Cosmic Charlie's Cafe

Offensive service

I had heard great reviews about the food from various friends so when a bunch of us were going to dinner I was looking forward to trying it. I ordered the shrimp dumplings which were great and everyone was having a good time. The service was slow and unattentive but it didnt atter as our group was happy with our own company. When it came time to settle up the bills the waitress brought them and left. one of my friends was looking for a tip in her bag and made a comment to me that she had too many pennies and couldn't see her change, so I helped her as she forgot her glasses at home. (anyone that's been there will agree the lighting is dim). That's when our waitress came over and said she was insulted to be tipped in pennies and asked us to pay and leave. All of us were shocked as we would never do that and had she not been listening to our convo, or maybe listening a little better she would have known that that wasn't the case. I have never been treated so rudely and will never go back. Nor will my 5 friends.

good food

been here a few times... i thought i'll write a review. the food is good. i never had any complaints about that. everything is made fresh it seems. service is hit and miss..... sometimes its fast and sometimes its slow. there are times when i came in there was 1 server and other times there were 2 servers. this makes and breaks the speed of the service in my opinion. ambiance is good. new art work is now hung. price is comparable. i didnt think it was expensive.

Started out good but went down hill

I went for dinner with a friend tonight. I had read the reviews here so knew the service and good could be off. Things started well. Our appetizer was served quickly and was great. Main courses were served and they were great. Then the restaurant started to get busy and there was only one waitress for the whole place. She finally stopped by to clear our plates and ask if we wanted our bill. We said no that we wanted dessert. Only two choices. We decided to split the mango cheesecake. I had two bites and gave up. My friend lasted a couple bites past that but didn't finish it. Basically, we think it had just been sitting around too long and was stale. A not great ending to what had started out very good.

Would not recomend

Was overpriced and the food was not very good Has Atmosphere But is just does not make up for the poor quality of the food.

Overpriced Thai

This is a nice little thai place with a superiority complex. The service was good, the decor is modern, understated and relaxing. It's very clean, and the food was presented well. The tea is actually high quality, unlike most restaurants which will simply serve you lipton's or red rose, there is an actual selection. However, $14 for a dish of pad thai is ridiculous. I've been to some of the best thai places in toronto and never paid over $11. I'm ambivalent about going back because of this. If they lowered their prices to actually reflect the food they serve, I would go back in a heartbeat, and say it's great. But this is thai food - it's cheap to buy and prepare and you can't overcharge like that.

not bad but not worth the price

not bad, but not the BEST EVER Pad Thai. No veggies in it, just noodles and bean sprouts, the sauce was a bit overpowering. Would never order it again. Veggie spring rolls were awsome though. Would go back to try something different. PRICY!

This is our regular "Go To" place in Peterborough. Great food, funky atmosphere, and wonderful staff. Even though we go there regularly, we haven't tried many of the entrees because the noodle dishes are so good. Shrimps and Chicken are both cooked beautifully, noodles are great, and the sauces are complex and delicious. PS. Take out is good, but eating in is much better. Noodles don't like to wait to be eaten...

We occasionally ate at Cosmic Charlie's a few...

We occasionally ate at Cosmic Charlie's a few years ago and it was pretty good, though we thought it was overpriced, even back then. Recently, we ordered take out - two orders of pad thai and two orders of spring rolls. Sadly, they did not get the order right! I cannot tell you how much of a disappointment it is to receive one small salad instead of two orders of spring rolls. What a letdown! We eat salad all the time and this was supposed to be a treat. The only upside is that some lucky ducky out there probably got a nice surprise with two orders of spring rolls in place of their salad. I'm happy for them. As for the pad thai, it was the worst we've ever had. There were basically no vegetables - the entire dish was beige. The only exception was the sprig of cilantro as a garnish. The sauce was bland and the chicken was overcooked. The noodles stuck together and sat in our stomaches like rocks. The salad, in fact, ended up being the best part of the meal. This food is highly overpriced. I don't mind paying for good quality food, but this meal was not worth the $40 it cost us. I have heard about restaurants skimping to keep costs down during difficult times and I can only guess that this is the reason. The meal tasted cheap. We will never return to Cosmic Charlie's. What a huge disappointment.

Good tasty food and good service. Small...

Good tasty food and good service. Small atmosphere, we were lucky to get in without a reservation on a Saturday night. Dim sum was a featured appetizer and was very good. Only downfall - because of the small atmosphere, found that our clothing had very strong food smells in it when we left, but we'll still return!

Their food can be best described as: random. Some...

Their food can be best described as: random. Some days you go it will be good. Other days it won't. The service is always good as well as the atmosphere.

I went here based on a recommendation from a...

I went here based on a recommendation from a friend. We were seated very promptly, and the wait-staff was incredibly nice. Menu selection wasn't impressive, but the quality made up for it. The big downer about this place is the atmosphere. Mind you, it looks lovely, but the seating is very uncomfortable with small tables. There are some good seats, but the furniture is a very unexpected mix which doesn't go together very well. The salad was quite tasty, but the tikka-style chicken to accompany did not impress. Prices are a tad too high for what they have to offer. If I got a drink and a good entree, I would probably be looking at about $25. I am mixed up about this place, so I'm not sure if I would dine here again. But if you do go, the sweet potato fries and dip are to die for! And my roommates and I get this for take-out quite frequently. Very nice waitstaff (some of the best I have interacted with), prompt service and good food. Lowering menu prices and changing the decor would make this a great establishment.

The food was wonderful, but it's so small and...

The food was wonderful, but it's so small and cramped and always packed. You need a reservation to get a table.

Can't wait to go back

Every time I head to Peterborough I need my cosmic charlie fix, it is definately the best thai food I've ever had. I've been a loyal customer for over 10 years and will be back as soon as possible

YUMYUMYUM!

The ambience was great and the food was even better. This place has definately improved over the last year. The cooks were very accomodating and the waitress was friendly.

Best Spring rolls

My office is near Cosmic's so we often do take-out. Every one in our office loves the salad and spring rolls. The salad features and amazing dressing. The spring rolls are the best I have ever eaten. Maybe a bit pricey and maybe a bit slow but I will pay and wait for food this good.

I live about 45 minutes away, but I travel to...

I live about 45 minutes away, but I travel to Peterborough for this restaurant as often as possible. I would be prepared to argue Cosmic Charlie's is the best value in Canada. The food menu is imaginative and, for what is on offer, incredibly cheap. Sometimes that combo can be the kiss of death, but in Neil and Mario's case, the cookery is absolutely outstanding. Remarkable dishes, and a lot of fun.

I have orderd these dishes via take out, and was...

I have orderd these dishes via take out, and was thrilled to be able to enjoy these meals in the comfort of my home :) It is pricey for a meal cale to 22$ for the noodles and Hot rolls, but the portions are sooo large that you can easily make 2 hearty meals out of it.

Excellent fusion food. LOVE the ambience. It's a...

Excellent fusion food. LOVE the ambience. It's a quiet little non-fussy place with good food. ALmost all the items on the menu are worth a try. Been going to this place for almost 3 years, and I don't seem to be ever getting sick of the food. Dont skip on dessert, this place has some great items. DEFINITELY try the vanilla-coconut creme caramel (some may find it too rich and sweet) -- I love it! Completely addicted to it!

I lived in Peterborough for 4 years and everytime...

I lived in Peterborough for 4 years and everytime I go back this place is a must. Not only is it healthy and always full of fresh ingredients but its also the best Thai food I've ever had.

Service is always above average feeling welcome...

Service is always above average feeling welcome and taken good care of. The food as usual was spectacular, never have any complaints! Nothing on the menu can be disliked and the specials (tho don't change often enough) are always delicious and my first choice! Over all best food, best service and best atmosphere!!