirky, whimsical, and immediately feels like a hidden local treasure.

Four of us dined out on the patio, each ordering something different from the menu—and every single dish was a hit. Portions were huge, the presentation was spot on, and the flavors were incredible. I ordered the lamb shank dinner, and I can honestly say it was the best I’ve had in over 10 years—fall-off-the-bone tender and rich in flavor.

The nachos were piled high and loaded with goodness, and the wings were crisp, juicy, and perfectly seasoned. This place is firing on all cylinders, and I’m honestly shocked I hadn’t heard about it sooner.

Without a doubt, I’ll be back again (and again) to explore more of their menu. My next plan of attack is the 20 ounce Tomahawk steak on the menu…If you’re looking for top-tier comfort food with generous portions and a cool, nostalgic vibe—The Ale...