Canoe in Center Harbor

BernerGuy · 08-23-2017, 02:54 PM

Absolutely love Canoe. Went there last night and had a great meal and great service. Tried to go Monday night and were told it was 45 minute wait. We did not have the time and went to Lemon Grass and had an awesome meal and great service. Lots of competition in the area. The fact that they are still around and busy speaks for itself. Having owned and operated a restaurant for 10 years, I get the reservation problems. We took reservarions for every time slot and every size party and got bad feedback for doing that. Restaurants cannot please everyone. I am happy that Canoe is here and uf all of you stop going I can have it all to myself.

Biggd · 08-24-2017, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BernerGuy

Absolutely love Canoe. Went there last night and had a great meal and great service. Tried to go Monday night and were told it was 45 minute wait. We did not have the time and went to Lemon Grass and had an awesome meal and great service. Lots of competition in the area. The fact that they are still around and busy speaks for itself. Having owned and operated a restaurant for 10 years, I get the reservation problems. We took reservarions for every time slot and every size party and got bad feedback for doing that. Restaurants cannot please everyone. I am happy that Canoe is here and uf all of you stop going I can have it all to myself.

You won't get any competition from me. I guess you have to be a regular for the hostess to be nice to you.

BernerGuy · 08-25-2017, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biggd

You won't get any competition from me. I guess you have to be a regular for the hostess to be nice to you.

Never said the hostess was nice to me or host for that matter, but the hostess is not the one cooking my food or taking my drink order. They bring me to my seat and I never have to see them again. I understand too well a good host can make a restaurant and a bad hostess can ruin one, but life is too short for me to let that person ruin my evening.

lavecchi · 08-26-2017, 03:54 AM

That's why I will never go back and I will tell everybody I know not to wast there shot life and have a bad experience

BroadHopper · 08-26-2017, 05:52 AM

Off Season. Like almost all restaurants in area. Seems like the restaurants summer hires falls apart under the constant pressure of the tourists, That is why I don't go out during the tourist season!

Greene's Basin Girl · 08-26-2017, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

Off Season. Like almost all restaurants in area. Seems like the restaurants summer hires falls apart under the constant pressure of the tourists, That is why I don't go out during the tourist season!

I went to Canoe this past winter. There were two parties in the dining room and we were one of them. The server was extremely slow and the server just kept standing around. It was not good service and thus it was not enjoyable! On the other hand 15 of us had a meeting at O's this past Thursday. The service and the food was great!

lavecchi · 08-26-2017, 02:48 PM

I will say I never had anything but great food, but the service summer / winter always has been horrible

Biggd · 08-27-2017, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lavecchi

I will say I never had anything but great food, but the service summer / winter always has been horrible

I can forgive rude and bad service once, maybe even twice, but after that I don't care how good the food is. The whole experience is important.

sledneck · 09-05-2017, 09:46 PM

So I decided what the hell, I'll try the canoe. What an absolute mistake. The food was so BLAND and everyone's posts here was true. What an attitude on the hostess, the service was horrible and the drinks were aweful. I should have just kept paddling. Definitely won't be back.

rsmlp · 09-06-2017, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sledneck

So I decided what the hell, I'll try the canoe. What an absolute mistake. The food was so BLAND and everyone's posts here was true. What an attitude on the hostess, the service was horrible and the drinks were aweful. I should have just kept paddling. Definitely won't be back.

I think we can all agree that service right now is wanting-everywhere. Canoe has never been my favorite. I prefer Lavinia's and New Woodshed is damn good-although I haven't been in a few weeks.

Biggd · 09-06-2017, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sledneck

So I decided what the hell, I'll try the canoe. What an absolute mistake. The food was so BLAND and everyone's posts here was true. What an attitude on the hostess, the service was horrible and the drinks were aweful. I should have just kept paddling. Definitely won't be back.

The hostess is your first impression and if the hostess is rude then things go downhill from there. Almost every time I've been to Canoe my first impression has not been pleasant.

joey2665 · 09-06-2017, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sledneck

So I decided what the hell, I'll try the canoe. What an absolute mistake. The food was so BLAND and everyone's posts here was true. What an attitude on the hostess, the service was horrible and the drinks were aweful. I should have just kept paddling. Definitely won't be back.

There are several posters here that actually like Canoe. Myself included and also evidenced by how crowded it can be especially during the season and on weekends. As mentioned above I do love the new Woodshed also, but I would compare the more to "O" than Canoe in terms of menu choices

HellRaZoR004 · 09-06-2017, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joey2665

There are several posters here that actually like Canoe. Myself included and also evidenced by how crowded it can be especially during the season and on weekends. As mentioned above I do love the new Woodshed also, but I would compare the more to "O" than Canoe in terms of menu choices

Perhaps the crowded feel is from the lack of parking, so every time you drive by you get the impression they are packed

Do employees park elsewhere?

joey2665 · 09-06-2017, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HellRaZoR004

Perhaps the crowded feel is from the lack of parking, so every time you drive by you get the impression they are packed

Do employees park elsewhere?

Not referring to the parking lot, I am strictly speaking about inside the restaurant. I have dined there at least 15 times and unless you go extremely early it is always crowded so they must be doing something right.

Biggd · 09-06-2017, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joey2665

Not referring to the parking lot, I am strictly speaking about inside the restaurant. I have dined there at least 15 times and unless you go extremely early it is always crowded so they must be doing something right.

Maybe they just cater to regular repeat customers and give new comers attitude.

joey2665 · 09-06-2017, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biggd

Maybe they just cater to regular repeat customers and give new comers attitude.

That is a complete misstatement, with the 3-4 times a year I go there they have no idea who I am or how many times I've gone there and besides in season and out of season and also depending on the night the hostess is different.

Biggd · 09-06-2017, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joey2665

That is a complete misstatement, with the 3-4 times a year I go there they have no idea who I am or how many times I've gone there and besides in season and out of season and also depending on the night the hostess is different.

Well then maybe It's just my T-shirt that says, "don't be nice to me".

joey2665 · 09-06-2017, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biggd

Well then maybe It's just my T-shirt that says, "don't be nice to me".

Maybe its the way the hostess is treated

Biggd · 09-06-2017, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joey2665

Maybe its the way the hostess is treated

Ya, that must be it. I must really hate that place so I go in with an attitude and all the other places I eat at I'm fine.

They never have to worry about my attitude ever again.

VitaBene · 09-07-2017, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biggd

Maybe they just cater to regular repeat customers and give new comers attitude.

I expect restaurants/ bars that I frequent to treat me like a regular! Most restaurants do. However, newcomers should not be treated poorly.

Biggd · 09-08-2017, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VitaBene

I expect restaurants/ bars that I frequent to treat me like a regular! Most restaurants do. However, newcomers should not be treated poorly.

I agree but I have experienced this first hand at other restaurants. My wife and I frequent Lago's and although I've never been treated poorly there I do notice that they go out of their way to please us now that we are regulars. Even when we first started going there the staff was always friendly as it should be, no attitudes at all with any of the staff.
I understand that restaurants are having a hard time staffing this year but the good ones can usually hold on to good employees because they are so busy and they treat them well.
Everyone has their favorite "go to" places. Some places we go to, my wife likes and I don't. Lago's is one we both like. My wife liked Canoe but I didn't.
I never give attitude when in a restaurant, I was being sarcastic with my earlier response. If I don't like a place I just never go back. But I will give it more than one try. Sometimes it's just an off night.
When I go out to eat I expect to be treated nicely by the whole staff. That's part of the dinning experience. If they want my money they should be nice.
On another note, we went to Faro's at the Weirs Saturday night for only the second time and the food was fantastic and the staff was wonderful. Our first time there was when they had just opened and they didn't quit have their **** together but I'm glad we gave it another try.

baastan · 09-10-2017, 03:55 PM

Ill be honest, I have both ends of the spectrum with the Canoe, but everything else is a common man restaurant with some of the most bland and awful food you will over ingest. Ive been up the lake for 17 years now and can tell you the Canoe is the most consistent food in the area. For giggles here are my reviews of the Canoe..

https://www.yelp.com/biz/canoe-resta...source=(direct)

TheTimeTraveler · 09-06-2017, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joey2665

Not referring to the parking lot, I am strictly speaking about inside the restaurant. I have dined there at least 15 times and unless you go extremely early it is always crowded so they must be doing something right.

Maybe all the employees are told to park in that lot to give the appearance of always being crowded!

.

08-23-2017, 02:54 PM	#1
BernerGuy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 68 Thanks: 17 Thanked 44 Times in 15 Posts	Love Canoe Absolutely love Canoe. Went there last night and had a great meal and great service. Tried to go Monday night and were told it was 45 minute wait. We did not have the time and went to Lemon Grass and had an awesome meal and great service. Lots of competition in the area. The fact that they are still around and busy speaks for itself. Having owned and operated a restaurant for 10 years, I get the reservation problems. We took reservarions for every time slot and every size party and got bad feedback for doing that. Restaurants cannot please everyone. I am happy that Canoe is here and uf all of you stop going I can have it all to myself.

08-26-2017, 03:54 AM	#4
lavecchi Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Agreed somewhat That's why I will never go back and I will tell everybody I know not to wast there shot life and have a bad experience

08-26-2017, 05:52 AM	#5
BroadHopper Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Laconia NH Posts: 5,576 Thanks: 3,214 Thanked 1,103 Times in 794 Posts	Excellent Restuarant Off Season. Like almost all restaurants in area. Seems like the restaurants summer hires falls apart under the constant pressure of the tourists, That is why I don't go out during the tourist season! __________________ Someday may never be an actual day.

08-26-2017, 02:48 PM	#7
lavecchi Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Great food I will say I never had anything but great food, but the service summer / winter always has been horrible

09-05-2017, 09:46 PM	#9
sledneck Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 31 Thanks: 1 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	So I decided what the hell, I'll try the canoe. What an absolute mistake. The food was so BLAND and everyone's posts here was true. What an attitude on the hostess, the service was horrible and the drinks were aweful. I should have just kept paddling. Definitely won't be back.

09-10-2017, 03:55 PM	#22
baastan Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Meredith Posts: 40 Thanks: 7 Thanked 9 Times in 6 Posts	Ill be honest, I have both ends of the spectrum with the Canoe, but everything else is a common man restaurant with some of the most bland and awful food you will over ingest. Ive been up the lake for 17 years now and can tell you the Canoe is the most consistent food in the area. For giggles here are my reviews of the Canoe.. https://www.yelp.com/biz/canoe-resta...source=(direct)