Unionville Arms Pub & Grill — Restaurant in Markham

Dear Unionville Arms Management,

I am writing to express my deep dissatisfaction and disbelief regarding the experience my friend and I endured at The Arms tonight. The level of unprofessionalism displayed by our server, Thadcha and bartender (I believe his name is Gill) has left us questioning the standards and integrity of your establishment, which we have been loyal to for several years.

Our evening started on a sour note as Thadcha repeatedly delayed taking our orders, opting to sit down at a table and neglect her responsibilities (which had unfortunately happened most times she has been our server). This negligence persisted throughout the night, culminating in an absurd rush to close the restaurant prematurely.

We were informed that the kitchen closed at 9:30, and we were hurriedly presented with our bill at 10:00PM during the supposed last call. This rush was inexplicably enforced as staff began stacking chairs around us at 9:30PM, creating an uncomfortable and unwelcome atmosphere.

Thadcha's attempt to take away a half-full drink, accompanied by the remark, "Sorry ladies, we're closed," was not only disrespectful but also contradicted the posted operating hours, which clearly indicated closing at 12PM. When we questioned this inconsistency, Thadcha informed us that closing hours depend on "who is there that day."

Our request to wait 10 minutes inside for our ride, given that we are two young girls in our early 20s, the late hour, and freezing temperatures, was met with an audibly dismissive conversation between Thadcha and Gill from across the restaurant. Gill, who refused to address us directly after asking to speak with him twice, asserted that we weren't allowed to stay because "last call was an hour ago," leaving us stranded outside in the cold. Thadcha said that she lived in Oshawa and he lives in Toronto so they both just wanted to go home.

The lack of professionalism and empathy displayed by your staff, including Gill's refusal to engage directly with customers, was not only shocking but also deeply distressing. We felt like an inconvenience from the moment we walked in, an experience further exacerbated by the confusion and dissatisfaction of three other surrounding tables.

Being escorted out by Thadcha while Gill observed and a busser peered at us from the back, exemplified a level of customer service that is not only unacceptable but also deeply disappointing. As seasoned servers ourselves, with over 8 years of experience, we understand the importance of respecting restaurant hours and maintaining a welcoming environment for patrons. We tipped well and ensured ahead of time that we checked restaurant hours so we wouldn’t be burdening anyone with staying past closing time.

As previously loyal customers, our intention in bringing this to your attention is not to tarnish the reputation of Unionville Arms or be a “Karen”, but rather to prompt a serious review of the service standards within your establishment. We trust that you will take immediate and comprehensive action to rectify these issues, ensuring that no other patrons experience the distress we...

I loved this place. The staff is friendly. I used to watch EPL and Champions League games here all the time. The patrons are inviting and friendly as well. I've been going here for years and years. I went today after an 11 hour shift at work just looking to unwind, have a couple of drinks and dinner. I was sitting at the bar. I talked to a couple of people. There was a couple behind me and we were talking about music. The female had no accent but pronounced words a little differently--similar to how Indians swap W's for V's and vice versa. So when she said a specific word, I had to ask her to repeat it a couple of times because she said that particular word with an accent. Although she didn't speak with one. It was an honest misunderstanding that I was asking clarification for. Her boyfriend thought I was being racist and offensive. I said I wasn't and I apologized for the misunderstanding. He told me to 'shut up, turn around and eat my food.' he insulted me 3 times in total and stood over my shoulder and stared at me 3 times. I said said, 'it was an honest misunderstanding. But I can see how you might perceive it as an offense. I didn't mean it that way." I don't remember what he said, but I do remember replying, "go ahead, I have my back to you. You can smash my face into the bar and I wouldn't even see it coming." He left to have a smoke with his girlfriend and just stood at the bar staring me down for a good 10-15 seconds. After leaving and speaking to the manager on th way out. The manager, Elijah, told me I should apologize and that they were his friends. I said, "I'm not apologizing. I did nothing wrong. He threatened me. Why isn't he apologizing? And if he's your friend then you should know that he clearly has a temper." I got my bill tipped 0% told the bartender that she was wonderful, but this was one of the worst experiences I've had here in 5 years as a patron. And I won't come back."

Otherwise the food is good. The staff is friendly. The beer selection is great. But... That was a one off, I guess. I just wish the manager had asked me what happened as opposed to listening to just his friend.

I don't go there often enough to be a regular. So I don't imagine they'd miss my money. But I don't like...

Honestly, this wasn’t my first choice for dinner in Unionville, but my friends wanted to try it so I agreed. However, I don’t think this is a place I will be coming back to.

I think the first thing and most important thing to keep in mind when dining is the price, and this place is definitely over priced for the quality of food that you get. I got the chicken Parmesan, a piña colada and the nachos (that we split 3 way) and the total amount I paid with tips was $50. $50 for one person is simply outrageous especially considering how poor the food was.

Firstly, the chicken Parmesan I ordered comes with a side Cesar salad and garlic bread. I love salads so I thought I’d enjoy this one. However, this barely qualifies as a salad because I was simply served chopped lettuce mixed with a dressing and about 4-5 croutons. No cheese, no dry seasonings or anything else to make it stand out. I usually get the salad kits from the grocery store for $5 and that comes with dressing, dry seasoning, more croutons and Parmesan cheese. So if a grocery store can do it, I sure hoped a grill could.

Secondly, when the all our food came but the piña colada I order didn’t, I asked about its whereabouts and the server was told by the bartender that a kid on the patio was now enjoying it. At the time, it was just funny to me and they got me another one, however, I know some others may not find it as humorous.

Thirdly, the chicken itself was very, very dry and hard to cut through. They tried to make up for it by slathering it in marinara sauce and cheese, but it really did not help matters much.

The nachos themselves left little to be desired as well. They were super bland and dry and definitely could be made better at home with store bought ingredients. My friends didn’t seem to enjoy their dishes much either. We ended up heading to the confectionary down the street to revive our tastebuds.

Overall, I honestly would not recommend going here, especially if you are on a budget. There are better places on Mainstreet Unionville that offer much better food at much better prices. For a one time thing, we didn’t mind as much, but it’s definitely not the best...