The Copper Key Kitchen + Pub — Restaurant in Whitby

I usually never write a bad review but after the service today I have to. I went in with two friends and was excited because I haven’t ever been here or on the patio. We were “greeted” by the hostess, extremely rude, no “hello welcome”, no smile, just miserable. Once we sat down, our waitress came over and took our drink order, she was lovely (Christine or Christina), unfortunately we waited 15-20 minutes for our drinks. I will also add, I am in the serving industry so I understand where servers, we are limited to what we can do for drinks and food (we aren’t bartenders or cooks). We get our drinks and she takes our order. We ordered only two appetizers as we were in a bit of a hurry… 40 minutes go by. Appetizers take about 15-20 minutes MAX. A table sat after us and had already gotten their meals. We weren’t happy at this point. I walk inside and talk to our server, she goes and checks and said they’re making it right now. I went back out and waited another 20 minutes!!! At this point I was ready to walk out. I asked to speak to a manager and I see the servers huddling over at a table (where the manager must have been), and I wait 10 minutes. No one has still come to see me… a girl walks up to me and says can I help you with something? I say yes I’ve been waiting to speak to a manager and she says okay let me check. I go back outside and kid you not, the girl that I spoke to inside comes up to me and says I’m the manager…. I’m like oh… you just said you’d check but you’re the manager… I’m confused at this point. She says can we get you dessert? I’m not here for dessert lol, I came for the appetizers I was hoping to get. I say for the entire table “I’m sorry but with the service and we’ve had today we won’t be paying for the food. A minute later she brings out the food in a bag… okay thank you but I didn’t come to get take out. And she has the audacity to say “please don’t give us a bad google review”.. you’re kidding??? The service was AWFUL! The owner or manager who was sitting with his family didn’t do anything at all to help with the situation. At this point I don’t know who’s a server or a manager or an owner. We still waited 10-15 minutes for our bills for them to be wrong!!!! Had to wait another 10 minutes for them to be right. I saw two servers whispering about our table, like it was our fault, disrespectful and embarrassing. I will definitely not be returning and I highly recommend anyone who chooses to go here to be skeptical and know the service you will be getting. The management is awful, not handled properly and our server, again was so sweet and apologetic, so nothing towards her, but everyone else we had to...

I .....LOVE.....THIS.....PLACE! 💝 Their staff......AMAZING 😍 Their cooks ......... I thought Gordon Ramsay was in the kitchen 😍 Their food .......... I thought I was eating an actual animal because it tasted so GOOD! 🤤🥲🥹

In all seriousness, this place is amazing. Here's a list of things I want to speak about because this actually blew me away (figurirtively, and literally).

1. It's actually clean for a restaurant (you can lick the tables and not get the Nora Virus) ❤️
2. They're extremely accommodating if you have kids; their portion for the chicken fingers is actually quite a bit! ❤️
3. Their ribs are soooooooo juicy and fresh (I wouldn't be surprised if they told me they get their meat directly from a cow they have in the back of the kitchen)
4. The staff are actually welcoming ❤️❤️ and they aren't blasting the music so loud to the point that you go deaf. You can actually have a conversation with your mates!
5. They have an awesome patio that I want to dance around!!! I know it's not opened but oH BOy, when it does, just look for a dancing Asian boy ❤️ that's eating ribs ❤️
6. They have a pretty interesting concept for an elevated bar in the restaurant !! And there were a lot of TVs that you can watch your sports game on (if you don't want to listen to your partner or kids - best way to past the time) 😎

Overall, I am definitely coming back...

From the moment you walk into The Copper Key Kitchen + Pub, you know you’re in for something special. The warm, rustic decor strikes the perfect balance between cozy and contemporary, setting the stage for an unforgettable dining experience.

The menu is a creative mix of elevated comfort food and thoughtful pub classics, and every dish feels like it was crafted with care. I highly recommend starting with their signature appetizers

For the main course, the entire menu was an absolute standout. Cooked to perfection and beautifully plated, it was both hearty and refined. You can tell the kitchen takes pride in using quality ingredients and bold flavors.

Drinks-wise, The Copper Key doesn’t disappoint. Their cocktail list is creative and well-executed, with classics and house specials that pair beautifully with the food. The martini was a personal favorite — balanced, refreshing, and not overly sweet.

Service was top-notch throughout the evening. The staff was friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu, which really added to the experience.

Whether you’re stopping by for a casual night out or celebrating something special, The Copper Key Kitchen + Pub delivers on every level. It’s the kind of place you’ll want to come back to — again and again.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Highly...