Symposium Cafe Restaurant Ancaster

Came here with a few friends on New Year's Day. Had the braised beef eggs Benedict, which I do not recommend. Beef was bland and the hollandaise tasted like nothing. My friend had the fried chicken Benedict which did look better but he also said his was hollandaise was bland as well. Service was extremely slow, I understand it was new years day but the staff took ten minutes to come back to us with our bill, didn't get the water until the second time I asked after 15 minutes of waiting and they also spilled coffee on my friend's white shirt. Food took about 50 minutes before we received it. They were not busy, only 1/3rd of the restaurant at most was filled. This was my first time at a symposium but I recommend looking out for another chain called pur and simple. While this restaurant had some cool classical artwork it's also muddled with advertising that looks like it would be at my local Swiss chalet.

January 5, 2025 on Google

Delivery - Ordered fish and chips. Fish was way overcooked (mushy!), greasy. Chips were cold, and stuck to the paper. No vinegar, ketchup were offered. Whoever heard of fish and chips without malt vinegar or even lemon??? Terrible experience all round. Will not order from here again. Delivery driver was great!

November 9, 2024 on Google

Restaurant Review: Symposium Cafe Restaurant, Ancaster Rating: 4/5 Atmosphere and Service: Upon arrival at Symposium Cafe Restaurant in Ancaster, we were seated promptly and had our drink orders taken shortly after. The atmosphere was delightful, with a welcoming and vibrant ambiance. The servers were attentive and friendly, enhancing the overall dining experience. Food: - Fish Tacos with Sweet Potato Fries:The fish tacos were excellent, bursting with flavor and well-prepared. The sweet potato fries were equally impressive, perfectly crispy and a great complement to the meal. - Shrimp Salad:My girlfriend enjoyed the shrimp salad, though we felt it could have used a bit more shrimp to balance the dish. Price: The pricing was reasonable for the quality and portions we received. The value for money was satisfying, making it a worthwhile dining choice. Conclusion: Overall, our dinner experience at Symposium Cafe Restaurant was very enjoyable. With a great atmosphere, excellent service, and delicious food, it’s a place we would recommend. While the shrimp salad could use a bit more shrimp, it did not detract significantly from an otherwise great dining experience. We look forward to returning.

July 4, 2024 on Google

Never been in a Symposium before. Was waiting on my son’s car that was close by getting tinted. I walked in and was surprised that it looked so cool. I was greeted and seated wherever I wanted by a very nice server. It was 2:30pm only myself and another table of 2. Lunch special was 11-3 so I ordered the fish & chips 1 piece of haddock fries, coleslaw tartar & lemon wedge for $13.95. I also added a small gravy to complete my order. Fish was good fries were ok coleslaw was tasty it was a vinegrette my favourite! I could also taste a bit of garlic yum it just needed a tiny bit of sugar to cut the vinegar in my opinion butttt overall was decent! Had no room for dessert as usual but if I had I deff would have opted for the colossal cookie it looks divine! See in photos 😍😍😍. Washrooms are very clean! Well it’s been almost 2 hrs and I’m still sitting here and no one is rushing me out lol so I’m appreciative of that. Time to move on to next spot to kill some time until the car is finished. 😊 ✌🏼

May 28, 2024 on Google

I ordered the fish and chips, we shared a Spinach dip entre and Sean ordered the butter chicken pouting and a Mediterranean salad... I got 2 pieces of fish, but they were tiny, and the batter was so thick...not sure whether to make them look bigger....but :( disappointed - maybe 2 mouthfuls a piece - not worth the price paid. The fish was good but don't be cheap on size... Also, the carrot cabbage salad (on the plate) had a chemical taste of ? Fridge or something...definitely needed to be changed out... The butter chicken was bland... The waiter was attentive and didn't hover, which was good, interesting decor. But as we came in - 2 seats for waiting, one had a big stain...needs to be cleaned or changed out. We went on a Tuesday night and were the only patrons. Huge space, with tables and booths. We're from out of town...probably will try another place if wver back to Hamilton... I added a pic of how thick the batter was...like bread... :(

March 13, 2024 on Google

I normally do not do this whole review thing but in this case, it’s pretty necessary! The service was not good. The food was TERRIBLE. I have been to the symposium cafe in Elfrida, Brantford, and now this one. The Elfrida one was ok, brantford one was terrible, but I wanted to give this one a shot as it’s been a year or two since I’ve been to one, totally regret it. This one was THE WORST out of all of the ones I’ve been to. The spinach dip was awful, the worst I’ve ever had, they topped the “slop” off with a good ole “melted” slice of Kraft singles cheese, as you can see in the pictures I was able to pick it right up without it falling apart lol, pita chips were ok. Anyway, we did not finish that, $16 trash. Our mains arrived, I ordered the chicken bacon club, chicken was soooo dry, I almost choked. My husband ordered a burger with fries, pictured is uncooked ground beef (maybe cat food?🤷🏻‍♀️), now I know it’s not going to kill you (maybe) but for the price your paying, ummm it better be cooked, but nope, not here. My husband said the fries were still raw in the middle as well. After all this, we received our bill of $72 (plus we tipped $5), an absolute waste of $77, they need to hire a new cook or send them back to training, so beyond unimpressed with this expensive, terrible excuse of a restaurant. We definitely will not be going to ANY symposium cafe again, especially this one. Mind blown that they are still in business to be honest. Save your money and go somewhere else.

January 7, 2024 on Google

Symposium on Wilson Street in Ancaster is a great little spot to eat whether on the patio, in the main dining area or at a high top in the bar area. The meals are reasonably priced with generous but not overwhelming portions. Checkout the daily lunch and dinner specials as well as the early bird breakfast menu. This restaurant is clean and cozy(not too huge) with great service. Our server, Trish, definitely made our lunch experience a delight with her engaging conversations which were spiced with wit and humour, and her spot on recommendations. I had a Chicken Caesar Wrap with sweet potato fries(cooked to perfection) which was delicious and my husband had an enormous bowl of soup with the Mediterranean Salad…good to the very last mouthful. We each had a Barrelshed Amber Ale craft beer and I had a dessert to go. The manager stopped by to ask if everything was to our satisfaction. It was fabulous and I highly recommend a visit.

August 9, 2023 on Google

Love this location-by far my favourite one. Never had a bad experience! Everyone is always so kind and friendly. Tonight we went to Symposium strictly for dessert-Because let's be honest, this restaurant does not disappoint and the options are delicious. We were celebrating a birthday. Server was awesome....came in at 730 pm. Had a great time! Thank You for always being an amazing Team at Ancaster Symposium! 💙

November 9, 2022 on Google