Saga Board Games & Coffee — Restaurant in Ontario

Our visit today was far from ideal. We arrived just 15 minutes after opening, and it was immediately clear that the person running the place was disorganized. I came in with a supported individual, which makes the way the situation unfolded even more frustrating.

We had never been there before, and I made that clear from the start. I didn’t know how things worked, but he explained that you had to pay to play board games since they took up space — fair enough. So we ordered a coffee and a bagel and settled in while more people came in. That’s when everything started going downhill.

During the ordering process, it was also apparent that he had zero patience for my supported individual. He became visibly frustrated when my individual wasn’t quick with his responses, which was not only inappropriate but incredibly unkind and unprofessional.

We waited an hour and a half for our simple order — a coffee and a bagel. During that time, we saw multiple people who had ordered after us receive their food. Others were also frustrated and asking for refunds. We asked for a reimbursement as well, only to be told that since the food was already being made, we would still have to pay. I politely pointed out that we had been waiting for an hour and a half, and he snapped back with, “What do you see? I’m freaking busy.” I was stunned but acknowledged that it was busy, but waiting that long — especially as the first people to order — was unacceptable.

When our order finally arrived, it was incorrect. We tried to explain that, but he got argumentative and insisted it was what we had ordered. I calmly explained again that it wasn’t and that we couldn’t take it. Eventually, he remade the order and handed it over with a snide remark, “I made it again because you wouldn’t take the other one.” I clarified: “It’s not that I wouldn’t take it — it’s that it wasn’t what I ordered.” When I pointed out that I’m allergic to sesame seeds and would never order an everything bagel, that seemed to catch him off guard, but instead of apologizing, he just rolled his eyes and walked away. From one business owner to another, even if it is a simple mistake you’re supposed to acknowledge what happened. Apologize and move on not gaslight your customers.

I left with my blood boiling. How can one person be so disorganized, dismissive, and outright disrespectful all at once? We won’t...

Waited 37 minutes for one single drink. Terribly understaffed, and no sense of urgency. There was one staff member present making all the orders. When I walked in he said there were about six orders ahead of me. That’s fine. Then I realized the staff member was alone making sandwiches and drinks for every customer ahead of me as well as delivering them directly to the table, all the while taking orders from people who were coming into the cafe. In addition to that, he was warning each customer that came in of the delay, which turned away about five customers in the 37 minutes I was waiting. Logically, there should be at least two staff present - one to make food, and one to make drinks, and maybe even asking the customer to come retrieve their orders from the counter in order to save time. Or having the sandwiches pre made in order to make it easier for the staff. Today the Covent Market across the street was closed and I saw a lot of customers turn from those doors and try to come to your cafe. That is something you might have considered and had an extra staff member present...

My husband and I stopped by Saga for coffee and board games, and we had such a great time! With a huge selection of board games, card games, and even puzzles, there was no shortage of options to keep us entertained.

The cozy and welcoming atmosphere makes it a great spot whether you’re looking for a fun date spot or a group hangout. They have a variety of table sizes, so whether it’s just the two of you or a bigger crew, there’s plenty of space to spread out and play. The game play fee was totally worth it, and we could’ve easily spent even more time there.

One tip—if you're heading there on a weekend, reservations are a good idea! The coffee shop was busy when we went on a Sunday, and I could see why. Their website wasn’t super clear on fees and booking details, but a quick message on social and a phone call got us all the info we needed. Their team was super friendly and quick to respond.

If you’re looking for something different to do, this place is such a fun find. Great coffee, great games, and a great way to bring out a little friendly...