Plank Restobar Augusta — Restaurant in Hamilton

Booked a table for a party of 15-20 people in September for my wife's birthday party. The restaurant charged us a minimum set menu with a fixed price because of our large group. We were looking forward to having a good night of celebrations. What we didn't realize that the restaurant snuck in a 2 hour time limit in one of the emails. A 2 hour time limit on a party of 15-20 people where I paid 667$ just to make my reservation.

My wife and I arrived early and waited for our table to get ready. As anyone in the real world knows a party of 15-20 people will rarely arrive at the same time. People have different commitments and some of our friends got there a bit later. We were later blamed because some of our friends got to the table after the reservation time.

An hour and a half into our night we were approached by a staff member and informed that we had a 2 hour time limit and would have to vacate our table within 15 minutes. Our food was still being delivered to our table, our guests still ordering beverages, others looking at menus, my wife's birthday cake in the fridge, and we are being told to wrap it up because we were on a 2 hour time limit which we were not even aware of.

The manager Kate came over to challenge us in front of all of our guests as we made our case that we were not informed of this time limit. In fact we were shocked that the restaurant would book a large party like ours for a two hour window and charge us a minimum $667 dollars.

Kate clearly saw that my wife was upset, completely unaware and shocked of why we were being kicked out. Instead of trying to find a solution she demanded that we look through our emails as this time limit was written somewhere in our initial correspondence.

Kate advised us that there was another large group that was booked after us. When we asked her if they also had to spend a minimum amount of money to come there she said no. She did not have an answer as to why we were charged a minimum $ amount, given a 2 hour dine in window, and the party after us did not have the same rules applies to them.

After several back and worth negotiations my party decided that their night at Plank has been ruined and decided to leave as it was no longer enjoyable. The other party that was booked after us was nowhere to be seen. Other seating area was available as we were leaving out of the restaurant.

We came in with a birthday cake in hand an were forced to walk out with it. What a terrible night.

There are several lessons here for anyone that is planning to attend this restaurant. My advice is to go somewhere else. I will not be attending Plank again, and will not recommend...

This is a challenging review to leave because I want to see new restaurants in hamilton Thrive. But I can’t. As someone who has worked in the industry for 10 years I was absolutely shocked to witness the lack of customer service within this establishment.

I attended a friends group party there last night. As we were all eating the waitress comes over to tell us we have to leave in 30 minutes. Which sadly is not up to the waitress. It is up to the manager. She should’ve never been responsible for that delivery. That was the first mistake. Obviously it was a shock to us as we’re still eating because the food was still coming out, while being told we had to leave shortly.

I sat there and witnessed. In fact I recorded it because I was in such shock. As we all sat there watching the manager Kate speak down to the host and her husband stating it’s not her problem that the event coordinator did not inform the customer on the time limit of the table. There were 0 apologies or corrections.

I however ordered a drink from our waitress. Waited 25 minutes for it. As I asked her where it was she yells at my husband saying our group is “abusing her” referring to the host refusing to tell her guests that they have to leave as they’re still eating. Although I absolutely understand how frustrating it can be to be a waitress dealing with poor management. It is not professional to unleash on the customers. As we waited for our bills she stormed out crying and swearing towards the kitchen leaving us there with no bills.

And then to top it off after writing a formal complaint. The restaurant tells us to remove all of our reviews. Why on earth would we remove reviews that were our true experience.

There are very simple protocols for enforcing reservation limits. Having the customer acknowledge it at time of booking. Explaining time limits upon party arrival. Guiding the food and cake according to that time limit.

I understand that busy nights are stressful but it should never be the customers fault. Kate presented extremely poor customer service and management protocols. I feel sad for her staff, the establishment, and mostly the customer who spent the $600 minimum on appetizers to be removed within 2 hours.

I will not be back and will be sharing my experience with those who ask me how it was.

It’s a shame because the Oakville location holds a much higher standard.

Save your money and support another...

My recent visit to this restaurant on a sunny Sunday for my friend's birthday left me pleasantly surprised. From the moment we arrived, the staff displayed exceptional service, exuding warmth and friendliness. We opted to sit on the comfortable patio, enjoying the lively atmosphere and the beautiful weather.

As a vegetarian, my friend was pleased to find a selection of appealing dishes. The Brussel sprouts were an absolute highlight, impressing us with their delightful flavor. The combination of spices and the perfectly cooked texture earned them a well-deserved rating of 5 out of 5. The Cauliflower Fritters exceeded our expectations in both portion size and taste, receiving an outstanding score of 6 out of 5. The crispy exterior and the flavorful interior made them a true winner.

The Margarita Pizza, while generally satisfying, fell just short of perfection. We felt that it could have benefited from a slightly longer cooking time to achieve a more thoroughly melted cheese and a crisper crust. Nevertheless, the overall taste and quality were commendable, warranting a rating of 4.5 out of 5.

On the other hand, the Rueben Spring Rolls left us somewhat disappointed. Despite the intriguing concept, they turned out to be dry, even with the accompanying sauce. While they were not terrible, they didn't quite reach the level of excellence found in the other dishes, resulting in a rating of 3 out of 5.

The positive aspects of our experience far outweighed the minor drawbacks. The superb service, comfortable patio setting, and the standout dishes left us eager to return. The restaurant succeeded in creating an inviting atmosphere where we felt welcomed and well taken care of.

In conclusion, this establishment provides a delightful culinary experience with friendly and attentive service. The carefully crafted vegetarian options, such as the memorable Brussel sprouts and the irresistible Cauliflower Fritters, are evidence of the kitchen's commitment to quality. While there were a few small areas for improvement, I would not hesitate to visit again and recommend this restaurant to others seeking a satisfying and enjoyable...