Kinniwabi Pines Restaurant — Restaurant in Wawa

Honestly if I could give this establishment 0 stars I would. This is entirely due to the lack of respect, and horrendous customer services. My family has stopped at kinniwabi pines a few times over the years as we have done many road trips to Ontario from Calgary. This year my girlfriend and I were doing the trip and as per usual we made a reservation for dinner as there is truthfully nothing else in WaWa for food. Due to traveling all day we made our reservation for 8:00 to ensure we wouldn’t be late. We ended up getting to Wawa a few hours early and called to see if we could get in sooner. The owner informed us that he was very busy and we would have to wait till our reservation. So as instructed we waited till 8:00. When we arrived at the restaurant it was full (due to Covid not at full capacity but clearly there were no tables). There was also a lineup of three groups in front of us. The waiter seated a group of two at a table near the front (they had no reservation and were walk ins) the following two groups including us all had reservations for 8:00 but there was no room for any of us anymore. The owner explained the only solution was for us to sit outside. Normally I would be fine with this but it was a cold and windy day so that was not going to happen. As my girlfriend and I looked around the restaurant every table had been seated recently and not a single table had food some didn’t even have drinks yet. The fact that this money hungry owner lacked the respect to not fill his restaurant due to reservations is beyond me. This single experience despite the many good dishes and great memories I have had at this restaurant has ruined it for me. I will never spend a single dollar at this establishment again nor will I ever recommend stopping in Wawa for it. I would highly recommend that you avoid and go spend your money somewhere else as they...

When travelling to Thunder Bay, I always stop in Wawa, Ontario for rest, food and the views.

I’m shocked that every time I have passed through I have not been to Kinniwabi Pines until this past week when our cabin host booked a reservation for us! Soooo glad she did - shout out to High Falls Cabins 👏🏼

The waitress was so kind - welcoming and attentive. The staff were caring to their customers, took time to connect with travellers and kept the place clean! There was lots of cool art and memories shared on the wall. The fresh flowers and cedar on the tables were a lovely touch. Their patio is also beautiful, with a view of the lake and plenty of seating. There is a trail right behind and some went for a stroll after their meal.

We had the complimentary soup which was nice on that cool evening up north and ordered the Bison ribeye with potatoes and veggies! The bison was delicious. I often like my steak charred and with crispy edges so I was curious about the blueberry and red wine reduction sauce as I have had the pleasure of eating fresh blueberries each year from Wawa! Another thing to do when you pass through - the blueberry farm! I am happy to report that the flavours went together beautifully - the steak was so good and flavourful. There was a bit too much sauce and it took over my vegetables flavouring but I did not mind. I really appreciated the real potatoes - they did not taste bland or like they were water or frozen mashed potatoes. The vegetables were okay - they were your typical stir fry mix which was interesting with a bison ribeye! Regardless - it really was good. Especially for a small place like Wawa, amongst the bush and lakes!

The place is busy in the peak - summer - season and I believe closed during the winter months! Call ahead to book a table as it is cozy!

Thanks for a...

This review is written for any travelers that are looking for good food in the middle of no-where, as there is legitimately no other options for restaurants in Wawa. From previous experiences at this restaurant, they have amazing food. However, the customer service is an absolute joke. To ensure that I was able to get food and a table, I called over 24 hours in advance to book a reservation for 8 pm. I wanted to make the reservation later to ensure I would be able to make it. I got into town early, and called to move my reservation and they said they were busy but will see me at 8 pm. As I walked into a COMPLETELY filled restaurant with not one table that had eaten, but also 8+ people at the door. Not one of the servers or the owner said greeted any of the groups. Upon discussion with these 4 groups of 2 they all had reservations for 8 pm. Not one of these 4 groups were seated. The owner and the servers would not communicate anything other than the owner will discuss with you when he has a minute. The owner never attempted to discuss or apologize to any of the 4 reservations he decided to commit to over the phone, but the servers just told us to go elsewhere. Due to the lack of professionalism, respect and greed; regardless of the food, I will never go out of my way to try and go to this restaurant again as I have in the past and would like to warn other fellow travelers that a reservation means absolutely nothing and there are no other options for food in the town. This restaurant does not deserve a cent of any of your money, and I would strongly advise you to pick another town to stay in as this would of been one of your only options for food and the lack of customer service does not warrant...