Best Restaurants in Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay, a vibrant city located on the shores of Lake Superior, is not just known for its stunning natural beauty, but also for its thriving culinary scene. This city is a gastronomic delight, offering a wide range of dining options that cater to all tastes and preferences. From cozy cafes to fine dining establishments, Thunder Bay's restaurant scene is as diverse as its landscape. Whether you're a local foodie or a tourist seeking to explore the city's culinary delights, this article will guide you through the best restaurants in Thunder Bay. Get ready to embark on a delicious journey that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving for more.
Red lion smokehouse
4.2
(837)
Laid-back smokehouse offering pub fare like tacos & pulled-pork sandwiches, plus craft beer on tap.
Reviews:
Oh I wish I could’ve given this place 5 stars. Visiting Thunder Bay with our dog we are limited as to where we can go and this place was dog friendly (on the patio only) and was also close to our hotel. Win win - or so we thought. You’re unable to book a table on the patio as it’s first come first served so we ate out early to make sure we could get a seat. The server was great although no one offered a bowl of water for the dog, we had to take it from another table after they left. The food - well, we were enjoying our appetizer when the mains arrived. I ordered the fish tacos and yes, they are ordered individually so I ordered 3 (a normal restaurant serving), however the fish in the tacos was enough for one taco, divided into the 3 🤷🏼♀️ so much taco with not much else. The server did ask if everything was ok and I did mention that fish in the taco would be nice - not much she can do, it should be the kitchen that stopped it leaving. When I went to pay, they gave me some espresso truffles as an apology and said they were training a new chef - obviously not very well. In summary - staff were attentive to humans but not pets and kitchen staff need better training.
June Gill
great caesars and the staff are nice. Good deals on different days BUT the food is lacking, especially compared to a couple years ago. Came here in 2021 and got the most delicious brisket poutine of my life and this year it looked/tasted nothing like before and the portion was much smaller. They didn't have gravy! For poutine! I even asked to add and they didn't have it at all. The pic with the half empty plate is from this time and the delicious looking pic is the one I got 2 years ago. Huge downgrade. The brisket was also super dry and hard to eat.
Christina D
Waitress was wonderful and attentive, unfortunately the food didn't live up to the service. The ribs were dry and stuck to the bones, my chicken pasta was nothing to write home about and the cornbread was stale. All in all the Coleslaw that came as a side with the ribs was the best part of the actual meal. Atmosphere was pleasant and again, wait staff was fantastic, too bad the food didn't measure up.
Mark Hollaway
Food was amazing!! Service was very slow/intermittent, but they seemed understaffed the day we ate there. The servers were very apologetic, and compensated for the significant delays in food arriving which was very kind of them.
Logan Crum
14 craft taps and lots of variety in cans, plus knowledgeable staff means it's a great place to go for the beers. I had higher hopes for the food though, it was just ok. Brisket was dry, mac and cheese was gritty. Games and darts to keep you occupied.
Ian Kerr
16 Cumberland St S, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 2T2, Canada
Bar italia
4.5
(227)
Reviews:
Went to Bar Italia this evening with my ladies to enjoy the patio. First of all, the patio was so beautiful. It was my first time there but everyone else had been before. What a hidden gem. It was completely packed so we were happy we got reservations done about a week ago. I didn't take pictures of the patio to respect other people's privacy but it was beautiful. We loved all our delicious and well presented meals. The portions were large and the meals tasted so fresh. Our waitress was absolutely phenomenally amazing! we loved her and her energy! The cocktails were so good as well! ❤️🥂 We have already planned our next trip there! 😊
Yinka A.
A unique cousin experience; the first entrance was the mozzarella sticks were phenomenal, and then we ordered pasta and shared. We don't have comments, and it was fabulous. Also, we ordered a chocolate cake to finish our night. Everything was outstanding, and the service was terrific
Mauro Montaño
Exceptional on every level. First time here. Had the spaghetti and meatballs which were exceptional, with house made meatballs. Spinach and cheese balls appetizers are a gourmet delight. Atmosphere and service were both a 9 out of 10. Sounds like five generations of owners. Awesome….
David Pawelke
Unfortunately our food here wasn't great. Nothing really tasted fresh, the tomato sauce tasted like it came out of a can, and the food was generally bland. Our dining experience was exceptionally long; our food took an unusually long time to come out, and about half way through our visit, the music was turned up really loud,and despite other customers complaining about it, it was never turned down. Our server was great, and the food even looked great, but unfortunately the taste and quality of ingredients didn't hold up.
Amber Schlater
The food was great! Portions are appropriate and service was also nice! I forgot the name, but we got the sliced beef appetizer and it was soooo good! It was very quiet when we went, so it felt nice that we weren't squeezed in with other people cause the tables seem pretty close with each other. But, it wasn't rlly a concern tbh. Overall, we had a good lunch!
shania trixie
168 Court St S, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 2X6, Canada
Roosters bistro
4.4
(487)
Reviews:
I’ve visited three times - twice on this trip alone. Huge selection of breakfast options, adorable decor, reasonable prices, and excellent service. Our food was great every time.
Heidi Mausolf
Loved there breakfast selection here. There food is amazing!!! The Finnish pancakes are so tasty. It is busy so you know it’s a good spot.
Karly H (Exploring the lakes!)
Here's the deal with Roosters Bistro - we drove all the way from the Twin Cities to get some real deal Canadian poutine and the locals we knew in Thunder Bay said Roosters is the place and, folks, they weren't wrong it was AMAZING. perfect gravy, curds melted and the fries (!!) a real treat. We also split a breakfast burrito. That's right we had poutine for breakfast. No idea if that's normal or not they didn't blink when we ordered. Great vibes in this place. Would poutine again.
Dave Cecchi
If you're looking for the most Roosters per square foot (rpsf) this is the place. Food is pretty good. Coffee is terrible but it's standard bottomless diner grade. Great that it has one of the three patios in town.
Dan Varnus
Went here this morning with my friends to grab breakfast and we were 6 in number. Our waitress was just so wonderful! Service was just great and so quick. The portions too were so large. when I ordered the heat seeker, I had them add bacon and sausages. When the meal came out, I wished I had just ordered it without the extra addictions because it was so large. I was full and I was given the option to take the rest away. The breakfast and hot chocolate was just deliciously divine! I will be back I really like spicy food when I can get it and when I ordered the heat seeker, I was thinking well it probably won't be spicy but it was surprisingly great and spicy! I LOVED it! Not the kind of spicy that stresses you out but you enjoy. So I really enjoyed it! We will be back!
Yinka A.
32 St Paul St, Thunder Bay, ON P7A 4S4, Canada
Montana’s bbq & bar
4.2
(1243)
Reviews:
Food was spot on but the service from our server Adrienne made the visit. Her attention to detail and pleasant personality made us feel at home. She checked in frequently. Kudos to her. Great night out. Highly recommend
Nancy Reilly
Great food, awesome atmosphere service was top notch, I had the brisket burger and the sauce was delicious. Come here for wicked awesome BBQ if you're visiting Thunder Bay Ontario
Jason Chapais
Great Montana's well kept. Attentive staff. Good food. Fun mod was to change the chicken tacos to bang bang shrimp.
Marcel Camposilvan
Great decor, great service and great food. Only thing that could have been a bit juicier was my steak. But overall, the meal I had was great! Our server, Melissa was Awesome!! She was very professional and very patient with every wish we asked of her. Thank you for a great dining experience!
R. Louise Ewen
First visit here and the steak was burned. My mum ordered the fish and hers was excellent. The atmosphere was too noisy for my liking, but that's just my personal preference. Overall the service was great.
Shenel Ramnarine
615 Sibley Dr, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 6Z8, Canada
Daytona's kitchen + creative catering
4.4
(778)
Laid-back hangout popular with locals offering a wide variety of comfort foods & local beer.
Reviews:
Went for brunch with my family. It was a full house bit the staff did an excellent job of getting us seated and fed quickly. The food never disappoints. I’m literally kicking myself for not trying the chicken and waffle Benedict. Glad that there will definitely be a next time! Lots of parking. Clean washrooms. Very friendly staff.
Bruce Lidkea
Breakfast was Amazing! Delicious food! Arrived 8:30am. Was quiet at first but quickly became busy. The earlier you go the better. I had breakfast Poutini amd hubby had Lemon Blueberry Crepes. Huge portions! Neither one of us finished our meals
julie nguyen
Great place with good food and service. One of the main thing that I noticed is quantity of food which is really more than we pay. Most of the starters are kinda like a whole meal and its really good price too. All the drinks and food that we tried was really tasty too. The Korean Cauliflower bites, Nachos chips and the Garlic bread with tomatoes and meat was my favourite from all. Everyone loved the food. Will really recommend this place to give a try for sure.
Subin S
Food was good. The service was really good as well. The atmosphere is ok. The waiter was really nice and our food came really quick. It's a good place to eat. The portions are really good too. I ordered the Brioche french toast which was good but I ordered the omelette as an extra side because I thought the French toast might not be a decent portion however the French toast came out a huge portion and my omelette was a large side so I couldn't finish my meal but at least I could take the rest away. My friends ordered the Poutine bowl and Finn pancakes. They loved their orders too. Really good food.
Yinka A.
Had their chicken and waffles Benedict and like always it was amazing, they do put a hot sauce on it so if you do not like heat I'm sure they would leave it off for you. My daughter had fin pancakes with ham and she like it.
Jacqueline Bratko
965A Cobalt Crescent, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5Z4, Canada
Niva's restaurant
4.5
(448)
Reviews:
Go were the locals go, go to Niva's.A very busy breakfast and lunch spot. At 11:00 am on a Friday expect a line up to get in. Quality at a good price. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Local and casual.
Fearocious Fearocious
A Finnish breakfast and lunch restaurant with plenty of breakfast options and some lunch specials. We ordered some omelet combos and pancakes. Food was okay, nothing wow about them. The ambience was not like usual breakfast places, it was quite dim and gloomy and slow paced.
Debalina Saha
Delicious lunch and excellent service from their top-notch hostess and waitress. Wish I would have got their names. I was excited to try some FINNISH PANCAKES (kind of like crepes) and they didn’t disappoint. My wife got a burger, fry, and pie and was happy with her choice also. Wish I could go back and try the putin!
Stephen Balza
We came on a Sunday morning, they're very busy but you know that's always a good sign. We didn't have to wait to long to be seated as there wasn't any available tables when we got there. Our waitress was very friendly and courteous and it just plain felt like you were talking to a family member. I ordered one of the specials, back bacon with 2 eggs, toast and home fries. My dad ordered a clubhouse sandwich with fries and gravy. Both were absolutely phenomenal and really hit the spot. If you're looking for a good ma & pa home cooked breakfast then look no further than Niva's!! You don't be disappointed I can assure you of this. If you are you then have no taste buds in my humble opinion.
Shawn Proulx
Came to Thunder Bay to visit my daughter. Took her to Niva’s for breakfast. The waitresses are very attentive and food was great. Highly recommend!
Sheldon Unrau
376 Lisgar St, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 2M4, Canada
Jj's family restaurant
4.8
(588)
Reviews:
We stopped here to get a taste of Canada and got so much more! The owners and staff were so nice and gracious! The food was amazing and you have to try the dip that comes with the buttermilk chicken, it's like crack! So addicting! So much good food! Don't let the Canadian and Chinese food idea scare you away!
sarie transue
Has Thunder Bay's best Chinese food. We never miss it when we come home. And the ladies are amazing and love to take care of you. Been coming for over 25 years won't stop. You have to come in!!!!
Randy Feaver
I’ve been going to JJs for years. The portions are huge, and pricing is extremely reasonable. Tonight, when I ordered my usual (chicken fried rice, wontons and chicken balls) the wontons were missing. Without hesitation they fixed my order and now I have wontons to snack on for lunch tomorrow too! Service is amazing and the ladies are always so friendly. Highly recommend!
Dayna Pelletier
I have been coming here for the last 5 years and the food is simply amazing. I usually go for the chicken fried rice and the fried wontons. The portion size is huge. I would have been nice if they were able to close late
martish shah
Great food. Best Chinese food in town, by a long shot. Staff is super friendly and food comes quickly. Prices are low as well. If you live in Thunder Bay, JJ’s is a must-try restaurant
Cole Robinson
112 Centennial Square, Thunder Bay, ON P7C 5P7, Canada