Butcher and the Vegan

I had horrible dinner experience here despite it being highly regarded by some coworkers. Although it’s nice to see an effort to bring more life to that part of downtown Hamilton, the location sucks. The spicy green bean fries were too salty and shouldn’t even be marketed as fries. The beet poke was presented horribly, as if they just dumped everything in the bowl like the chef didn’t care. It was mostly rice and barely any beets. My boyfriend had the tagine and it was so bad he only had about three bites and he usually he eats anything. The waitress was nice but she wasn’t very intuitive. She didn’t bother to ask why we barely ate our food. I’m quite disappointed with this establishment. The food is extremely expensive and it’s not worth it at all. Stay away.

Do Not Enter! We had a very expensive dinner in this place and we were both disappointed. Staff was nice to us but the food was just flat out lame. As a couple one of us eats meat and one of us is vegan so naturally we had high hopes.
Nether of our selections were satisfying.
Nothing seemed authentic. The décor was strange and not in a good way. The mural outside the building has a busty women walking on a field. A sexual figure to sell the food. Ironically enough where sex workers are known to work in front of.
To make matters worse we read a
Hamilton Spectator article that made the owners sound like they are a gift to the community and insulted the businesses that already were there. Like the dive bar across the street. Moving into a neighbourhood with that kind of attitude is ridiculous.
We wish we read that before we went there. We will never go back.

The place was small, cozy, some cool décor… some weird mismatched décor. It smelled like cigarettes though… especially the bathroom. I went for dinner with my sister, we ordered the beet fries which were good, the aioli was a little runny rather than creamy, but it was good. We shared the tabuleh… very disappointing, no flavour. The pizza with squash, pecans and pesto sauce was good but a little sweet towards the end and the beet ravioli with goat cheese was awesome.

As happy as I am that Butcher & the Vegan is trying something fresh for Hamilton’s foodie scene, the whole experience didn’t measure up.
I’ll start with the good. The menu definitely offers some innovative dishes, and my spicy bean «fries» (green beans that were flash fried) were delish. The sauce was totally reminiscent of hot chicken wings. The concept of this restaurant is also, of course, awesome. Vegan food can be served alongside meat dishes without the world imploding. So the fact that they can cater to meat-​lovers and vegans equally is a great way to introduce non-​vegans to some delicious alternatives.
Onto the first disclaimer though: this vegan restaurant is not a healthy one. If you wanted a fresh, clean meal out, this isn’t the place to go. Our entrees were dripping with oil, as though they were trying to make up for the lack of spices that were used. The mushroom pizza is a bust — it’s very plain, very oily. It desperately needs a kick of something else to avoid tasting like bread alone. The portobello frites entrée was just that — portobello slices that featured an incredible sauce, and good-​quality fries… but, that’s it. Both of our entrees cost well above average, but offered little to be fully satisfied with. Where’s the nutritional balance in these meals? Where’s the variety?
The ambience is also… confused. They are certainly attempting to be a little off-​beat, which I love, but the flat screen TV showing football games and the news just makes the vintage collection of chairs and tables appear kitschy. The stench of this place was also super musky. (I haven’t been in a restaurant that smelled as much like an old-person’s home, ever.)
Our service was delightfully quick though, but really teetered off at the end of the night when we were waiting for our bill. You should never have to fully put on your coats, scarf, and mittens, while staring down a server as creepily as we had to, for a bill to come.
Overall, great premise, but disappointing execution.

Went here for lunch with my boyfriend. We ordered kombucha and green bean fries. I got the chicken salad sandwich with greens. My boyfriend got a wrap with chicken and pineapple and rice also served with greens (I forget the name).
The food was incredibly fresh and the flavours were spot on! Our server was friendly and the food was brought out quickly.
We will definitely be back to try more dishes! This is a great opportunity to support a local and relatively new business with quality food!

Our group went to enjoy a nice brunch. I had the Banana French Toast with bacon and was pleasantly surprised with the pecans and fresh whipped cream that were included and as an added bonus they included ham with the bacon. The use of artisanal bread added to the enjoyment.
The ingredient sources were mapped on a the wall, should you be interested. Most if not all were sourced in the local area.
Our only let down was in the slim choices in the selection of tea. The presentation of the tea was most enjoyable using a press.
Our chef and wait staff were attentive, but not intrusive.

Delicious brunch, excellent server a true gem to Barton Street. If you haven’t gone. Go and support local

The tofu scramble is literally JUST TOFU. Specifically, medium tofu, undrained, mashed and warmed. I feel the chef really needs this, so here it is:
How to make delicious scrambled tofu:
1. Cut a block of tofu in half. Wrap in a clean towel, and place a weight (food can, etc) on top to PRESS OUT EXCESS WATER.
2. Meanwhile, fry some onions, garlic, and maybe other
VEGGIES (peppers? Broccoli? Zucchini?) together.
3. Add pressed tofu blocks, along with some SPICES. like cumin, tumeric, paprika, and any other you please. Break up with a spatula (it need not be smashed to smithereens) and fry a little longer.
4. Get rid of that awful blonde female server.
Bön appetite!

Had our first meal at this new restaurant last night. The staff were all very friendly and excited to share the vision of the restaurant with us. They have a new chef on-​board and we were shown a copy of his first draft of their new menu, some of which was on offer that night. Most dishes start as a vegan dish and then have a twist if you want to add meat or a non-​vegan preparation. Nice to see vegan dishes that aren’t just there to be vegan dishes. The food was great, but I’m also excited to see where they will push the menu going forward. Looking forward to our next visit where we’ll make sure to bring some friends to share in the experience.