Bogey's Rustic Grill

We arrived after the dinner rush (8:30 pm) and as always ordered of the features board. Wait staff were friendly and efficient. Food was quick and devine. I make a poiunt to visit Bogeys at least once a month and have never been disappointed.

Bogey's Rustic Grill Fail

How this place has managed to survive this many years is an unsolved mystery. There is absolutely no atmosphere. I ordered chicken wings and beer - the wings were completely dried out - they have better wings at a fraction of the price at the Pizza Pizza next door. The fact that Bogey's is in the top 20 Kitchener restaurants on Restaurantica makes me question all the reviews (including mine) written on this site. I will give them 5 stars for the most inappropriate use of the word "rustic" in a restaurant name.

Strange place, not worth it.

We've gone here a few times, and every time we think we should have just stayed home. I'll start with the general stuff. The restraint seems as though it can't make up its mind what it wants to be. It's part casual dining, part sports bar, and part experimental cuisine. The regulars want to watch the giant TVs and have a few drinks, most of the families want to have a nice meal, and the cook seems to want to show off. The interiour is uncomfortable in general, from the too-dim lighting, the cheap uncomfortable seats, the tile floor which makes the chairs scream every time someone moves, the cold uncomfortable booths, and the rows of bench seats along the walls which have a footrest which is at the wrong height to hold your feet comfortably (I'm of average height, so I'm guessing others feel the same). When we were last there, one of the two rows had no footrest, so you had to dangle your legs like a three year old. The dining room, which I think is less than half of the space in the restaurant, feels cramped and cold, and just plain out of the way. The bar is a little better, but not by much. The food can be okay, but not much more than that. They seem to pride themselves on gourmet burgers, but the burgers themselves are just big piles of ground beef with nothing holding them together. The same is true of everything they have with ground beef or chicken in them. The cook also seems to want to make some really out there dishes which just don't work. I don't know if this is someone who has been to chef school or someone who just watches too much Food TV, but some of the items on the menu are bizzare and off putting. For example, one of the burgers comes with "beef, pickled ginger, soya wasabi mayo, and sliced cucumbers", another "burger, goose liver pate, wild mushrooms, caramelized onion jam served open faced Chicken Caesa". I really can't see how a casual restaurant is going to have people knocking down the doors for that. He also seems to want to throw guacamole onto everything he can, even if it makes no sense, like a chicken club with pulled pork. This is a minor point, but I would really like it if a place that had this many burgers could give me a chicken breast on a bun, instead of a ground chicken and ground turkey burger that is worse than the beef ones. From reading the menu, it looks like they're trying to make exciting food, but for some reason it all comes out terribly bland. It's hard for me to go there, because most of the food sounds unappetizing. They have what seems like a large menu, but there's almost nothing worth ordering on it. I'm not saying that all food has to be boring and the same, but if I'm going to a casual restaurant in a shopping plaza, I'm not looking for something really out there. Just normal pub food would do. I also have to note that the beer selection there is pretty sad. Everything on tap is basically a domestic lager except Keith's, which is not much of an improvement. They don't have much else in bottles, just more domestic lagers. As for service, I put adequate because that's really as far as it goes. Sometimes we get decent service, sometimes not. Often the food is late, or the bill, and the waitresses don't seem to go out of their way for anyone. Its okay, but really not more than adequate. I had a hard time with price range, because I suppose its usually about 20$ per person, but that's for a really basic meal. We went there once and got two burgers, a beer, and a coke, and ended up spending about 50$. That still seems a little steep to me, especially considering how bland the food was. Another thing that I find uncomfortable about this place, and which to be fair is not entirely the management's fault, is the regulars. I've been hassled by the same group of drunks on the patio a half a dozen times when I've been walking past with my groceries or just going into the place. There are also usually a few guys standing at the bar yelling and swearing at each other,

Probably the best restaurant EVER

I absolutely love this place. My family have been going for years and we have never once had a bad experience. I don't know who these people are who are leaving negative reviews, but judging from their tones and attitudes, they remind me of the impossible-to-please types I spent 4 years serving. I have had no less than 40 meals at this restaurant since it opened and I have never had a bad experience. In fact, I went in recently for my mother's birthday and the servers made every attempt to make her feel special and valued, giving her free desserts and giving us our non-alcoholic beverages for free. Both the bartender and our server checked in on us frequently, and wished my mom a wonderful birthday. They really made it a great night out for her, for which I was very grateful. Not only that, but my grandmother was a regular for many years. When she passed away last year, the owner Don not only came to her funeral despite us not even mentioning it, but also made a donation to her favorite charity. If we want to talk about class, Bogey's is in a class of it's own in all ways. Thanks Don and all for your wonderful food, service and kindness!

I was surprised to see the scathing reviews of Bogey's. We have eaten there frequently and never had a problem with cleanliness or rudeness. We would also agree with those who can tell that the chef must have some professional training, as the menu is very good and the food is always perfectly cooked. This kitchen understands what a lot of others don't - Don't overcook the food! Selection is good, dishes are tasty and consistent, and the atmosphere relaxed. Thumbs up.