Bauer Reviews

Giving The Bauer Kitchen 5 stars in large part because our server, Michael, was so utterly gracious. I went with a friend and we ordered the mushroom pizza (the enoki mushrooms were beautiful!) and a salad to share. We also ordered a large glass of wine to share (it was a Monday lunch and we didn't want a whole glass each). Michael did not bat an eye and served all of this with quiet grace and kindness as though he might reguarly get these kinds of requests. The food was very good but Michael was outstanding. I would have to say, this kind of not-in-your-face while also-managing-to-be both-charming-and-attentive type of service is all too rare. This was my second visit to The Bauer Kitchen. Both times (different servers) the service has been impeccable. SO well done The Bauer House and thank you for having such lovely servers!

Meal was good but service was terrible. Was there to celebrate a birthday. Called to pre book and let them know but they did not bring the dessert out but instead just the bill with machine. Terrible service

Great food, for very reasonable prices.

Gets a little loud when it's busy.

Try the TBK Salad, it's awesome!

Dry and bland food.
I will not be dining here again.

Had a great experience here recently with a large group (15 people). Service was excellent and the food was amazing. Great spot.

Pros: great tasting food, friendly service, really modern restaurant with great music (also free wifi)
Cons: seated quite close to the next table (no sense of privacy), portions for the seafood linguine was small and lacked the 'seafood' portion, on the pricey end for the portion sizes

Very nice place. Great tasting food and reasonable prices

The Bauer kitchen had a very nice atmosphere, nice decor, great drinks and good service.

We felt the tables were spaced far enough apart due to covid protocals.

Now for the food. My girlfriend got the Cod with leak and potatoe pancake. It was very good. Fresh, very flavourful and not greasy. Over and above what we were expecting.

I ordered the special of the day which was veal. This is the reason for the four star instead of five. I realized after our meal that it is Octoberfest and maybe german style veal is different than what I am used to.

It was a large piece (about the size of my hand) of bread crumb coated veal. The bread crumb coating was very thick and bland. The meat was also thick. The combination made for a very very dry piece of meat. The au jos was also thick in texture which did nothing to help add moisture to the meal.

I am usually all for large portions but I think 2 thinner pieces of veal would have been better with a lighter seasoning. The cabbage was also very dense and along with the mashed potatoes it made for a very dry, bland plate.

I would not recommend ordering the veal.

Overall a great place to dine at!

Wine was just ok, but grilled Atlantic salmon was amazing.

Wow we really went the distance to find this place. The ambience is really nice. The staff were super nice and helpful!

The food was quite tasty (I had a pizza for about $18 and my friend had the recommended burger for about the same price) The portions are generous. .we both had leftovers so it was a bit pricey but definitely worth it.

The bathroom was quaint..AND i really liked being able to see into the kitchen where they were preparing it all.

Not your average place to dine.

I left my friend in charge of the tip and I don't think she left enough. So sorry
These people were great!

Nice interior, decent service, but very little for vegetarians or vegans. Also taste-wise what I had was bland. Have been here 3-4 times...

Every meal I have had here has been absolutely wonderful and Saturday evenings was no different. I had a bistro fillet done medium and it was like cutting butter. The roasted vegetables were a great blend and the flourless chocolate cake with the spiced hot chocolate was to dye for, it melted in your mouth.

Instagram ID: @anjav3

Food/Drinks:
- The Old Fashion drink was spot on! It was a perfect mix of strong and sweet and definitely recommend it.
- Bloody Caesar was good but I think it may have needed more tomato juice. But that s just my preference
- Lobster Roll with truffle fries was amazing and very well portioned! The lobsters tasted fresh and the roll was very fluffy. I was happy that the roll didn t become soggy afterwards which I have had happen at other restaurants. The truffle fries though! Oh my, they are the best, so crispy and full of flavour.
- The Shrimp and Mussel Spaghettini had very nice and thin spaghetti. It had a decent amount of shrimp and mussels and overall the portion was perfect. For a pasta it wasn t heavy and it was filling.
- The menu revamps every once in a while so it s great to try new things
- The only negative thing was that we found out they no longer serve the Chocolate
Nemesis cake! I wish they would bring it back. I would drive to this restaurant just for that cake.

Other Comments:
- Great atmosphere that can be a great setting for a romantic evening or casual meeting with friends
- The decor was a little soho chic yet still warm and inviting.
- The washroom was so cute and had a pipe as a faucet which I have never seen anywhere before. The soap smells amazing too!
- We were seated without waiting a second and without a reservation on a Friday evening

Instagram ID: @anjav3
Anja Vojinovic

A Thursday lunch, not busy, around 1230, easy going staff.
I was very disappointed with the food. I had the charcuterie platter and the chicken and mushroom tagliatelle. I am disappointed with the choices made by the staff in what they allowed to leave the kitchen. The least impressive aspect, and what was indicative of the meal I had, was the way the greens were dropped on the charcuterie board with the inclusion of the shriveled days old leaf bits, and an actual mound of inedible mustard piled on the side. The sliced meat was clearly refrigerated and not freshly so. One selection tasted genuinely off and was left uneaten. Below amature, I regret to say. A poor presentation of an excellent craft.
The tagliatelle was below expectation, and not helped by salt blast from the charcuterie board. The addition of sundried tomatoes was a strange contrast in flavour, going from subtle chicken and mushroom to a sudden bite of salty sundried tomatoes.
Staff were on par with expectation, friendly and on point. I tipped according to service, not food. Table for three, $100+ with 1 alcoholic beverage only.

Menu and food quality has really improved with the new chef. Was never impressed with food before but our last visit was spectacular. Plan to go more often now.

Food here was delicious, we ordered the poutine and daily soup to start and they were both delicious. Our main course (we got the steak) was cooked perfectly. The dessert made me want to come back just for it! Definitely want to visit again!

My boyfriend and I's first outing since the reopening of restaurant patios, and everything (cleanliness, service, food, drinks) was great! :)

The Bauer kitchen can be hit and miss, but more often it hits the spot. They experiment often with their appetizer platter and menu but the owners make it up to you if something you've had doesn't meet your expectations. Last time we were here our appetizers weren't very good and the next time we came they remembered us and provided us another set of apps free of charge to make up for it.

Very expensive food. Plus got a ticket for parking. Would not recommend

Really nice atmosphere, tasty food and our server Shauna was very personable and thorough with my mom's allergies. If I could give some constructive criticism, I would say the pizzas were a little dry but we did take them home regardless. Overall our experience was more than adequate.

All kinds of options with an amazing atmosphere. Love it here and have a full plant based or gluten free menus

Brought the wrong me and did nothing about it. Wait, they did offer to make my meal and have my wife wait 10 minutes with her meal until mine was ready. Unfortunate they don't take their customer service serious enough.

The food was delicious but the portions were a little small for the amount you pay. Also, there were very few options for vegetarians and vegans, so I probably wouldn't go back unless more options were added.

My husband and I arrived a few minutes after 6 pm on a Friday night. We didn't have a reservation and were told they were quite booked, but that they could accommodate us in the bar area. We were fine with that and selected a high top table.

The server arrived promptly to take our drink order, red wine for me and a beer for my husband. I asked what the soup of the day was and she had to go to check. Turns out the soup of the day was Honey Roasted Cauliflower so I opted for that along with an order of the Baja tacos which were two fantastic cod tacos with cabbage, avocado, radish and of course pico de gallo! My husband ordered the Cali Burger that was topped with goat cheese, onions, avocado, pickled jalapeno and smoked tomatoes for his side he opted for their really great sweet potato fries.

Overall we were really happy with our meals and the service. Sitting in the bar was no big deal either as we were actually coming in for a quick bite rather than a long leisurely dinner.

Two meals, two drinks and tip came to just under $60. We were happy we stopped in and will definitely be back.

awesome awesome awesome! Delicious food, great service, beautiful atmosphere. The drip coffee needs to be improved to match the other offerings.

Completely unable to manage any schedule. They ironically have "kitchen" in the title yet don't seem to know how to operate one. I could've had Elon Musk build a colony on Mars and order my food from there and it would've been ready faster. Do you grow the food before preparing? What a joke.

Duck config wings are really great. Steak tartare is pretty amazing as well.

Had a wonderful brunch with fabulous service, good food and lovely company. Absolutely coming back again.

The food is pretty good, service was decent (we were with a large group, so some delays were expected).

Welcoming atmosphere and really nice decor. The food is amazingly delicious. You should definitely try their chicken waffles and eggs benedict on bennies. Service from waitress was top-notch.

The food was great. The service was perfect - attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. Parking was close and free. Superb place to dine.

Nice place, had the burger and got incredibly sick. Hard to recommend

Always look for a reason to eat here... Started as a birthday tradition with my kids... on someones birthday you can go anywhere you want.. and my girls always pick the Bauer Kitchen... never been disappointed in the food... the drinks are dangerously delicious as well as their desserts and the Staff have always been exceptional and make you feel comfortable...

Hands down best steak in town! Nobody makes striploins better than this place here in KW. Price is Right for what you're getting. Service was impeccable. Seasoned waitresses, knowledgeable and friendly. Will definitely return for special occasions.

Lots of tasty options. Fairly priced. Service is fantastic - I had one poor experience with the restaurant, but the manager moved quickly to resolve and make up for it. Location is good, but parking is sometimes a little challenging. Overall great spot - recommended!

Lovely dining experience. Delicious entrees and desserts.

i'd say their food has been slipping as of lately, but still a great spot downtown

My life has not known peace since one month ago when I ordered the creme brule. I've never had it before so I can't compare but it was literally the best thing I've EVER eaten! The place is kinda boujee-looking and so are most of the business people that eat there, but showing up in jeans and a t-shirt no one will bat an eye. Really friendly staff, good food, good drinks. As a student, kinda pricey for a casual lunch, but nothing outlandish.

Really friendly staff and good food, but a bit pricey. Our server was really nice and very helpful with meal choices.

Great food , great ambience. A little bit on the pricey side.

Reserved online. Lively. Accommodates large groups.

Great food and cocktails. Atmosphere is really nice too

Great food, great service but not a place for couples... This place wants larger groups and sit 2 person tables in awkward spots such as right at the front door.

Party of 6 and nothing but amazing things to say! Chicken bowl delicious!

Food was delicious and service was good. A little bit of a wait to get the food but it was worth the wait

Sat outside on the patio and it was great. Very nice tucked away place with interesting and delicious food options. They gave us some free dessert to help us celebrate our anniversary, which was unexpected and very tasty. Definitely would come back.

The food was obviously fire though the service takes the cake. Our server was attentive throughout the night and helped us through the menu. The birthday dessert with a really nice gesture. Perfect for a date night or a special event. Make sure to try the cocktails.

Great place for team lunch. Fast service and the food is delish :)

Food was excellent and table service was very good, but we were kept waiting a long time for our table even though we had a reservation and were on time.

My wife and I enjoyed the service immensely. Tess, our server, and Cindy Weber, who seemed to be the public relations manager, if not the manager, were terrific, second to none.
Presentation was lovely. A couple of mentions; lighting from exterior retail shops was offensive. A suggestion would be to install tasteful window treatments, semi transparent, to block or rather mute lighting from a particular retail outlet.
Heat your tea and coffee cups, makes a huge difference. Hot water from espresso machine for 20 seconds in each cup would really be nice.
If a side plate is taken away, please replace it with another.
Please reduce the price of a glass of wine to $15.00 rather than $19.00.
Just a few suggestions.
The food was outstanding! Compliments to the Chef.

Five us shared appetizers as our meal and they were delicious

It's losing it's touch. Menu does not have enough options. Not the same spot. The Duck Wings are worth going back for.

It was ok. Pricey for the portion size and quality. Music is kind of loud so you almost have to shout to talk to your dinner companions. Atmosphere was friendly and accessible to many - I saw families with kids as well as people on dates. The service is very good. Servers are attentive, polite, and accomodating.

Nice brunch! My eggs Benedict was very delicious although I would have liked a little more Hollandaise sauce over each locally produced egg. The side order of breakfast sausages were fantastic simply because they were quality sausages made without unnecessary amounts of filler. The fresh OJ was as outstanding as my perfect Cappucino. Finally, the lady who served us is a true professional and should commended for her gracious attitude and attention to detail.

I absolutely love this place!! I had a pasta dish and it couldn t have been more perfect. Love it would definitely come again

The atmosphere was fantastic and the food and service was great

Been several times. Service has been good, place is nice, some decent menu options. Food has been consistently good but not great.

Nice atmosphere, great service, decent food. $$$$
Getting better at vegan and gluten free options.

Brunch menu could use some variety
(more bennies and hashes, maybe with weekly rotations?)

However, ambience is lovely, and customer service is EXCELLENT. We had one not so positive experience, and they contacted us back to set things right. I'd be comfortable with a 4.5 stars, but this excellent service just made me want to update my rating to 5/5.

First time there and the waitresses were so frendly and the food "Hambuger" was really good

I really like the deserts they serve especially the Creme brulee and the strawberry orange freshly squeezed juice. I also like that they have mineral water even though it costs a bit. Food is also quite good - better than most of the other fine dinning places I've been to in Waterloo-Kitchener. Interior is really nice but service could be better.

Service and menu very good. Had the eggs Benedict and I think it was one of the best so far

Not families with little kids. Their profile/webpage mentions that its kid friendly which is the reason we decided this place. We called and asked if there was a wait time and I was informed no. They didn t specify bar area. We showed up 10 minutes later with my 1.5 year old child and after requesting multiple times that the baby will not be comfortable at the bar seating they did not give us a table.

I would understand if there was no seating but there was plenty of seating available and they kept saying that it was reserved or seating for couples. I understand that their is policy you have to go by but when a family is struggling at a bar with a child...as a kid friendly restaurant one expects some understanding and accommodation.

It was a great experience! Amazing food and such personable service ! Left full of food and good vibes :)

Delicious salads, great service, friendly staff, great ambiance. And yummy coffee!

The dishes seemed confused and the food was very dry. We ordered the calamari to start which was nicely fried but very chewy. For our mains we ordered the salmon, the Bauer burger, and the bucatini pasta. All were extremely dry. The presentation of the salmon looked like they piled all the sides together and dumped the salmon on top. The dish was very confusing because the labneh seemed out of place. The heirloom carrots were well done but did not go well with the rest of the dish. Random pieces of lettuce and then grilled avocados which made you scratch your head asking yourself why with every bite? Thinking maybe if I have one more bite I will get it. The salmon being dry was a let down. It s salmon! Any home cook can even make a decent salmon so how can a restaurant make it dry.

The burger was over cooked. Across the table as a bite was taken you couldn t see any juices.

The Bread crumbs added to the bucatini soaked up all the sauce and made the rest of the dish dry. It looked like someone that had sucked on a lemon.

The atmosphere was great and service was friendly but boils down to bells and whistles for the lack lustre food; especially at the prices they charge.

Great place to eat for vegetarians and vegans.
Very flavourful food, I couldn't rave enough about how tastey our food was. There was four of us we got the vegan nachos, 2 orders of the Maki roles because they were too good and I had the vegan chicken sandwich. This restaurant is set back in a nice quiet area with a beautiful ambiance and the staff are friendly. Definitely go and enjoy with friends or even a perfect date spot.

The experience was overall good! bit pricey but worth the trip if you feel like spoiling yourself a little, the staff were friendly, courteous and helpful. Loved the Bauer Burger, it was a fairbit big if that's your thing I got tired of chewing after a while but it was still very filling! Will definitely get it again.
If you're looking for a drink, I recommend "death of the carribean" very nice juicy blend of pineapple and cinnamon spice that leaves a great after taste!

Delicious, great interior, not too loud, perfect for a business meeting.

Drinks and food were amazing!! And our waitress was so patient with us! I love the atmosphere too!

An incredible restaurant that I have frequented a handful of times. I've never been disappointed.

Their burgers are phenomenal. Their pasta dishes are quite good as well.

If you're feeling adventurous... upgrade your fries to the truffle parmesan ones!