Brux House - 137 Locke Street South, Hamilton, ON

This was our second time at Brux House.  We showed up around 8 pm without a reservation and they were busy but the hostess offered us a table on the patio.  It was getting a bit chilly but the restaurant had blankets that they were giving out to those willing to brave the patio.  So we took the outside table.  In the summer months, we need to go back again to enjoy the beer and delicious food.

We ordered a flight of beer which is three good sized glasses and you get to pick from the craft beers on the menu.  They are listed by letter A,B,C etc. each with a description.

Craft Beer Menu Selections

Two flights of beer, Selections A,D &E at the back and B,C & L in the front

 

I totally recommend "D" - Jelly King (blackberry) from Bellwood's Brewery in Toronto.  Dale enjoyed that one too.  Every beer we tried was great and all different tasting.

For food we started with the Roasted Brussel Sprouts ($9) which were awesome!  The bacon and aioli made this dish.  Dale had the Flat Iron Steak ($28) done to perfection and I had the Pork Schnitzel ($25).  The main dishes might be a few dollars more than you might pay elsewhere but really there is no comparison.  You would not be disappointed eating here and you realize why the restaurant is always packed.  Make a reservation and you have to try the craft beers!

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Pork Schnitzel

View into the restaurant from the patio

Born and Raised - 224 James St. N. Hamilton, ON

http://www.bornandraised.restaurant/

We cannot say enough good things about this restaurant.  We love the atmosphere and the menu and the food is delicious.  Our only complaint about last night was that it got quite loud with a packed restaurant but really it was not too bad and they had the hockey game on a large screen at the back.

This was our second time to Born and Raised and we really wanted to try the pizzas.  For four of us we ordered two pizzas, two of their salads to share and the brussel sprout dish and meatballs to share.  It was almost too much food for the four of us and we did bring some pizza home.

The "General Jonny" Brussel Sprouts ($9) with the Organic Beet Salad ($13) and Green Mango Salad ($10) came out first.  We will order the brussel sprouts every time we go because they are the best! We all loved the Organic Beet Salad with the apples, pomegranates and walnuts.  The Margharita ($14) and Wild Mushroom pizza ($16) came out next with the Nonna's Meatballs ($15).  Each pizza was cut in four nice size slices and had the perfect crust.

Favorite was the Wild Mushroom pizza with the brie cheese and pears!!  For two people, I would definitely suggest sharing one pizza along with the Organic Beet Salad and of course add the brussel sprouts.  That would be the perfect size meal for two. 

Prices are reasonable for the quality of food.  The drink/beer selection is huge and they have a dessert menu but we were just too full to try a dessert.  Born and Raised is definitely in our top five Hamilton restaurant spots!

Margharita Pizza

Wild Mushroom Pizza

Nonna's Meatballs

Bar Izakaya - 275 James Street North, Hamilton On

I found out about Bar Izakaya when reading an article put out by Tourism Hamilton on places to eat in 2017.  We have been on James Street North several times trying different restaurants but we missed this place.  It is tucked behind the BMO on James Street and it actually faces Colbourne Street. 

 https://www.eatinc.ca/bar-izakaya

The restaurant is a nice size and with a modern decor.  We always enjoy ourselves even more when there is great service and staff explain the selections on the menu.  They definitely have excellent service and friendly staff. The menu is a perfect size and for dinner there are several shareable dishes and also Ramen dishes (vegan, chicken, pork), if you want an individual meal.  They have a drink menu and beer on tap from a local Hamilton brewery.

We selected the Brocolli, Beef Short Ribs and the buttermilk and soy fried chicken (Karaage) to share and we each had the Enoki salad.  We both loved the Enoki salad with asparagus and enoki mushrooms.....so good!  Another favorite was the Beef Short Ribs which included sliced daikon radish, sprouts and rice served in a bowl to share.  Everything tasted good and the portions for the shareable dishes were very generous.  After dinner we tried these warm salted caramel cookies for dessert which were delicious.

Bar Izakaya is described as serving dishes inspired by Japanese and Canadian cuisine and the food does seem to be a blend of both.  You can tell that the food is freshly prepared too.  We will definitely be going back here. 

Bar Izakaya

Small plate selections

Brocolli dish

Enoki Salad

Beef Short Ribs

Buttermilk and soyfried chicken with aioli for dipping

Hambrgr on Ottawa Street - 207 Ottawa Street North, Hamilton ON

We have tried Hambrgr on King William but there is a new location on Ottawa Street North.  Just like some other shopping destinations in Hamilton (Locke, King William, James North & Concession Street), Ottawa Street is transforming into a great destination with a mix of both shopping and restaurant options.  Hambrgr is a perfect fit for Ottawa Street.

Hambrgr offers a great menu with affordable prices.  Nice atmosphere and awesome service too!  You will not get a hamburger and fries as good for the price you pay at Hambrgr.

We stuck to burgers and beers again.  We chose the Back to T.O. burger which is piled high and topped off with an egg.  Other burgers selected between the four of us were the Bacon is Gouda and the Chef Smash special with different cheeses on it.  The garlic and parmigianno fries were popular among the four of us but I stuck to the classic fries.

If you are heading to Ottawa Street for some antique shopping or checking out the other unique stores, check out Hambrgr.  It is just as good as the King William location too!

HAMBRGR on Ottawa Street

Wall Mural

Back to TO Burger with the Garlic and Parmigianno Fries

Chef Smash Special with Classic Fries

Mezcal Tacos & Tequila Bar

Mezcal Tacos & Tequila Bar - 150 James Street South, Hamilton, Ontario

http://www.mezcaltnt.com/

This week we decided to try Mezcal for a late lunch.  We have tried to dine here before on a Friday night but it was packed with a 1.5 hour wait.  For a Saturday lunch at 2:00-2:30 it was still busy but we managed to walk in and grab a table for two.

There is a separate cocktail menu with some interesting mixed drinks but we stuck to our Collective Arts selection of draft beer.  We were not adventurous to try some Tequila.  The atmosphere is cozy with a long bar and mixed seating including some high and low tables and a few tables for two.

Taco selections are $6 each and Burritos are $9 each.  Tacos are 3 for $15, but for lunch I only ordered two tacos.  Dale had three!  There are quite a few shareable dishes to start and we tried the Empanadas which look like miniature pockets with sweet potato inside.  Very good!  Served with sour cream and sprouts.

Tacos that we tried were the Squash & Kale, Cubano, Bang Bang Shrimp and the Monster Truck.  My favorite was the Cubano with the ham and mustard.  Really good!  The tacos are served a bit different than at the Mule.  Here they come out piled high on top of a double layer of soft taco shells.  You need a fork to pick up all the yummy ingredients that get dropped....and you need a few napkins for the meal.

Totally recommend Mezcal but probably arrive when they open up for lunch or go for an early dinner to guarantee a spot.  We loved everything we tried and want to go back and sample some of the other Tacos and shareable dishes.

Mezcal on James St. South

Taco/Burrito Selections

Empanadas to share

Monster Truck, Squash & Kale and Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos

Squash & Kale and Cubano Tacos