Swiss Chalet — Restaurant in Niagara Falls

UPDATE - AUGUST 31, 2025. Thoroughly enjoyed my take out meal today. Swiss Chalet continues to be great choice for an affordable healthy meal. I had the Meal Deal (order at 11 am - prices may vary with the supper menu). Quarter Chicken, side, a starter and a drink for $18.99. Included chicken quarter (white meat +$2), garden salad, baked potato, with bottled water). Baked potato - great because not cooked in oil. Salad- extremely generous portion. Chicken - much healthier than many fast food options. Overall - great choice!

UPDATE - JUNE 28, 2024 Four subjects to discuss: Parking Inside Dining Food Evaluation Cost

PARKING Give credit where due, the restaurant has filled in the potholes in their parking lot.  Kudos to them.

INSIDE DINING DINING ATMOSPHERE First time for me eating in. There were plenty of seating areas, so no one should feel claustrophobic, and there was minimal wait time to be seated.

ORDERING /SERVICE The waitress was adequately attentive, only having to call her over twice. But not knowing the staffing levels, it is hard to assess this particular part properly. I did have an issue with her taking our order - she did not write it down, and as a result, she did forget one item I verbally ordered. I know that we all make mistakes, and yet I might encourage management to consider that all orders be written down, or they consider switching to an online ordering platform, just like they do with online takeout /delivery orders. Just a thought.

Still, I must give credit where credit is due.  My brother and I decided that, due to cost and my appetite level, that sharing a Chicken/Ribs combo meal would be best. Our server arrived with our order, and also with an empty plate, making our sharing the meal quite easy. So, thank you for accommodating our situation.

FOOD EVALUATION So, we ordered the Quarter Chicken with Ribs, with a side order of Market Vegetables,  baked potato, and gravy. Even with my food sensitivities, I was able to enjoy everything!

The Rotisserie Chicken was very good, and in our case, it was white meat. My brother indicated that he really loved the chicken, as did I. The BBQ Back Rib dropped off the bones and tasted excellent. (We ordered the Smokey BBQ sauce - again due to my food sensitivities). We shared the baked potato between us, with me adding gravy to the mix, for my half. It was very satisfying. The Market Vegetables had little to no salt on them, which is good health wise, but a little gravy found its way on my half. (Caution - I do love gravy on my potatoes and vegetables - I just try to keep it to a reasonable minimum.) (Just to mention, the veggies were a little on the cold side when served.)

Now, finally,the piece de resistance, desert! We ordered the cheesecake with strawberries on top. WOW! Both my brother and I agreed it was probably one of the best cheese cakes we've ever had. It was that good.

COST What a bummer that we have to discuss money, but yet it seems to make the world go round. Sharing the meal made it "affordable," so each ordering a meal is probably not in our future. .........................

WANNABE HEALTHY SIDE DISH CONNOISSEUR To be up front, my budget does not allow me to imbibe in the full menu at Swiss Chalet. But I am always on the lookout for affordable, healthy side dishes.

Just to be clear, I use both delivery (usually Uber Eats) and pick-up options.

SWISS CHALET actually has 3 great menu items:

BAKED POTATO with the choice of adding nothing, butter or sour cream, and chives OR a loaded baked potato with other options - no frying oil!

MARKET VEGETABLES This includes broccoli, cauliflower, and red peppers - a great, healthy mixture. Both these options have minimal sodium, which is a big plus.

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP I have also tasted their chicken noodle soup and found it quite delightful - but a little high in sodium content. I might suggest diluting the broth with water before consuming.

*OVERALL: Great choice for budget options when considering healthy, non expensive options in a...

I paid a visit to Swiss Chalet and left with the bittersweet feeling of having eaten a hug and a half, then asked for seconds and somehow got the entire bakery of my childhood handed back to me in a tote bag called “the sauce.”

First impression: a warm welcome so sincere it could have been pre-recorded by a sitcom producer. The hostess greeted us like we’d just solved a riddle about a missing sock and suddenly remembered where all the good napkins went. Then she did something even rarer than a unicorn: she seated us and, in a move straight out of Cheers, proclaimed, “Welcome home.” Not because we know her, but because, apparently, Swiss Chalet runs a customer service version of the TV show where everyone knows your name, even if you’ve only visited twice and your preferred sauce is the same as your favorite childhood chair that you outgrew in the early 2000s.

As for the food, the chicken was moist—an achievement so noble it deserves a small parade. The seasoning was bold enough to declare autonomy from ordinary poultry, which is to say: properly seasoned without needing a passport. And that sauce. If I could clone it, I would never leave the house again, because I would gain weight just looking at the bottle and thinking about dipping every possible thing I own into it. The sauce is the culinary equivalent of a vacation you don’t have to pack for: indulgent, comforting, and suspiciously addictive.

I’m writing this review days later, because I’m still physically recovering from a banquet that felt like a party where the momentum was “happy people, delicious food, energy galore,” and the only party crasher was gravity, politely asking if I’d like to stay for dessert. It’s not a place that wants to convert strangers into small talkers; it’s a place where everyone you know, already, seems to be inside the same conversation, even if you don’t know them yet. The energy is high, the chatter is cheerful, but the social mingling is strictly optional, which is oddly comforting in a world where you can be overwhelmed by acquaintances you didn’t realize you had.

This is Swiss Chalet as I remember it and perhaps as it should be: a reliable, cozy fortress of comfort, where the chicken earns its keep and the sauce earns your loyalty. I left with the feeling that this chain—this rare, nostalgic relic that somehow fits squarely in the present—has not, in fact, disappeared from every state due to a mysterious lack of demand, but because it’s been quietly rebranding as the only restaurant that believes in hosting you like a very well-fed, very cheerful long-lost cousin.

In short: if you’re feeling hungry for home, or a taste memory that doesn’t require you to attend a family reunion first, Swiss Chalet is the polite, slightly theatrical guardian of your appetite. The hostess will welcome you like you’ve come back from the far barbary of the grocery store, the chicken will remind you that life’s simpler when seasoned with confidence, and the sauce will tempt you into declaring a lifetime membership—if only they’d let you fit through the door...

We came from out of town after having to leave 2 other restaurants due to busy Mother’s Day wait times. From the moment we walked in, we were met with nothing but friendly and courteous service. The owner of the restaurant was at the front welcoming us to her establishment, presented both myself and my mother with beautiful fresh carnations, and offered to have our photo taken at the lovely rose heart display. We knew then, we were at the right place.

We were promptly seated at a comfortable table by a window and met with friendly service by Kelsi K. We gave our order right away because we are Swiss Chalet regulars and know what we like without question. We did have some special requests for our orders, and all of them were met perfectly.

Within a minute we had our drink order served and within 5 minutes, our appetizers arrived. Kelsi was quick and efficient while maintaining absolute care during our meal. Once we finished our appetizer, our meals were brought out straight away - fresh and hot from the kitchen - exactly as ordered. Management and our lovely waitress checked in on us numerous times throughout our meal and brought refills to us without asking.

When we were finally leaving the restaurant, the busy hostesses at the front stopped what they were doing to take a moment and thank us for our visit, gave us each Lindor chocolates and showed true appreciation for our visit.

After having frequented several Swiss Chalets across Ontario and Quebec; we can confidently say this was the BEST Swiss Chalet we have ever visited and experienced. We will definitely be returning when we come back into Niagara Falls.

Kudos to all of the lovely staff at Swiss Chalet in Niagara Falls! You all had made us feel loved...