Shaw Cafe & Wine Bar — Restaurant in Niagara-on-the-Lake

We came to this restaurant as a family—just me, my husband, and our child. But we were charged an 18% service fee simply because some of our friends were also dining at the same restaurant. Even though we were three completely separate families, sitting at different tables and ordering separately, the restaurant insisted on charging us as if we were a group of ten. They forced this fee on us just because we happened to know the other people.

This is completely unfair and unacceptable. I will definitely be leaving a review and posting about this on my Instagram so others are aware of this disrespectful practice. People deserve to know how customers are being treated. Also the quality is changed, because before that we came here, but now everything is changed and so bad, the food is not good here, I DONT recommend. And you can see in the pictures we seated on the table as 2 adults and one high chair. Since you responded to my friend’s review, I feel the need to clarify a few things as well.

Yes, we suggested to our friends that, since we were all gathered together, we should eat at your restaurant. When we arrived, we specifically told you we needed a large table. You led us to the left side of the restaurant — at 2 PM on Canada Day, in the blazing sun — and pushed together hot tables with burning chairs without even asking for our opinion. I politely asked if you could bring another umbrella since half of us were sitting directly in the sun, and you simply said, “We don’t have one.”

Still, we tried to be understanding. I asked for a high chair for my two-year-old son, and when it finally arrived, I asked where we should place it because there was clearly no space. Your answer? “We honestly don’t know, there’s no room.” That was shocking and embarrassing.

You seriously told me there was no space for my toddler to sit with his family? How can a restaurant manager — or owner — say something like that with a straight face?

When I asked to speak to the owner, the same man claimed to be both the manager and the owner. Maybe he is. Either way, the attitude was disgraceful. No professionalism, no courtesy. And now, after all this, you’ve blocked us just because we shared our experience and posted photos and reviews on Instagram and TikTok? Shame on you.

If this is the kind of rude and arrogant management running the place, I truly feel sorry for anyone else thinking of...

DO NOT EAT OR DRINK HERE BEFORE READING THIS OR THE OTHER REVIEWS. MANY BETTER DINING OPTIONS IN THIS AREA!!!! While traveling through Canada for several weeks, we decided to try the Shaw Café and Wine bar in Niagara on the Lake. During the time that we were in Canada, we had lots of fabulous meals, but unfortunately, I cannot say the same about the food or service at the Shaw Café and Wine bar. I normally check the reviews before trying a restaurant for the first time but the outdoor space was really lovely so we decided to try there. The food and the wine was marginal at best. We shared a wine flight, my boyfriend had the fish and chips and I tried the mixed green salad-nothing fancy, still mediocre at best. The staff was OK, but not available when we needed something. Inside the restaurant was dirty, especially the restrooms. I can't believe that this place has remained open based strictly on the cleanliness or rather, lack thereof. The incident that really made us angry happened as we were leaving. I left the terrace and got a few steps away and decided it would be best to go back and use the bathroom again. There was a tall, thin, black man standing behind the host stand. He stopped me as I was trying to walk inside the restaurant and said that I could not walk any further into the place. I told him that I had left there moments before after having a full meal and offered to show my paid receipt, almost $100 US. He continued by saying that the owner allows no one back in the restaurant once they leave the property. I am 69 years old was professionally dressed and had politely asked to use the bathroom again and I was sent away. I had a $4 breakfast sandwich at Tim Hortons the following morning and the 17 or 18 year-old young man that served me then was profoundly more professional than the host at Shaws . Nothing like this has ever happened to me in my travels around the world. REALLY DISAPPOINTING EXPERIENCE ALL...

Very Rude and Unfair Service – They Care More About Extra Charges Than Customers

We visited Shaw Café & Wine Bar (92 Queen St, Niagara-on-the-Lake) as three separate families. Since they couldn’t give us one large table, we clearly told them we were not together, wanted to sit at different tables, and pay separately.

But the staff – including the manager – were extremely rude and pushy. They told us we either had to sit together or leave. It honestly felt like they were trying to force us into being considered a “large group” just to charge the 22% service fee.

After a long argument, they finally let us stay – at three separate tables (two tables of 4 and one of 2). We ordered separately, sat apart, and got separate bills. But still – they added the 22% service charge to all of them, without telling us in advance!

When we questioned it, they raised their voices and treated us very disrespectfully. No one ever warned us that even if we sat apart, they would still charge us as one group. This felt dishonest and unfair.

The food was average, definitely not worth the price. But the terrible attitude and the way they tried to sneak in extra charges ruined the whole experience.

I’ve been living in Canada for years and have never seen such rude customer service. We left feeling disappointed and disrespected. Would never recommend this place to anyone.

Update in response to the owner’s reply:

We specifically asked to sit at separate tables, away from the sun, because it was over 32°C and we had kids and a senior with us. Your staff insisted we sit together under the sun — clearly to justify a large group charge — which we refused.

We ended up sitting separately, with separate orders and bills, yet still got charged as a large group. That’s unacceptable.

No one from our group yelled or was rude. In fact, it was your manager and staff who were disrespectful. Please don’t twist the facts — just listen...