The Drake Bar and Kitchen — Restaurant in Saint Albans City

We made a reservation for 2.

When we got there, we were told that a party called after us and they had requested to be at a table, rather than be sat at the bar.

So, our reservation was moved from a table to the bar.

They did ask when we saw the hostess, but it was 6:30 on a Saturday night, we drove half an hour to get there, and that was our plan for dinner… It did not feel like we had a real other option. And we were optimistic that it would be ok.

When we were walked over to our new seats at the bar, we were told that they were going to comp a drink or appetizer or something.

We got to our seats and there was a hand written sorry note and 2 stickers/patches. So again, felt like the decision had already been made for us that that was where we were going to sit.

It took a little bit to get waters and to be asked what we wanted to drink. Shortly after, another server came over and asked if they could take our drink orders. The servers were nice, but we were falling through the cracks. It felt like we had to keep reporting where we were in our meal/service throughout our dinner.

The check came - we did not get a complimentary appetizer/drinks as we were told we would initially. Our bill was easily over $100, not including the tip.

Our take away: We followed the instructions on the website saying reservations were encouraged If you make a reservation, it may not be honored (regardless of other factors/patrons). It would have been nice to be notified before standing in the door.

The food itself was enjoyable and the cheese board was fun to start. The drinks we got were also good.

We were disappointed to spend our saved dinner out the way that we did… walked out honestly feeling like a waste of time, money, and effort for...

After many years of hyping The Drake to my mom, I finally had a chance to take her, and The Drake thankfully lived up to all my hype. We got truffle fries to share and then we each got tacos. My mom wondered if we'd get through the fries if we also got tacos, but the truffle fries are so crispy and delightfully flavored with truffle oil, herbs and cheese, that we had no problem eating our share. For my main, I had the Baja Fish taco and the Sweet Potato and Black Bean taco. The Baja Fish was as crunchy and fresh as ever. The ratio of fish to tortilla to toppings is just right. The fish taco is my absolute favorite item on the menu! I got the vegetarian taco as a change this time and, wow, it was better than I remembered. The beans and sweet potato were tender and loaded with a southwest flavor that was complex but not overpowering. The creamy sauce and cheese added a richness I didn't expect from a veggie option. Will definitely get it again! My mom got two Baja Fish tacos, which she just loved. We both got a tiki drink and a margarita, and my mom, who is a margarita connoisseur, raved about the jalapeño margarita. I tried a sip, and while spicy drinks are not normally my speed, I was surprised by how balanced the heat, tart and sweet drink elements were together, and the fresh, green taste of the chili came through beautifully, again without overpowering. Last but not least, I have to give kudos to the staff at The Drake, who are always genuine, warm, friendly and so kind. The team works seamlessly together and even on a busy night, everything came promptly and hot from the kitchen, or cold from the bar. Thanks, The Drake, for a...

This place is clearly well loved by the local crowd. My partner and I both agreed the service was amazing - very friendly and the great balance of attentiveness without hovering.

The decor is...interesting, seems like it was a very "homemade" endeavor remodeling the inside space, but it's comfortable enough. There is very little seating, so reservations are encouraged, but there seems to be a lot of open central space that could be more efficiently utilized.

The food was good. We had the poutine, a burger and the chicken sandwich. The poutine was good, little more but no less, I love poutine and this did the trick. I liked the style of the fries but for me personally the liberal dose of black pepper on them is overwhelming. The burger was nicely topped but fully overcooked when I asked for medium. It was still tasty and I was so hungry it wasn't worth troubling to send it back, but something to note. The chicken sandwich was just okay. I personally love a crispy crunchy batter and this was not, but the flavor was decent. The special lilac lemonde was my favorite part!

The check was very reasonable. I know a big part of their draw is their cocktails which looked amazing but we did not partake. I especially appreciated the wide variety of mocktails included on the menu, lots of creative options! I'd go back again to try some of their other offerings, yes, but for a real wow me meal, I'd still make the trip to a...