Julia Ristorante

I have been meaning to write a review since November. I hadn’t been to Julia’s in a while and my husband and I were looking for a restaurant to take some friends from Toronto. After reading the reviews I was a little skeptical and thought perhaps something had changed since we last there. We decided to take out friends there anyway (on Saturday November 20) and couldn’t have had a more pleasant dining experience. The staff was friendly, the food was delicious and the atmosphere was very good. We enjoyed it so much that my husband and I went back there for New Years and had another evening of wonderful food and a cozy table. Every time I have been to this restaurant I have had a very positive experience and would not hesitate to recommend Julia’s to others.

AMAZING NIGHT!!

I have been here over 4 times in the past month, i always take my business partners here and they love it!! The staff are extremely friendly and the food was heavenly i highly recommend it!

We have been to Julia's at least a dozen times over the last 5 years but hadn't been since last summer. I only recognized 2 people that have worked there from before and they did noy seem that happy to be still there. We sat inside as is was too hot for the patio, and waited more than 5 minutes for our server to aproach us, waited another 10 minutes for our drinks, a glass of white wine and a bloody caesar, I thuoght of leaving at this point but my wife was hungry and that was that. Ordered mussels, caesar salad and 2 seafood pastas. The mussels came first (without the salad) we waited about 4 or 5 mins. then asked a server if we could see our server (as she never told us her name) waited another 4 or 5 mins. then she came over and asked us if everything was o.k. I said we where still waiting for tha caesar salad, she asked us who gave us the mussles, I pointed to the man that did and said " Oh that's Jose he does that all the time" I guess that made it all right then. She brought over the salad that had been sitting on the counter for at least 10 or 15 mins. and appologized. The mussels where now cold and the salad was soggy so they went untouched. The pastas came with the plates still on the table and where moved aside and removed with no one asking us what was the matter with our appitizers. Pasta was good and we left, never to return.

Decent food, Horrible service

Took a friend for lunch there on Sunday afternoon. It was not very busy, patio was maybe at 70% and the inside had only about 5 tables going. We sat on the patio but after finishing our appetizer my friend decided that it was a bit too chilly outside and we asked to be moved inside. We were seated inside in a booth in clear view of the counter and servers area and our entrees came in an acceptable time. In the time that we sat inside (approx 30 min) not one server came to check on our table to see how the meal was or see if we wanted a drink re-fill (both our drinks and our water glasses were empty for 15 minutes). We were basically just abandoned there and we finally put our empty glasses (food still on our plates) at the edge of the table hoping someone would get the hint. Eventually a staff member did come by and grab the glasses without so much as looking at us or our table let alone asking if we would like another drink (we both would have). We both looked at each other in disbelief and when the young lady passed by again I politely asked her how come she did not ask us if we wanted another drink especially when we were not done eating. Her answer was 'I wasn't sure if you had asked someone else'. When I informed her that it was her job to make those sort of inquiries and that we had been left unattended at our table since we were seated there she merely shrugged and said that she wasn't our server to begin with so how would she know. The inside wasn't even busy and there was several servers that were not looking too busy. At that point I decided to skip the coffee and dessert and asked for the bill seeing that a pleasant lunch was a lost cause. She did not apologize when she brought the bill and merely said 'here you go' and walked away. Customers are a privilege not a right in the restaurant business and it is a shame the staff at Julia's does not see it this way. Its nice to know that there are lots of other places in Oakville that actually appreciate your business as I will never return to that place again. One more thing, I recognized that server from the several other visits I have made there over the last couple years so it not like she was new.

Not bad

Three of us visited this place, i had heard alot of raving reviews so i wanted to try it? My overall experience was ok? just not what i expected...don't always believe the hype.

I took my husband here on an anniversary. The food was okay. I had heard a lot about this place, and I guess I really bought the "hype" and had high expectations. I was kind of let down by the whole experience, though. The food, as I said, was okay, but nothing extraordinary. I am a good cook and the dishes I chose are easy ones to replicate at home. The waiter hovered around us far too much. The benches in the booth were not deep enough and uncomfortable to sit on for the length of time it took to finish eating. There was a loud, and I mean really vocal, large family seated next to us, obviously celebrating something, too, and they really detracted from the ambiance. Shouts and hurrays overpowered everyone else's conversations, and my husband and I found ourselves falling into silence because it was just too much of an effort to compete above the din and try and converse with each other. So, again, this didn't add to the enjoyment of the evening. The bill was high, but that was expected. It is downtown Oakville, after all.

We've been going to Julia's for years, and we have never been disappointed. We always get the guacamole and the skillet shrimp. I've gotten to know the staff pretty well over the years- it's nice to see the same faces both from the service staff and in the open kitchen. They seem to change the menu pretty often, so there's always new food to try. This is a friendly, welcoming restaurant.

I have been to Julia's on numerous occasions because the atmosphere is enjoyable and the entertainment is incredible. I cannot complain about the food, it is unique and delicious. The service however, on this particular day and in reflecting back on a couple of other past visits, was disappointing to say the least. Not one smile to be seen on the faces of the staff, there was definitely a lack of enthusiasm in the air which made the all in all experience less pleasing!

Went for Sunday brunch and had the eggs bene - it...

Went for Sunday brunch and had the eggs bene - it was good but not spectacular or memorable. I have no complaints since they delivered on what I was expecting. However honestly the best thing about this restaurant is the location - I can stroll and shop before or after a satisfying meal. The menu is decent and offers a good variety. I would still recommend it.

I have eaten at Julia's about 10 times in the...

I have eaten at Julia's about 10 times in the last 3 months and ate there again today with my daughter. It is a casual but elegant atmosphere in an excellent location on lakeshore in downtown oakville. I have tried about 9 of their dishes and in every case the food was fresh, well presented, and tasty. The menu tells you the health benefits of each meal which is really cool, and the service is excellent both when its busy and when its empty. The doesnt compare to a high end restaurant in New York or Las Vegas, and the service isnt the best ive ever had but there are about 30 restaurants within a 5 minute walk of Julia's and ive eaten at half of them and keep preferring this restaurant. great wine selection too - small but good selections

It took forever for the waiter to take our drink...

It took forever for the waiter to take our drink order and it wasn't even that busy for a Friday lunch. The person I was with had to switch chairs as his was wobbly - they really need to upgrade the interior of that place - still has the resemblance of the Cultures it used to be years ago. When our white wine arrived we had to send it back as it wasn't even chilled. The chicken salad looked like the chicken was bought at the deli counter at Sobeys with a few pieces of avocado thrown on for colour. The salmon was dry and overcooked. Don't get why this place gets all the allocolades?? the service was not good, it is very loud in there and the food is so so.

Amazing

Julia's was an awesome night. The food was great, the ambiance was inviting, the service was great (the staff were there when you needed them) you did not have to ask for anything or call them over. "on the ball" I just loved my experience at Julia's I would go back in a heartbeat.

Appalling.

The calamari was not fresh. It was tough and rubbery and had an unpleasant briny aftertaste. The veal was fatty and the mushrooms in the sauce were very gritty, meaning they had not been properly cleaned. The prosciutto was a misfire; it did not belong in this dish. The effect of including it in the Marsala sauce caused this already smoked meat to be slightly cooked, resulting in an unpalatable rubbery and tasteless mass that was pushed to the side of the plate. The custard in the creme brulee was stiff, dry and not fresh, and slightly curdled. The layer of caramelized sugar on top was very thin and already broken when it arrived at the table. Finally, the bread pudding, which according to the menu should have been served with vanilla ice cream, arrived without ice cream, but instead was garnished with blueberries, some of which were covered with mold. The espresso was very bitter, which is indicative of old beans. Out of the six dishes we ordered, the Caprese salad was the only one that was problem-free and was actually enjoyed. The bread pudding was very tasty as well, but it went back as soon as we discovered the moldy berries. The waiter was appropriately apologetic for the state of the dessert, and our drinks and desserts were comped. However, the resulting bill was still over $100, and we walked away feeling that we were robbed. We should not have been charged for this meal. This restaurant tries very hard to put an original spin on classic dishes -- prosciutto in the veal Marsala, "flavoured" creme brulee -- but it fails at the most basic level, like making sure ingredients are fresh and actually *clean*. Lastly, the washroom lacked paper towels, the table was wobbly, and the outdoor patio chairs we sat in were extremely uncomfortable. This overrated restaurant is all style over substance.

Love the place.

My wife and I have been to Julia's over 50 times and have never been disappointed with anything. The service is always excellent, the food is always full of flavor and served timely ( for those of you that don't know, this is a slow food restaurant not a fast food one ) and the ambiance and atmosphere is very welcoming., the rest will take care of itself. Sit back and enjoy

Beautiful spot for lunch

My husband and I are visiting some friends and we went into Julia's on their recommendation for lunch the other day. We lucked out as the weather was decent for a change and had a seat out on the patio for a quick bite followed by some shopping that turned into a long lunch and a walk down to the lake. I had the seafood sampler plate for my appetizer (sorry, not sure about the name)and my husband had the soup, asparagus with pancetta. Both were excellent, the sample platter had salmon, scallop and a crab cake. Just enough and very tasty! I had a little bit of my husbands soup as he was kind of hording it! Also great! We had a pitcher of refreshing sangria and ate our entrees. My girlfriend had also recommended the salmon and I certainly wasn't disappointed! The pork salad was not only good, but what a novel idea! I'll be sure to try that one at home...The cheesecake was over the top and along with some coffee and some Grand Marnier we decided to walk it off a little down by the lake. What a beautiful town Oakville is, so peaceful and laid back. I can see why our friends moved here. Thanks for a great day!

Nice place

I loved the decor. The bench in the booth we were seated in was uncomfortable, but I immersed myself in the ambiance and overlooked it. The food was very fresh and plated nicely. My shrimp appetizer was just okay. I expected more taste, having read the mouth-watering menu description. The lemon was overpowering and totally cancelled out all the other flavours in the sauce. My osso bucco didn't look anything like I'd expected. It resembled a lamb shank more than any kind of osso bucco I've ever eaten. Maybe that's the way they're being done now? Who knows. It was good, but not overwhelmingly good, as I had hoped. My fiancé enjoyed his pasta and appetizer. He ordered the guacamole, and for once, I had food envy. It was very nice and fresh. I would say that I was more impressed with the decor and the ambiance of the place than the food itself; hence, I'm not sure if I'd return again.

Great Food, Exceptional Service and a Beautiful day

A friend whom I hadn't seen in awhile and I spent the afternoon the other day enjoying the weather with a bottle of wine and some fantastic appetizers at Julia, one of my favourite downtown spots all summer long. We shared guacamole, beef carpaccio and a lobster dip. All the dishes were wonderful and the presentation was really nice. The service was attentive and informative. Will return again and again!

Wonderful Family Event

The party size option in the review area won't go up high enough, but we were a Baptism function of 30 adults and 4 children. We had a tradional Italian Style menu with an antipasto (just the right size, and the proscuitto was excellent!), a small pasta (penne in a tomato cream sauce), a plate with veal marsala and chicken limone a small salad, and some seafood platters with mussels, scallops, shrimp and calamari. The food was great and the service very good despite the restaurant being so busy. Nice Job! We'll definitely be back to book more family functions!

We went for our 4 year anniversary dinner and let...

We went for our 4 year anniversary dinner and let me tell you this place ruined our night. First of all the guacamole, meaning the avocado was raw, it was no ripe, it was aweful. Then my atlantic salmon was overcooked and very dry, and the sauce ontop was horrible tasting, i had to give my dish to my husband. Then i ate his gnocchi's and the sauce of the gnocchi's was so tasteless, and it had no procciuto as the menu said it would. Both dishes were aweful. Then we said let's give dessert a chance they can't screw up a dessert, so we ordered the creme brule and let me tell you is was also terrible. The sugar cover which is supposed to be nice and crispy and breakable was so thivh we could not penetrate the thick layer of caramel. I had to lift the whole thing off in order to get to the custard part, and the custard was overdry as if it had been cooked days ago and just reheated. The service was very slow!!! This was the wrost restaurant i have ever been to in oakville and paid a fortune for my meal : $106.00. This restaurant truly ruined my anniversary, we felt robbed at the end of the night.

First time at the restaurant, went in on a fairly...

First time at the restaurant, went in on a fairly busy night. Waited 50 or so minutes for our food and when it arrived, the pasta bolognese was great no complaints what so ever, the beef tenderloin plate was a different story the mash was cold as was the asparagus the tenderloin was not cooked to medium rare as i asked and was still cold in the center and my plate itself which should be HOT! was stone cold, but overall if the food was hot it would have tasted great. As for dessert chocolate truffle was dry tasted like it had been sitting out for a couple of hours, tiramisu was to wet for my liking, like someone had poured a shot of espresso on it before it went out. If im not mistaked i did see julia running the pass, and if it was i am very dissapointed as i have heard only good things about this restaurant before i came to check it out for myself. Hopefully next time i come for a nice dinner( which will be in a long time) I dont have any complaints. CHEERS!