The Wheat Sheaf Tavern — Restaurant in Toronto

The Worst Dining Experience

I just returned from a night at the Wheat Sheaf with my friend. I am a server myself and find that I generally am very empathetic towards restaurant staff as I know how busy things can get late at night. To begin with, the service was HORRIBLE, even for a bar setting. The man took a very long time to come greet us and throughout the whole dining experience had a horrible attitude as if we were making his life difficult by our simple presence, not once looking us in the eye or making it obvious that he actually heard what we were saying.

This however, does not begin to cover what I just experienced. Being a server and originally coming from British Columbia, I will admit that some of the liquor laws are a bit different out here in Ontario. My friend and I ordered a bottle of wine, and had about two glasses worth left. As the bar was closing, we decided to take the bottle with us home, as we have always been able to do at restaurants before, and as servers in British Columbia and Ontario we have allowed our tables to do. They had started to put the chairs away and asked us to settle up, so we assumed we had to leave and thought it was normal to take the wine home with us. The server had originally brought us the bottle already opened and without a lid on it, which I personally chalked up to him just being an uncaring server and expecting us to finish the bottle which in the end we did not. As we were walking home (we live next door) the server chased us down at the entrance to our condo, yelled "HEY YOU!" in a menacing voice, snatched the bottle of wine out of my hand, and started marching back towards the bar. I followed him inquiring what was the matter and as he began yelling/speaking sternly and rudely to me. Obviously this made me quite upset as in my mind I was doing nothing wrong, and the man refused to even have a conversation with me. Once we were back at the bar he disappeared and I ended up talking to another server and the owner.

I learned that at the bar they have a different liquor license than the restaurants I have worked at, which I was not aware of. I explained the situation to the server and owner, who were attacking me and telling me that I was risking their liquor license by leaving with a bottle of wine. Which as I have stated I was not aware of nor was I intending to do. However, the owner out of spite had dumped my bottle of wine. I asked if we could have the rest there at the bar then, but they refused to pour the last two glasses to my friend and I, and rudely told me they did not care that we had paid for the wine. That it was our fault as we had walked out with it.

JUST TO CLARIFY I had no idea that this was against their liquor license, nor was I trying to be sneaky and possibly get the bar in trouble. As a young woman I have never felt so disrespected and undermined by male servers/ restaurant staff, and unappreciated as a customer. I have never received such horrible service or encountered such unfriendly people at a restaurant setting before. There is a certain way to deal with misunderstandings such as this and the way I was treated was not one of them. Reading the previous reviews I can see that some have had enjoyable experiences at this bar, and I am upset that I did not encounter this version of the wheat sheaf. I will never be returning, and am posting this review as there are many bars on this intersection and I recommend avoiding this one after the experience I have just had dealing with the owner and...

Update #2: This establishment clearly cannot take criticism as my review keeps being removed.

Update #1: The recent surge of positive reviews for a bartender named Amira seems suspiciously timed, especially since earlier negative reviews didn’t mention her by name. Now that the reviews specifically name her, it’s clear she was the person we encountered during our disappointing visit. This feels like a PR attempt, but it’s backfiring. No amount of staged praise can mask the toxic environment and lack of professionalism we experienced. Flooding the space with positive reviews only highlights the real issues at hand.

Regarding my experience at Wheatsheaf on January 9, 2025: What began as a pleasant evening quickly soured due to an interaction with Amira. After my friend left what she felt was a fair tip for a brief service, Amira publicly called attention to the receipt, implying the tip wasn’t enough. Tips should reflect the quality of service provided, not be assumed. When my friend tried to resolve the situation, Amira dismissed her and insulted her, saying she didn’t realize she was “so sensitive.” This was a clear display of unprofessionalism and disrespect.

If this is the standard of customer service, I won’t be returning. This was a clear failure to handle the situation with empathy and professionalism. Employees should be trained in conflict resolution, crisis management, and de-escalation to ensure customers feel respected and valued. Proper training in these areas would not only help diffuse uncomfortable situations but also foster a more positive and respectful environment for both staff and customers. Without this, situations like ours will continue to damage the reputation of the establishment and drive customers away, ultimately affecting the business’s long-term success.

I hope management addresses this issue seriously, as it reflects poorly on the establishment and its staff. The way this situation was handled raises concerns about the standards of service, and I encourage management to implement changes that will prevent such incidents in the future. Creating a “warm and welcoming atmosphere” is essential, it will ensure customers return, as that is ultimately what drives business.

Sincerely, A...

So I know reviews usually talk about food and drinks, and while those are excellent, what I am going to talk about here is the 'Wheatsheaf Experience'.

I have been coming to the 'sheaf for many years now, primarily as part of the Crystal Palace supporters group, who gather there to watch football on a Saturday morning (and also for England games). To say this establishment has gone above and beyond to accommodate us would be a gross, gross understatement. On many occasions they have rushed around to set up TV's and sound etc to ensure that we have had the best experience possible, even though we are sometimes a small group. One such time comes to mind where one of the bar staff went back to his own apartment to get an HDMI cable to ensure we could watch the game. Absolutely exceptional!

Funny thing is, this level of dedication to customer service and experience is a common and regular occurrence at the Wheatsheaf. I have been there many, many times where it has been wall-to-wall jam packed, s'standing room only',and despite this every member of staff there treats you like you are the only customer in the world, and like you are a regular, even if it is your first time.

A special shoutout to Amanda who, as one of our regular servers, I can safely say is one of the kindest, sweetest, most diligent and caring bar staff in Toronto. Amanda espouses exactly what The Wheatsheaf is about - that local, friendly 'at home' classic pub feel.

If you are an 'out of towner' or a local, go to The Wheatsheaf - not only the oldest, but also the BEST...