The Diplomat - (Near Hamilton, ON)

5 /5 N A: If you’ve ever been curious about this place - Go! From my very first date with my then fiancé to my wedding night last Saturday, the Diplomat has been unbelievably good. The service is top notch. Their servers take great pride and go great lengths to ensure every guest is satisfied. Dallas, our wedding point of contact was nothing short of amazing. She was attentive, responsive and helpful in the months/days before our wedding and on our wedding day, scooped my husband and I away moments before the ceremony to make sure we had a calm moment together. This set the entire pace of our wedding and is a moment we will never forget. Shout out to the female bartender at the French who hyped us up and gave us the kindest words of encouragement/advice! Our wedding was flawless, food was exceptional and all of our guests raved about their meal and how beautiful the atmosphere was inside the Diplomat. Thank you thank you thank you!!!! Photo credit: Dan Jefferson Valle

5 /5 Amanda Cooke: We had an excellent evening and experience at this restaurant. There was a large party dining on one side of the restaurant, otherwise it was initially just ourselves for most of the meal. The restaurant is simply decorated but it has a cozy and hip vibe. Instead of chairs, much of the table seating has comfortable chaises or couches. Service was excellent, friendly, and attentive. I appreciated that our server knew when to come around and that he anticipated our needs. He was knowledgeable about the recently changed menu and interested to hear our take on the food and drinks which he had not yet had a chance to try. The food was excellent. I really enjoyed the vegan options - my first time eating fried green tomatoes but they did not disappoint! The cauliflower main I had was well balanced, especially for a restraint vegan meal. And, we were pleasantly surprised to discover that the vegan dessert option was not the go-to sherbet, but a delicious chocolate cremeux with coconut whip. Light, but delicious. And the cocktails speak for themselves. Some of the best cocktails we’ve had in Hamilton. Real kudos here!

5 /5 Celine Jaisaree: We hosted our wedding at The Diplomat in Hamilton and had the perfect day! Were so glad we picked it as our venue! The servers, bar staff, and kitchen team and especially Emir, were absolutely incredible. The food was wonderful; our guests are still talking about the braised beef. Drinks were delicious, well-crafted, and there was never a line at the bar. We really appreciated the wide selection and accommodations they were able to make as well. The whole staff made the evening flow so well, and we couldn’t be more grateful for their professionalism and warmth. We also loved how flexible The Diplomat was in letting us bring in some unique vendors like our tarot card reader and live illustrator, which made the night feel so us. The venue itself has a cool vibe and the atmosphere is perfect for a unique celebration, and the food alone made it a top choice. We also really appreciated that they helped us arrange a table at The French after we learned that their Loft space (which we had originally planned to use for getting ready and photos) was no longer available. My only piece of advice if you’re planning your wedding here would be to definitely hire your own coordination team. We worked with Mo&Co Events (who worked there before), and they were wonderful! The Diplomat does provide a venue coordinator during the planning process, but like many venues, their role is mainly focused on venue needs before the day - things like layout, menu selections, and staffing rather than the actual coordination of the day. Overall, The Diplomat is the perfect spot if you’re looking for incredible food, a cool space, and a team that’s flexible enough to help you make your celebration your own!

5 /5 Nicole Rafferty: We had our wedding at the Diplomat and had a wonderful experience. The staff at the Diplomat are incredibly accommodating, friendly and respectful. Dallas, our wedding coordinator was fantastic and so easy to work with. She helped guide us and ease our anxiety on our special day. The food at The Diplomat is one of the (many!) reasons why we chose this venue, it is absolutely delicious! We loved how intimate and cozy the atmosphere was during our wedding. Our guests had so many positive things to say about our venue. Highly, highly, recommend!

5 /5 Yenna Youssef: My family and I ate on the patio on a Friday evening. The place was not busy at all. The ambiance was great and the restaurant had a classy, relaxing vibe to it. From seeing the menu and photos, I could tell that the dishes were well executed, packed with flavour and honestly, just mouth watering. My family members were a bit hesitant to try food pairings. Boy were they in for a surprise! Everything tasted delicious! We ordered the Summer Eats where you pick 3 dishes for $40 and got the Gnocchi, Chicken Wings and Grilled Octopus. For our appetizer, we got the Greek Nachos (highly recommend) and for the main, we ordered the Chicken Milanese. My husband had the beer sampler and the IPA was our fav. If you are a foodie, you will not be disappointed! This restaurant deserves a Michelin star. I will be a regular customer moving forward and recommending this hidden Hamilton gem to others!