Claudio's Ristorante in Ontario

"We came here last minute because our reservations got cancelled somewhere else and they were able to accommodate all 7 of us. Liz was awesome!!! The service and food was amazing. We would all definitely come back. They also have amazing espresso martinis. We were celebrating a birthday and they brought out some cake on the house, absolutely delicious!!"

"This is the best restaurant in Hamilton!!! I visit it regularly since the summer of 2018, and it never disappointed me. Kristine and Claudio always make you feel like home. This place is cozy and full of warmth. It has a unique, nostalgic atmosphere, lots of vintage photographs, an elegant fireplace, and sophisticated music. The waiters provide first-rate service, making guests feel like aristocrats. The food is HEAVENLY!!! The salmon is my personal favorite (thank you, Chef Kristine, I will always remember how you prepared it for me in the middle of a snowstorm ). In conclusion, I highly recommend this place to everyone who likes delicious Italian cuisine and relaxed, welcoming ambiance of a small, but exquisitely charming restaurant."

"Food is good, I have the pasta with mushroom which was delicious my wife the ragu which was very homemade, the flavours are good not overwhelming. We shared a pizza too. The service however wasn't good; the server (brunette) was very distracted, she would have sold us more wine, but she was too entertained talking with the other lady at the bar, who was either the manager or owner; there was another server who was really running around taking care of her customers, unlike our server. When I paid her service was slightly reflected in the tip, I did 15% which she noticed and was very upset, she throw me the receipt on the table... Anyways I might come back when I'm in Hamilton, hopefully I don't have the same server."

"Such an underrated Italian restaurant in Hamilton with superior food and outstanding service"

"Such a great experience. The food was excellent and the drinks were different and fun. Our waitress was hilarious, personable and knowledgeable. Limited street parking available so look for parking lots in advance. We had the calamari, rigatoni bolognese, veal and mushroom entree and pesto chicken. All so good. Definitely going back when I'm in the area and I would love to sit outside."

"Every dish was terrific. Calamari were perfectly cooked. Cream pesto gnocchi with chicken were exceptional. Salads and pizza were also excellent. Great service on a lovely newly constructed patio. Somewhat pricey with the least expensive bottle on the wine list at $45, but worth the cost. Highly recommend."

"Claudio‘s restaurant is truly a little gem on James Street. Authentic Italian food.. I got the pizza. The crust was scrumptious. Being vegan, I normally don’t get accommodated that well or it’s a hassle however at Claudio‘s Christine made us all feel so so well taken care of and she insured everyone was satisfied. She was also hilarious and made our night extra special. We would go back not just for the food but for our waitress Christine"

"UPDATE: The owner called me about 5 minutes after I posted my original review. She was extremely apologetic and mortified about my groups expierence and offered our group a birthday do over on her. I said okay so we went back last night for round 2. When we got there the owner greeted us at the front door and explained there was another large party in the front but she had a quiet table set up for the 4 of us in the back. Had I known there was seating in the back of the restaurant I would have asked the first time we were there to be moved to a quieter space. This experience was completely different. We could actually hear the music playing which was a nice ensemble of classic radio tracks at a perfect volume. We were able to have great conversations within our group and no issues with hearing each other. It was much more enjoyable! Our server was very polite and friendly and she made sure to check on us to see if we needed refills on our drinks. The food again was delicious. There was one minor issue the pasta was a little under cooked for one of my group members but she said it was still tasty. We didn't have to wait too long for our apps and I was also given some cake again since it was to be my birthday celebration. The owner went above and beyond to fix our original bad experience and I really appreciated that. Because this experience was great and the owner did the right thing I will definitely be back again to try some other dishes in the future! ORIGINAL REVIEW: I picked this place to celebrate my birthday and what a mistake.... It was my actual birthday yesterday too and I figured a Tuesday evening should be pretty quiet well stupid me there was a huge group of 12 men that took up most of the restaurant and of course they were catered to on hand and foot and my smaller group was put on the back burner... We waited almost an hour for appetizers! I had to ask the waitress what was going on and she said we're sorry but we have a large group... excuse me? How are you going make another customer feel that less important and you bluntly just say we have a larger group so basically we didn't matter! I then sternly said to her I made a reservation weeks ago which I did so that's not my problem there's a larger group. She just rudely walked away and then our actual server who was very nice might I say came over and tried to apologize again explaining they were a little understaffed in the kitchen but again these are issues that aren't my problem. I'm not trying to be demanding but you are running a business if you end up getting a big group coming you have to adjust things accordingly. It just wasn't handled properly at all. So they had this large group right in the middle of the restaurant and we couldn't hear each other think let alone talk they were so loud it made it very uncomfortable for me and my guests. If it wasn't for the fact that it was my birthday I would have just got up and left. When the food finally did arrive it was really good but this place is pretty expensive and they automatically put on a 20% gratuity because I was supposed to have 6 people but it ended up only being 4. They should have adjusted the bill... I won't make a reservation here again. If someone else happens to want to eat at this place I would go but I personally will never reserve at this restaurant again after this experience. It's so unfortunate because I had high hopes and was let down. ** A message to the owner ** You need to learn how to manage a restaurant better your customer service with your staff isn't acceptable for the type of establishment you're trying to run!"