The Cove Room — Restaurant in Ontario

I had heard many people speak high praise of the Cove room, and so I suggested to my wife that we have an evening out together. I was unaware that the hotel and restaurant prides themselves on having maintained the setting and decor as it had been in the 1940s. That was charming., but the menu also has not changed. When we were offered the salad cart to accompany our meal we eagerly said yes. When it arrived, much to our dismay, there wasn't a single green or leafy item to be found anywhere on it. Everything was either jellied, marshmallows, heavy with cream, or else sweetened in some fashion. The type of things that people thought of as salad back in the 1940s, but certainly not reflective of what most The type of stuff that might be considered to be a light dessert today. No lettuce, no carrots or tomatoes or fresh vegetables were to be located on that cart. The 2 couples at the table next to ours were excitedly praising the offerings on their cart as they talked amongst themselves, prompting me to look around the room where I realized that almost everyone else in the dining room had to be 30 to 40 years older than we were. I said to my wife, "I just realized that all of those glowing reviews I heard about the Cove room all came from people who were a generation or two older than we were. The fish and chips that we were served were wonderful, but the disappointment in the salad cart overshadowed our entire meal Don't go unless you are looking for a special treat for your great aunt or your...

I'm not really sure why this place is alway so highly reviewed. I think it's a generational thing. If you're under 50 you think it's just nothing special and highly over priced. If you're over 50 you have fond childhood memories?

It has a very old or "quaint" building which is cool and historic. But aside from that I don't get the appeal. I find their food mediocre at best. They reach to feel premium, but it comes off as pretentious and honestly their staff are descent at best. There is far better perch at the Dairy Bar for 1/4 the cost. And their chicken is just "ok". I find their ham and beef (both roast and steak) to be vile - fatty and poor cuts of meat. And the prices are easily double of other restaurants in the area, but often 3-4X higher.

If you want an upscale dining experience in Dover I'd say to try one of the other places. If you want fantastic perch, go to the Dairy Bar for 10$ and prepare to...

Popped onto the Cove Room patio for some perch, and unfortunately was disappointed. The perch was alright, but luke warm and underseasoned. The fish was accompanied by decent fries (though also not very hot), and a pedestrian medley of brocolli, cauliflower and carrots that had obviously come from a bag.

The "salads" that came with the meal were bizzare and heavy-laden with mayo or yogurt—soggy cucumbers; a bean salad; coleslaw, again soggy; and a marshmallow pineapple "sunshine salad" that tasted great, though it's from the 60s era!

The celery bread was fine, but overly greasy for my taste.

The service was prompt and friendly, and the outdoor lawn patio was pleasant, since place to spend a summer evening.

Sorry, but I'd save my money and go elsewhere next time...