Wellington Diner — Restaurant in Ottawa

Edit #2: I just walked passed this "busy restaurant with a high turn over" on a Friday night at 6:30pm, and it was empty. Maybe if the owner took feedback with an open mind instead of responding with insults, there would be more people in his restaurant. Or maybe the food and service is just not as good as he claims.

I came here to meet a friend for breakfast, and they would not seat me until my friend arrived. They claim they have a policy about this, since they are a "busy restaurant with a high turn over".

Fair point, but it makes for a pretty awkward situation for the person forced to wait. If your policy is to make people to wait for the rest of their "party" to arrive before allowing them to take a table, perhaps you could set up an area for them to sit, and help them feel a little more welcome. Doesn't really make me want to eat there or come back.

Edit: response to owner Thank you for following up. 👍 I don't recall talking to the owner, but I did talk to the hostess at the patio, and then enquired further inside. They did explain the situation, and as I mentioned, it is a fair point. However, I don't think your response below addresses my complaint, or my suggestion.

I understand that you don't want to have one person hold up a table for two when you can seat others ahead of them and continue to pull in profit. Especially as a small business. That doesn't change the fact that it makes you appear to value your profit over your guests, and therefore makes your business appear unwelcoming.

In my review, I offered an idea for a solution that would have made me consider sticking around after my friend "apparently" arrived 10 minutes later, instead of taking our business elsewhere. Which is what we ended up doing. This is your opportunity to address a valid criticism, and I do hope you will at least consider my suggestion. Wilf and Ada's has a similar challenge, and they handle it brilliantly. I go there regularly, and absolutely have no problem waiting for a table because they work hard to make sure the customer feels valued.

Ultimately, I just think it spoils the mood when a restaurant has a qualifier prior to allowing someone to sit in their restaurant. Like I said, it is unwelcoming. Though, not quite as unwelcoming as you instructing me to take my business to Chateau Laurier 😬. Well, thanks for the suggestion. I'll have a look into it. Have a great afternoon,...

I had a terrible experience here, as did my fiancé. The service was slow, the food was absolutely awful, and I honestly felt sick to my stomach afterwards.

I was really excited when I saw that they had tofu scrambles on the menu, because I absolutely love a good tofu scramble. However, I was sorely disappointed. It was a very small scramble, probably made with maybe 1/4 a block of tofu (which is apparently equivalent to the three eggs that are supposed to be in the scramble ????). The upcharge for that? 2.99. That is the price of one of the most expensive full blocks of tofu at the metro next door. The tofu I buy at home costs me 1.99 a block. On top of that, I wanted to swap olives for the feta cheese (I don't eat dairy), and not only was there a 2 dollar upcharge that my server didn't tell me about, but I don't think a single olive made it onto my plate. It was oily and gross, and there wasn't a bit of seasoning on there. I ate all of it, was still hungry, and now feel ill. Tofu isn't hard to cook, it really isn't. This was bland, mushy, and honestly, entirely flavourless. I shouldn't be hungry after spending almost 20 dollars on a plate of food, especially one this mediocre. Absolute trash. (Tofu scramble is pictured below).

But wait, there's more! My fiancé had a dish with lobster in it, and the lobster is frozen. How could we tell? The chunks of lobster were still cold on his plate, even though its supposed to be a hot dish. His pancake was underdone, and again, there was very little flavour.

The creamer on the table was spoiled, one of them actually fell out of the little cup in a giant chunk. They have to be kept cold, it even says so on each cup, there are absolutely no excuses for that.

We rarely saw our server, had to wait 15 minutes to be helped on a non-busy day, and waited a good 20 Minutes after we were done eating for her to even come back in the main room, so we could flag her down and pay the bill (which was almost 50 dollars).

Tldr; my fiancé and I are both sick from the food, it's flavourless, overpriced, and probably a health concern. Spend your money elsewhere, this place honestly shouldn't be here anymore.

If the owner is reading this - find a chef who can actually cook, or better yet,...

Ode to The Wellington Diner in the heart of Westboro

Upon a midday sunlit stroll, We found a gem, a diner whole, Where memories and meals entwine, In cozy charm and vintage shine.

A special day, a visit rare, My wife, her parents, from BC, there. Together we sought a joyful space, And Wellington Diner set the pace.

The Carnivore Poutine arrived, A feast for eyes and tastebuds, live! Each bite a song, a savory cheer, With Coke that flowed without frontier. A real straw, like days gone by, Sent sips of joy and sweet supply.

A chocolate shake, so rich, divine, Did tempt me like fate’s secret sign, The sword of Damocles, held high, To lure me back, I can’t deny.

Then came the fish, a golden prize, A hearty plate before our eyes. With hand-cut fries, so crisp, so fine, Succulent, hot, each bite divine.

The burger, juicy, bold, and kind, My wife was steered with heart and mind, The server, wise in guiding ways, Helped craft the best of dining days.

A California roll re-dressed, No bread, just wrap, at our request. Accommodation without delay, The kind of care that makes one stay.

And all this joy, this grand parade, For just one hundred bucks, well paid. Where else could four so richly dine, With beer and wine, for just that line?

And lo! The owner, passing through, To check if all was well and true. He shared with grace, with patient nod, Why menus now are spared the sod.

Though elders sighed for paper’s grace, We found delight in every face. This day, a gift we’ll long recall, With love and laughter shared by all. The Wellington, so true, so fine, Is now a memory...