State & Main

I came here for lunch with my mom on a Friday right when they opened (11am). Service was excellent.
It was my birthday, so obviously I ordered some huge peach Bellini, which was super delicious. We also had the dragon boat lettuce wraps and the rocket salad. Both great dishes.
My mom has an egg allergy and is sensitive to gluten, and the waitress not only brought her a specific menu for gluten sensitivities, but also was able to help her find an appropriate meal for her egg allergy, which included running back ’ forth to the kitchen a couple of times.
I would definitely come again — very Earls-​Esque.

Went to the one Downtown. First time there and really enjoyed it. They have their own house wine and it was on special for $ 5. The portions were really large. I had the French dip and couldn’t finish it all. Cant wait until Summer as they have an outdoor patio right on Jasper Ave. I will definitely go back

My friends and I came here for lunch on Saturday after browsing around Southgate. We were getting hungry so it was time for eats. State & Main is right at the mall (but there’s no mall entrance for the restaurant) so we headed outside for 1 minute and then inside to State & Main.
I took a quick glance at the menu, but I honestly can’t remember what else was on the menu (I saw some burgers and sandwiches) because I noticed their brunch goes until 2pm on the weekend. We got there around 1130am. Then I noticed the banana bread french Toast, where they use banana bread as the bread in French toast and that sounded delicious. 4 out of 5 of my group got that. Another friend got a pulled pork sandwich.
The French toast was served with some fruit (a slice of pineapple, and canteloupe) and potatoes hashbrowns. The banana bread is apparently is dipped in baileys, but I couldn’t taste the Baileys. Maybe it’s because I accidentally spilled all of my syrup onto my French toast right away, but my friends who got the French toast couldn’t really taste the Baileys either.
I just got a coffee to drink. With tax and tip my brunch was like $ 16. The waitstaff was friendly and it wasn’t too busy when we got there (but it picked up when we left).
I’ll definitely come back to State & Main again.

We like this place. The service is always good and friendly. We had had the French onion soup which is super good! The grilled cheddar burger is also good. There is no bun; instead there is bread and it actually works. We also had the bang bang shrimp. It was delish but the sauce is a bit spicy and I’m a wimp when it come to spice so you might think it mild if your a spice freak

My family and I came here for a late dinner after Black Friday shopping. The restaurant was reasonably busy but not chaotic. They don’t take reservations so you are at risk of waiting a long time for a table. Luckily, we only waited 15 minutes before being seated.
Our server was polite and communicated well to us as she was busy serving other tables. I ordered the bison burger. My mom ordered the chicken club wrap. My sister ordered the salmon club and my brothers ordered the Main which is their beef burger.
We waited a half hour before receiving our food. By this point we were hungry. My family seemed to really enjoy their dishes but I wasn’t overly impressed. My burger was on the dry side and it was lacking flavour. You are allowed to order 2 sides with your meal. I ordered the quinoa salad and the jalapeño mashed potatoes. The quinoa salad needed more veggies and maybe some garlic (just my preference) but the jalapeño mashed potatoes were excellent — nicely whipped and creamy with a little kick.
If I could give this place 3.5 stars, I would for the jalapeño mashed potatoes made my meal memorable and made up for the wait for our food.

I came here late night at around 11 with my boyfriend after a movie. having opted for the dining room I could tell there was only one server left on that night which was probably why our service was really slow. I ordered the French Dip and had the fries with tomato and bacon soup. My boyfriend ordered the Butter Chicken Poutine. His food came out cold and he didn’t enjoy it like he did the past times he’s ordered it, but my French dip came out really delicious. the fries were a bit too much but they were still a good texture! The soup however was really disappointing and tasted like it came from a Campbell’s soup can that just got bacon dumped into it. The reason for the 3 stars was because of the service and the cold food. Other than that it would’ve been a 4.

This place is delicious! !!! Amazing friendly staff as well. I definetly recommend it!!! Their main burger rocks

Went here for lunch with some people from work. everyone had heard good things, and the food was all good. I only had a chicken ceaser salad, which was pretty much what you would expect. Tacos were good but messy and the French dip was too big and could not be finished. Service was quick for a busy lunch and the wait staff were cheerful and quick

Thank you, State and Main!
I had a bad experience somewhere else easier tonight and you’ve completely erased that out of my mind now. My dear wife was hungry after work so we came here after picking up her new glasses.
Service was FAST! Our server, Jess, was kind, attentive, and she had a great smile. She wanted us to really enjoy our food experience here.
My wife’s food came quickly and it was delicious. Thank you! It was a fun experience here and we will be back!

This recent addition to Southgate turned out to be better than I had expected. On the suggestion of our very competent waiter, we both had the French dip which was very good thing. Meat was not over cooked, the horseradish sauce was just the right amount of tangy and the dipping jus tasted like real drippings. It was the best French dip I have had since I used to frequent Hy’s Steakhouse years ago.
The entrance is a little hard to find and it is not accessible from the mall, so that is a little odd. Also I found the interior very dark. I guess they were going to a cocktail lounge vibe.
But the food and the service earned them a very solid review.

I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed this restaurant yet, I’ve been here 4x now and enjoyed it. I didn’t know that this was a sister company to OJ’s until i saw the menu.
The one thing I love is the half off bottle of wine day hmmm wine…
We ordered the soft pretzels to start and I got the rocket salad while my sister decided on the jalapeño mac n cheese.
O my the pretzels must be the best I have ever had (besides the one I bake at home). My salad was so good that I order this each time but I always change up the appies.
Servers are a hit and miss, 1 of the 4 days we had a server who was off her game but the food is good so it’s forgivable.
I recommend sitting in the lounge, it’s more relaxed and away from families just in case kids are around when you more than one drink ;).

Stopped by here for a quick lunch on a busy day or errands and it was packed! I couldn’t believe how filled this place was. They were quoting one hour plus wait times for the restaurant area but luckily we found a spot at the bar. The bartender was great in telling us that the kitchen was super behind so we quickly made up our minds and order appetizers that didn’t require much cook time. I was very impressed with the food, I thought it was delicious and they had a very nice selection of beer wines and spirits. This place is upbeat and trendy and I can’t wait to go back the next time I’m in town.

Nothing terribly special. We tried the Gogi Tacos, the Lettuce Wraps and the Jalapeño Mac & Cheese. I started off ordering a beer, but was served something that resembled another yellow liquid and sent it back — it was flat and tasted off.
There wasn’t anything wrong with the food, but it wasn’t anything to draw me back either. The flavours were ho-​hum, and for the price paid, I’d be leaning towards the food court rather than here, in part because you have to exit the main mall and walk outside to get to this attached space — not fun in winter.
They’re pretty heavily plugging their twitter hashtag #stateandmain as well. Probably because they’re afraid their logo will have people tagging with #sandm — and I think that’s already taken by a different motive.

I was pleasantly surprised by this place — decided to try it on a whim with my boyfriend. I didn’t really know too much about it or what to expect! It reminds me of National in Calgary and we enjoyed it.
The lounge is not self-​seating, you wait for a table but we didn’t wait too long so that was fine! It was busy but they got us in promptly. Turns out we actually knew our server so that was good!
Honestly I don’t have much to say other than it was a great place. We enjoyed the food and drinks and got super full there. I would definitely consider having drinks or a birthday party there. I liked the business and atmosphere.
For food I tried the Mama’s Meatballs as an app and had the butter chicken as the main. I was really full after the appetizer and needed to take the butter chicken home. I always make a point of trying butter chicken and I have to say I was very happy it was delicious.
I would tell people to check this place out, I had a great time and will be returning.

Food quality was pretty fantastic, actually (although the tuna tartare served on giant tater tots was SUPER WEIRD. Tasted good, but so so odd) but the amount of time it took to get served was borderline ridiculous. We waited 40 minutes for our 3 appys (to split between us) and then ordered hummus upon their arrival which took another 30. Half an hour for something that doesn’t even need cooking! And we had to ask for a spoon for it… come to think, we had to ask for almost everything. More water, cutlery, whatever we needed we had to ask. Our server was sweet and always complied with a smile but there was no attention to detail at all.
The food was really good so if I was on the south side on an evening when I was not in a hurry I’d go back. There’s lots of parking too since it is attached to Southgate Mall. Keep in mind that you can’t enter the restaurant through the mall, though. Outside access only.

I FINALLY made it to State & Main and I will definitely be back soon.
We opted to sit in the dinning room, rather than the lounge. The «room» is actually the hallways which surround the lounge in the middle. kind of a neat idea.
The server was quite attentive and friendly. Just the right amount of chit chat without being overbearing.
We both ordered the steak sandwich, with different sides. I’ve always been a fan of Original Joes and had a craving for their dill dip… so of course I had to get the fries. For the other side, I chose a ceasar salad, which was quite disappointing. Fries and dill dip were fantastic though. The other plate had Jalapeño & Cheddar mashed potatoes and corn. both of which were delicious.
And for dessert… had to share the dirt pie.
Everything was so good! A sign of a great restaurant is when you plan your next visit before you pay your cheque.
Oh… and top shelf vodka for well prices on Friday? YES PLEASE!

If you’ve read my raving review of Original Joe’s, you’ll know I’m a huge fan of the chain.
State & Main has the same menu, «except for 3 items» according to my bartender.
I only went for the booze while waiting for a friend, so I can’t comment on the food.
When asked what the difference was in chain, the bartender said, «State & Main is a little more dressy. Male staff have to wear dress pants and button up shirts» Fair enough. Original Joes does feel more pub like, while State & Main feels like an Earls.
Prices seemed very similar.
The biggest difference I saw? State & Main allow minors in, which in my mind, deducts half a star (heh)

The evening at State & Main started off great… then dwindled a little, but due to an incredible patio and an overall okay experience, I’m going with the 4 stars.
We wound up there Sunday evening for a late dinner. I called ahead to make sure there was patio space and found out that while there were tables available, they don’t take reservations. But all was good as there was lots of room on the patio.
And I’m just going to take a moment to rave about that patio — beautiful west facing patio that has lots of space, beautiful flowers, nice pergolas, great sun exposure, sweet tunes and more. I would totally go back for the patio alone to sit with a drink and some appies and just chillax.
Service started off nice and attentive but by the end, I think our waitress had a lot of tables so empty plates sat on the table for quite a while and I had to ask three times for a water refill.
The food was okay — decent for the price in my opinion. The bang bang shrimp appetizer was good — large portion, more than I was expecting. Caesar salad was average and the grilled cheese burger was. interesting (bonus, came with two sides… but the meat tasted different and we wondered if it may have been American beef?).
There was a small disturbance with an intoxicated patron while we were there (nothing serious), but I thought the staff handled it really well — so bonus points for them for not letting it potentially impact our experience.
I would go back… so if anyone wants to meet me on the patio, let me know!

Came to State & Main (same company as Original Joe’s) tonight for the first time post Unilocal Fit Club. As soon as I read the menu, I knew this place was somehow related to Original Joe’s and the waitress confirmed.
The place is totally reminds me of out East with a bright and open warehouse feel. Lots of brick and light. The bar section is glassed off from the restaurant which is nice and they are open late until 2am!
Our waitress, Sarah, was knowledgeable and honest. I always appreciate a server who will tell me not only their faves but which items they don’t personally care for.
In a group of 3, we opted for Butter Chicken Poutine (meh — okay but not my fave), Gogi pork tacos (yum!), buffalow wings (great), and Jalapeño mac ‘n cheese (winner winner chicken dinner!).
The Butter Chicken Poutine came out fully loaded but lukewarm. Sarah was quick to take the entrée back and a new plate was returned piping hot shortly later.
Thanks to a Unilocaler review, I inquired with Sarah about their text alert program! Because they are located in Southgate, they offer a text program that will alert you when your table is ready when they are slammed and you’d rather shop than wait for your table. BIG thumbs up for this unique service!
I quite liked the rustic chandeliers (totally made me think of last month’s Elite event, Unilocal of Thrones) and the wooden cut out fleur de lis window coverings — tres chic!
Sarah explained that Main & State came to be when the name Original Joe’s was already taken by another restaurant chain in the U.S.
The price point was spot on for quality casual fare as well. 3 entrees, 1 special ½ price wing of the night, and a 9 oz. glass of wine for $ 60 plus tip!
State & Main, you did not disappoint… We will be back!

Not bad State & Main, not bad at all. Especially when it comes to mall dining. I may have been more inclined to give this place 3 stars if it was located downtown or on Whyte Ave, but the fact that it is in a suburban shopping mall definitely makes it 4 stars (and the one and only restaurant that isn’t «food court» fare in Southgate). This Original Joe’s spin off, specifically designed so that it can enter the United States as the Original Joe’s name has already been taken by the US market, seems a little more trendy than its predecessor — with sleek brick back-​bar work, Flore da Le cut out woodwork, cool installation lighting and super sharp TV’s, there is some serious atmosphere in this place!
All of the staff that came around our table were all very well trained and very personable; a super shout out to Sarah, you rock! The the food is good, there were some high points and some ok points: I definitely suggest the Gogi tacos, OMG those are good! I definitely liked the mac and cheese, but its best as a shared side then as a meal on its own for one person. The cocktail and wine lists are pretty good, a nice variety of choices though not overtly creative. They’re definitely not cheap, but at least there is a deal of the day!
All in all, when on a serious mall excursion, I would drop in again for a mid-​shopping trip pick me up. After all, nothing perfectly pairs with new shoes like good chardonnay!