Blacksmith’s Bistro

Had the fish special and it tasted like a sponge left in dishwater. Also, Main Street is closed from Hwy 7 and nobody working these had a clue as to the best way to go around it.
The code they gave is for the WiFi did not work.
$ 100 without wine.

If I could give a 0 review I would give it. Ive been to this restaurant at least 30 x. Ive noticed a HUGE difference since Carol sold it– Ill give you more details when I get a minute. All positive reviews Ive noted since she left and he took over are either written obviously BY HIM, illegally, or were just people who don’t know anything about food. This place has a nice location. So what. Try any of the other locations on Main St. The food is terrible and the service is worse. Here is one quick example– I showed up one day with my husband recently after this new owner — very proud of himself– took over. We sat for 15 minutes on the patio on a Sat 6pm without ANY staff helping out or even noticing us and bringing a menu. There is no sign saying wait to be seated on the patio, fyi. Waiting, waiting, then the owner comes out to stand IN THE PATIO AREA and brag to the passers by– as Main St was busy that night full of walkers walking by– about how he was the new owner. Very very proud of himself, very loud. However NOT EVEN NOTICING that right behind him are 2 well heeled customers with no menus and no drinks, waiting to be served. WOW great customer service. Finally a waitress comes by and asked for a drink order and we order and then waiting yet again 15 minutes!!! While the new proud owner is still bragging and not actually working. Finally my husband walked up and said to him «Just so you know Mr Owner, we have been waiting THIRTY MINUTES and we still have no drink order and no one has taken our food order, is that something you feel like asking ?» The NEW OWNER was so offended, he responded «ARE YOU TRYING TO TELL ME MY BUSINESSS!!!»
The response from my husband was «I AM your business ! I live a block away, I used to regularly walk here for dinner, Im NEVER coming here again, and I promise to tell all my friends this story as well. You don’t seem to understand anything about good and bad customer service and how powerful social media is.»
He was cursing us as we walked away. What a DOUCHE. Never go here !!!

I’ve been to a lot of Italian restaurant and I think this is not the best I’ve tasted. This place is located on Main Street, unionvielle which is a very beautiful location, the inside of this restaurant is very nice as well. Services are good and seats are comfy. The pastas are okay, they come in small portions but with an expensive price which I’m not very happy about.

This is our 5^th or 6^th time here. Amazing food, good service and really nice atmosphere. We love this place.

I really liked this place, my wife did not. Mostly because her food had spice in it and she does not like spice, especially in her pizza.
I had the pasta and I have to say it was really good. We got lucky too, a band started playing next door and we had a nice view on the patio. That might skew this overly positive since I don’t see that happening often.
When the waitress came back with our food, it was very good and very fast. I really enjoyed it. Too bad the pizza was spicy, perhaps they should label that on the menu?

Went there twice with the family. Had a great experience at this place. The service was amazing. Food was amazing. Would go back here.

Great variety of food ! Good service and cozy environment and atmosphere. It is our go to place in Unionville. Really enjoy their pizzas and main dishes. We like their prix fix menu as well

Came her for dinner on a sunday evening. We got a patio seat in the back as the front patio area was full. It was much quieter without much foot traffic on the side street.
The waiter was prompt and look our order. Soon after our order, three families were seated, and we could see that the poor waiter was having a hard time trying to keep up with everyone’s requests. It was sad to see that some people can be really rude when they don’t get attended to right away.
As for the food, the roasted beet salad, our starter, was quite nice. It had both red and golden beets (don’t think it was roasted though). The feta, onion and arugula on top was a nice addition. It was perfect to share for two people.
Hubster had the spicy pollo pizza ($ 15), He felt the thin crust was overcooked. I would have to agree with him. The roasted peppers and goat cheese on top was nice with the spicy chicken. I really like the roasted wild mushroom salad ($ 18), the spinach was glaced with a balasamic dressing. They did not skimp out on the mushroom, which was my favorite part. There was a large piece of goat cheese on top of the salad, which added a nice tang.
Overall, the experience was pretty good. I was a bit surprised how busy it got on a sunday evening for dinner. I think it would have helped to have two waiters in the back patio area to attend to everyone. The food was good, but there was quite a repetition of feta and goat cheese in our dishes. I would have like some variety of soft ripe cheeses. Otherwise, a nice meal at a good price for the portions that you receive.

After reading so many positive Unilocal reviews of Blacksmith’s Bistro, we were a bit disappointed by our dinner on valentine’s day.
First of all, since it was a busy night, I’m willing to let the rushed service and the epic wait for our meal slide. This is somewhat expected on a night like Valentine’s. I do, however, take issue with how tightly the seating is crammed together. I assume that the tables are like this for the rest of the year, and it’s uncomfortable. You hear way too much conversation from the neighbouring tables inches away. I also expected a better atmosphere; for such a nice heritage building, the interior is surprisingly unremarkable.
In terms of drinks, there’s a decent wine list, beer list and selection of cocktails. Pretty standard stuff.
The food is also where I think Blacksmith’s falls short. There was a special valentine’s menu, but we just ordered off the standard menu. The Charcuterie Platter was surprisingly bland, and only had one type of cheese. There was also a very limited choice of unremarkable meats. The portion sizes were generous, but for $ 18 this plate really fell short.
The $ 35 New York Striploin was also very unremarkable for the price. It was cooked medium rare as requested, but I just wasn’t impressed with the cut. It just didn’t have the flavour or tenderness you would expect at a higher-​end restaurant.

Fusilli ($ 20) and Ravioli ($ 22) as main dishes. The Fusilli had large pieces of chicken and a nice amount of cream sauce (⁴⁄₅) The Ravioli was not what I was picturing in my mind when we ordered it. What arrived at our table was 3 super-​sized ravioli. Literally the size of a persons hand and each stuffed with a good amount of spinach and cheese (⁴⁄₅) The cheese cake ($ 7) was just not to my expectation (³⁄₅), maybe because I was a bit full. Overall the food was good and right beside the Old Fire-​hall Confectionery. I can never say no to the Old Fire-​hall. Always end up getting something there while walking Main Street and always end up buying a little extra so to keep the good times rolling while at home too. But yeah, read up on my full review for the Fire-​hall.

The food here is very good, the staff are friendly and were very accommodating of our son (9 months old at the time). My only issue is the Heinz Ketchup, when you try to come across as a high end restaurant, you should be making your own Ketchup.

Had a great lunch experience here on the weekend. Lot’s of parking at the back of the restaurant. The restaurant is located in a charming old home. The first floor has limited seating, open kitchen and bar area. Lots more seating on the second floor.
Service was good but there were only three tables of people. The seating downstairs is a little crowded. Some may call it cozy, I call it crowded. You hear everything your neighbours are saying. Luckily the food is great so I can overlook the seating arrangement.
Appetizers were excellent. We had the beet salad — the best i ever had. Two kinds of beets and at least 20 large beets lining the bottom of the plate. Add the cheese, hazelnuts and pickled onions and I’m a happy guy. The PEI muscles were also fantastic and a huge portion. You can use the homemade bread to dip in the muscles wine sauce.
For the main course I had the Rigatoni. My large portion was perfectly cooked and included tender pieces of beef. An excellent dish. My fellow dinner had the grilled chicken sandwich which was also very good. The sandwich included yummy bacon, cheese and avocado served on home made bread.
A great overall experience and I will be back for sure. Prices are above average but well worth it in my opinion.
BK

Blacksmith’s Bistro is a quaint restaurant located on historic Unionville Main Street. The restaurant is split into two floors, with the second floor seating more guests. The best table in the house is on the second floor. It’s the one right by the window overlooking Main Street. This table is very popular, so you’ll have to try to book it ahead of time!
The restaurant itself is pretty cozy, but not cramped. Dimly lit, but not dark. Good atmosphere to take a date, although they do have space for a larger group if that’s what you need. The décor isn’t modern by any means, but it’s tidy and complementary.
Where the failings lie are in the food and service. Our server was at times befuddled, other times plain lacking. Orders needed to be repeated, despite it not being loud in the room. He did not tell us what the soup/​risotto of the day was. Appetizer orders were put in random places on the table. In one particularly humourous incident, he asked my friend if he would like some wine. My friend answered «yes», only to have the server promptly turn on his heel and walk away, wine bottle in hand!
At some restaurants, service is like this. I know. But we’re not talking Jack Astor’s prices here. Blacksmith’s Bistro is not an inexpensive restaurant — in fact, more expensive than several highly respected restaurants downtown. Higher prices should buy you higher quality service (amongst other things), and high quality service was lacking here.
Another thing higher prices should get you is a decently prepared meal. Not always the case, true, and unfortunately, it wasn’t the case on my visit. The Caesar salad was decent — fresh lettuce, generous with the parmesan cheese, and the right amount of dressing. The rigatoni with beef ragu was a disaster — some pasta felt just short of done (but other pieces felt okay! I wonder if it was sitting under a heat lamp for too long). The beef in the ragu were the driest pieces of meat I’ve eaten in a while, which is a tough thing to pull off in a ragu.
Informally polling those sitting around me, the chicken fusilli was good for one friend, but the risotto was poor for another. If you want something more resembling a pilaf, then get the risotto as it was devoid of the rich, creamy texture one would expect. The rack of lamb came out cold. Such a waste. The steaks, however, were well prepared and enjoyed.
Overall, I can’t recommend Blacksmith’s Bistro. At this price point, I expected more on every level, and you can definitely get better for less elsewhere. True, maybe not right on Unionville Main Street, but locale is probably the best thing they’ve got going for them. It’s definitely not the value.

You can’t spell Blacksmith’s Bistro without the word «consistently amazing!» Ok well maybe you can but that’s not to say that this place isn’t just that — amazing!
I returned for another spell here yesterday evening with Crystal H as I showed off the coolest points around Unionville Main Street to my Vancouver friend/​colleague. This was my first time dining inside in the magnificent upstairs dining area and I was impressed with how spacious and luxurious it was… Beautiful…simply beautiful.
I don’t know what it is about their menu but after reading my first review of this place from the summer I realized that both times I’ve been here for a meal that I have had one type of fusilli pasta or another! Last night I had the fusilli with chicken, prosciutto, sundried tomatoes and I believe spinach all done in a white wine cream sauce! Amazing!
Being Italian I am somewhat picky when it comes to my pasta and my sauces and Blacksmith’s Bistro is ²⁄₂ in the «Impress an Italian with your pasta» category. I also learned that they also have free wifi AND a different speciality Risotto every Lunch and Dinner, every day of the week! As if I needed more of an excuse to come here.
This cosy little bistro also makes a fantastic intimate date spot and for all you fella’s out there looking to impress you gal, I’d say this Bistro is a no-​brainer!
²²⁄₃₀

Absolutely loved my birthday meal at this place.
I thought the restaurant was dead and then the hostess took us upstairs and the place was intimate and buzzing.
I had the seafood linguine — and it was the most decent seafood pasta I’ve ever had. Usually I expect 2 shrimps and then LOTS of pasta — but this meal was balanced out.
Scallops, Shrimps and Mussels topped with just the right amount of creamy tomato sauce.
This place is great for a date or something for those special occasions.
They give you a decent glass of wine which is aways nice :)
The waiter was friendly and made our experience very pleasant.
I will definetely come back here to try other dishes AND because I love Main St Unionville.

A charming bistro in the heard of Unionville «main». Downstairs has a casual vibe, lots of people opted to sit outside as it was a beautiful summer day. Upstairs dining room is more formal looking with white linen, yet relaxed and comfortable enough for a family dinner.
Our group had a good experience despite the long wait for food and everything (there was only one waiter and a bus person for the entire upstairs dining room).
App. — Korean short ribs taste like, well, Korean short ribs you can get in Korean restaurants, Chinese dim sum places, or «Japanese» AYCE, but with a beautifully arranged plating and presentation. Spicy salmon tartar is delicately seasoned to compliment, not to kill, the fresh fish taste. Steamed mussels are tasty, although the mussels are quite small and tend to get overcooked if left in the hot broth.
Main — Rack of lamb was cooked to a perfect medium-​rare, accompanied by a creamy goat cheese plenty wedge. We also ordered two medium-​rare prime rib dishes, when they came out looking more like medium the waiter quickly and sincerely apologized, and had the dishes remade. Smoked salmon pizza was well executed; liked the crispy thin crust. The daily special fish dish wasn’t all that memorable.
Dessert — luscious Belgian chocolate cheesecake, do save room to try it!
All in all, Blacksmith Bistro is a nice place to stop for a casual bite or a formal dinner.

Very nice atmosphere. Will visit again.

A friend who is Italian and grew up in Markham recommended this place along with Il Postino for good Italian food.
We had the Catch of the Day which happened to be swordfish and boy was I pleasantly surprised!
I’ve never had swordfish before and let me tell you it was the best tasting fish I’ve ever had. Perfectly cooked, and a nice cut of the fish. I’m told it’s totally fresh, and if it’s not eaten up by the end of the day it’s thrown out.
Note we had a seat upstairs next to the bar area. It was pretty noisy especially as the night went along. I would recommend a seat further from the bar if you’d like a nice quiet romantic setting.
I wanted to come back here again for the swordfish, but seems it’s luck of the draw what the catch of the day is. When I phoned in to ask, they say they don’t know until the day prior. Guess I’ll be calling them every week from now on :-)

Blacksmith’s Bistro is cute and charming.
I opted to sit upstairs in their dining room right next to the fireplace which gives it a warm and homey vibe. The downstairs where the open kitchen located is kind of dark and more casual without the white table cloth settings.
There is no business hour posted outside the restaurant, so I was there a little too early for lunch… 15 minute before it supposed to open at noon. The staffs were really welcoming and more than willing to sit me and the chef was ready to cook too!
Parma Pizza (Prosciutto, Bocconcini, Arugula, Roasted Red Peppers, Pesto) $ 15 was a little disappointing and overcooked. The crust was thin but so crispy like eating a flat bread crackers. Wish there were more Arugula… I am thinking about similar pizza I ate at 7 Pizzeria Enoteca (
) which was loaded with Arugula!
I ended up washing down the pizza with water and I was kind of full… so no dessert.
I might need to come back again for dinner and try other items on the menu, as it is unfair to write off Blacksmith’s based on just a pizza.
BTW, there is «Seafood Pasta» on the menu, I know who will be coming here with me!

Came here quite by chance as I was spending a girls day out with a dear friend for her belated Birthday. We had originally intended to dine at Il Postino but it was closed and on the kind recommendation by the counter lady at the heavenly Old Fire Hall Confectionary we decide to try Blacksmith’s Bistro. It’s elegant, cozy and definitely fit in with the general smalltown chic vibe of the Unionville posse.
Upon entering we are ushered upstairs to intimate dining quarters. Actually it was quite romantic complete with senior make-​out tunes like Por Ti Volare piped in the background, it’s hard not to think about Will Ferrell in Step Brothers when I hear that song,
I digress…
My dear friend and I share an appy of the Panko Crusted Crab Cakes
Shaved Fennel & Orange Slaw, Lemon Caper Aioli ($ 15) The Crab cake is perfectly crisp outside and nicely textured with crumbles of veggies, plus the refreshing accompaniment of the fennel slaw adds a nice zing along with the flavourful aioli.
For our mains my dear friend orders the Rack of Lamb and myself I order the Mediterranean pizza with roasted red peppers, mushrooms, artichokes, feta cheese ($ 15) My carnivorous friend’s appetite is well sated by the medium rare lamb along with it’s roasted veggies and triangles of baked polenta. I too am very satisfied with the thin crispness of the pizza crust along with the freshness of the toppings. I just wish there was more of that dreamy smooth goat cheese and less of the mozzarella, which I felt dumbed it down, but only by a little. The service was choppy, with all too frequent albeit civilly polite visits from 3 different servers. Thankfully the last server was good enough to give me the bill so I could treat my friend to a great Birthday meal :)
All-​in-​all Blacksmith’s Bistro is a charming dining experience and the perfect way to round out your visit to the quaint trappings of Unionville.