Harpo's Restaurant — Restaurant in Oshawa

Visited for first time Wednesday evening 5pm with my husband for my birthday celebration. Could only get 5pm to 6:30 slot ( a bit early but only option) limited capacity. Got there and asked to sit in conservatory area. Only one couple already there. Told by server, no, it was set up for 4 people. Had to sit elsewhere...foursome never showed while we were there and she could have sat us at another table that held the napkins. Would not over capacitate limit I asked for an old fashioned cocktail from the drinks menu. The server asked ME how do you make that again? I looked at the menu and said, bourbon and angostura bitters. I got a glass full of soda in my old fashioned and tons of ice! Nothing near like an old fashioned. My husband asked for well done prime rib. He got three thin slices of what appeared to be some kind of meat...maybe sirloin from a roast beef slathered in thick gravy. He told the server that it was not prime rib. She said sometimes it has a bone and sometimes not and brought him three more slices of this same meat with more thick gravy. My medium well with pink inside filet mignon was blackened and bacon wrapped was burnt with no pink! She had told us at the beginning we had to be out by 6:20 Therefore no time for coffee and desert! A very expensive meal, rushed to eat and get out could not sit where we wanted, not how or what we expected the meat to be cooked or even what the meat was? Only nice thing...the Birthday 🎂 desert...was nice and had a fancy sugar crystal top...but could not eat it at the table as we had to put on our coats to leave! Yes, it is covid times and yes we had only a 5pm choice but not getting to sit where we wanted and could have, not knowing how to make a cocktail that was on the drinks list, not preparing the filet mignon to order but burnt, a non prime rib with thick gravy, to ask for water ..rushed to leave..not an enjoyable celebration and way too expensive for what we did not get ...just as well there was only the two of us and not our whole family as usually done. It would have been a very expensive and more disappointing celebration Never again...we will stick to the Keg...

I should have mentioned this was pre-COVID. I assure this happened.

Place was recommended to us by neighbours, first experience was really good. The second.....not so much. Went there on a Friday, seemed very quiet but there was a couple other tables of people. Ordered our food and then I mentioned to my wife that there was only one steak on the grill(so it must be mine as the other tables were already eating), I said I hope I am wrong because the the steak had been on fire for a few minutes. When the guy cooking came out he was startled to see and then flipped the steak(looked at us sheepishly) and then proceeded to take steak off grill. I figured he was getting another, nope......a minute later the steak was in front of me, I turned it over and it was charred-hard black to the point it was crunchy. I called the waitress over and when I pointed it out to her she asked "you don't like it this way???" I said I ordered Med-rare, she said would talk to the chef. I was then told that's the way it should be. Try it, you'll be surprised how much you like. I tried a bite or two and told her I can't. She then said fine and took it away without saying anything. Did not come back to ask for additional drinks or desserts but the next time we saw her was to give us the bill. The steak was on it! I said there is no way I should have to pay, then the chef came out and added to the situation with bad attitude. Finally she said she would call the owner and after a few minutes came back to say the owner said, "fine, let him have his free steak." Really, "free steak", maybe if I ate it. It's a shame because I was hoping this could be our local steak place.......we have not been back. It's a shame because I prefer this type of place as opposed to a chain(Keg, Wildfire), but maybe there is something to be said for their...

Went with my wife for my birthday last night and left pretty disappointed. I've lived locally and driven past the restaurant since it was open and after finally trying it. I don't think I will go back.

I got the lobster ravioli. It was good but for $48 I had 4 ravioli on the plate, which if I didn't know were lobster I would have assumed they were cheese ravioli. It also came with 3 baby scallops which were not seared. It also came with 3 shrimp. Very small portion that left me still hungry upon completion. Appetizer was french onion soup which was very good.

My wife got the filet mignon which she ordered medium but was blue in the centre. Steak was also under seasoned and had next to no sear and came completely grey. Veggies on the side tasted of nothing but pepper. For a $56 plate this was very disappointing.

Dessert was the best part of the meal. We had the a cherry cheesecake and chocolate cake. Both were excellent.

Service was friendly but nothing really beyond taking the orders. Atmosphere was also kind of odd, the layout feels kind of like the lobby of a hotel or a funeral home. Lights were very bright and our table kind of felt like it was plopped in the centre of the room.

Overall our bill was $200.01 ($230.01 after tip) and it just was not worth the price tag at all. I feel like Harpos is really selling a fine dining experience with their menu and prices but offering nothing close to a fine dinging experience with food quality, portion sizes or atmosphere.

I think for the price tag, you'd be significantly happier going to: Chanterelle (Bowmanville) KB or The Springwood (Whitby) and getting a proper fine dining experience.

Very disappointed. $230.01 for mediocre food, and left...