Room 797 — Restaurant in Saugeen Shores

This restaurant has real culinary talent in the kitchen, but an unwelcoming or condescending attitude at the front can sour the overall experience

TDLR: We visited this restaurant as a group of four while on holiday at a nearby cottage. Our experience was mixed.

On the day of our reservation, I called to see if we could move it one hour later. The man who answered was curt, responding only with “we can do 5:30.” When I reiterated I was hoping for a later time, he simply said “nope” and hung up. This set the tone before we even arrived. At the door, a snarky sign suggesting that making a reservation is a “neato idea” reinforced that unwelcoming vibe.

The highlight here is the food — it’s excellent. Our server was kind, attentive, and clearly working hard in a busy setting. We ordered: • Root vegetable salad – okay, though very crunchy/raw in texture; pickled flavours were the standout. • Spring rolls – 7/10, nice but under-seasoned for our tastes. • Caesar salad – 6/10, decent. • Pickerel (two orders) – 9/10, perfectly done. • Pork loin with sausage – nicely plated (7/10); cabbage component made the dish.

This restaurant has real culinary talent in the kitchen, but an unwelcoming or condescending attitude at the front can sour the overall experience. Dining out is about more than just eating — it’s about feeling welcome. Owners who understand that tend to last through tough times. With such strong food, it’s a shame the atmosphere...

Enjoyed first eat-in meal in a long long time. So nice to be back. Very pleasant small venue with enticing menu and very reasonable prices. I had the duck breast with white cheddar gratini potatoes, green beans and spaghetti squash all with a brandy jus. Clever combination of complementary and tasty items! Presentation was lovely. My partner had a steak that was perfectly done to a medium rare with frites on the side. We shared a mocha creme brule for desert. Satisfying and delicious without feeling too full. Everything about this place suggests a well thought out strategy of scale. The restaurant is small enough to be intimate but not cramped. The wine list isn't so long to be confusing, but contains enough choices to match the menu well. Spirits & cocktails not exhaustive but again adequate - e.g. several Scotches from Highlands to Islay to Speysides plus a few Irish whiskeys. Appetizers and entree menu varied but still fits on one page. These folks aren't trying to do everything, but handily manage to do just the right things for an excellent and satisfying experience. Last, the staff are so very pleasant and friendly and just seem to enjoy their guests. We felt welcome and appreciated. Highly...

I found this restaurant by happy accident, while driving through Southampton, and I’m thrilled I did. It was NOT at all what I was expecting, in a town where dining options have disappointed us in the past. This is upscale, carefully crafted food, with locally sourced ingredients and shockingly generous portions.

The duck parfait was silky and unctuous. The slab house smoked bacon crisped to perfection. Our mains, of the burger and the duck, left us both raving about the quality. The dessert of the chocolate tart was big enough for two to share, and was one of best I’ve had.

All of this with a bill that was more than reasonable for food of this caliber ( especially when I compare this with a meal we recently had, at one of the country’s top rated restaurants, where pretentious service combined with minuscule portions of barely above par food left us with a lunch bill of well over $100, with no alcohol).

Long winded review, I know, but this is one place was...