Mosaic — Restaurant in Hamilton

Stopped in once late at night for some drinks. There were 7 people in total in the bar, including us, and a gentleman who identified himself as one of the owners. It took the bartender over 15 minutes to bring us 3 beers and a double rum and coke. My wife has been a bartender for 17 years, so when she got a drink that was overflowing with ice and tasted like watered down flat pop she was not impressed. So when we ordered our 2nd round for last call both of us ordered mixed drinks, but requested there to be no ice. It took the bartender 20 minutes to bring that round, and my drink had no ice but my wife's drink was again overflowing with ice. We asked for it to be fixed but the bartender walked away and never came back to the table. My wife's drink was so watered down it was almost clear and didn't even taste like there was alcohol in it, just like the last. Feeling bad for her I immediately fished out all the ice and traded drinks with her, but my drink was also flat and tasted like there was little to no alcohol in it. My wife immediately got suspicious that the liquor was watered down, having worked at establishments that have done it in the past, so we just left our drinks and walked out. I didn't care for the 1st drink I ordered which was a Cider, but that was not the bar's fault. As we were leaving we realized that the slow, terrible service was in fact caused from the bartender hanging out with "the owner" drinking instead of doing her job. If you don't mind waiting 20 minutes for a drink and are only going to order what's on tap, then it's a nice little establishment. If you're looking for mixed drinks, just go somewhere else. Considering my wife doesn't drink beer, we most likely won't be returning, which is unfortunate because there place has a great chill vibe to it, with a very...

Mosaic has a nice, relaxed atmosphere. It's new, so it's missing the specific charms of worn surfaces and permanent stains, but that doesn't hold it back. The walls sport an ever-changing display of art from local artists. The draft beer options rotate, with favourites sticking around or reappearing. And the food offerings are very tasty, pairing well with drinks and camaraderie.

It's been fun watching Mosaic develop over the year and a half (IIRC) since it opened. The owners have been trying out different events, different menus, different cocktails and so on, gradually converging on the offerings that work best. It's clear that the bar is run by people who love bars and genuinely want to provide a positive experience for their patrons. I've never regretted going a few minutes out of my way to...

This is my local go-to spot for drinks. Good atmosphere and crowd, with Trivia on wednesdays (I think its wednesdays) and good walk-out deals. They have some board games near the back, so its a fun little spot for a game night too. During the summer the patio is really nice, with plenty of seating and moody chili lights. Everyone there always seems to be in good spirits and its easy to strike up conversation with just about anyone hanging out there. Been going here for years and don't think I've ever seen someone who was over-served or way too drunk to be there, either. Definitely recommend, the only downside to it is that it opens later in the day (Some days not until 5pm) so the afternoon or evening is...