The Toucan — Restaurant in Ontario

They have a phone number - but do not use it? Called them multiple times over 3 days - at various times throughout the day. No answer and no reply to voicemails. Was coming from out of town and wanted to make a reservation for our larger group for the evening we arrived. One of our group members was able to make it a few hours early and went in person to request a reservation and was told that they don’t accept same-day reservations. Our group members responded saying we had been trying to contact the restaurant for 3 days with no success, & it wouldn’t have been same day if the restaurant was reachable. The hostess turned around and walked away with no response and a second server stated “we have a phone? I didn’t know”..

The rest of our party arrived later that evening at approximately 430/445. The inside of the restaurant was empty & there were 2 small parties on the patio. The tables available had pitchers / garbage on them but we sat down anyways.

One server was left to handle the entire patio that continued to fill up (~ 8 sittings). The services was very slow as the server did the best he could with the little support he had. Other staff came to drop off food but after 60 mins we had to ask to have the pitchers / garbage removed. We had to ask for pitchers water for the table because we were not offered any. Our food was very slow - it took about 2.5 hrs from arrival to cheque. The server was very kind and was doing the best he could! Which is what saved the review even though our experience was meh at best.

The unfortunate part is - we had informed them of our party coming and the time .. and the point of a reservation is to allow them to properly staff the restaurant.

The burger was a dry puck with sad wilted lettuce, the drinks were good but slow, and the fries were decent. I felt bill was affordable / prices were fair.

Upon leaving - we noticed the inside of the restaurant was still very much empty.. so I’m not sure why there was no additional support given to the only section with sittings.

The server we had did his best with the situation and he maintained a positive demeanour even with the speed bumps but the restaurant definitely...

I visited this bar last night with a friend, and unfortunately, our experience was far from pleasant. Upon arriving, we were greeted by a blonde woman (who we later found out was a manager) in a way that felt cold and unwelcoming. After seeing us exit my car, her first question to my friend was: "Do you intend to drink and drive?" She then asked me the same. I responded that I'm planning to have a single glass of beer. Once inside, we noticed that she was talking to all the staff around us where we sat, pointing at us, which made us feel uncomfortable and singled out for reasons we didn’t understand. When we tried to order a pitcher of beer, the bartender informed us that we weren’t allowed to order it, and that the manager had set limits on what both of us could drink, which is one glass of beer each. While I don't blame the bartender, as he was simply following instructions, the entire situation felt insulting to my intelligence and disrespectful. My friend and I couldn't help but feel discriminated against. Even if the manager had concerns about drinking and driving, her actions were heavy-handed and illogical. She didn't take into account that one of us would not be driving OR that we could leave the car overnight OR we could arrange with someone else for bringing the car back home or whatever other scenario as adults who can handle such situations (I'm 45 actually). Her approach felt more like an assumption of irresponsibility rather than reasonable management, and it left us feeling insulted. The situation could have been handled with more professionalism, and I believe an apology...

I usually visit Taucan every fortnight and truly appreciate the atmosphere, the friends I’ve made there, and the music on certain nights. However, I feel compelled to share some honest feedback regarding the service at the bar counter.

While I completely understand and respect the demands of working in customer service — especially during peak hours — I believe professionalism and courtesy should never be compromised. Unfortunately, I’ve repeatedly observed that some members of the bar staff come across as unfriendly, dismissive, and at times, unwelcoming. The overall attitude suggests an air of exclusivity and judgment, which can be quite off-putting.

To be clear, this is not about singling out any individual, nor is it an attempt to discredit the hard work of the entire team. It’s simply a suggestion to enhance the guest experience by fostering a more inclusive and respectful environment — even during busy hours.

I hesitate to bring this up, but I must admit there have been moments where the treatment I received felt tinged with bias, possibly even racial. While I’m not trying to play the “minority card,” it’s important to highlight how subtle disparities in service can affect someone’s sense of belonging.

I hope this feedback is taken constructively, with the intention of helping Taucan continue to grow as a truly inclusive and welcoming space...