sharpening the knives...
Korean
With raw marinated crab being the only thing on the menu, I expected a little better. The marinade was far too light and the ban chan were hit or miss. Probably not worth $60 for 1 crab, but it will do if you've got a craving.
Korean
The titular gyoza were pretty good here, and their bossam was decent as well. Simple food, but good.
Bar
Not sure the vaguely tech-themed interior makes a lot of sense, but it looks nice, and the drinks are decent as well, though not particularly unique. I feel like I've seen a version of most of them done better elsewhere.
Japanese
The Hamburg steak at this famous Japanese chain is perfectly cooked and perfectly juicy. A little expensive for what it is, but overall would recommend if you're into that kind of thing.
Bar
Asian-inspired speakeasies set up behind dessert places always seem to be pretty good in this city, and this one is no exception. A nice balanced drink menu that is solid all around, and unique enough to come give it a try.
Korean
While the small bites here were all solid, the makgeolli is the star of the show. It's difficult to find an authentic makgeolli bar in the city, but this place takes you right down to the streets of Seoul.
Nigerian
Maybe this just isn't for me but I found most of the food to be not very flavourful or poorly done. Service was also not very good and the music was WAY too loud for such a small interior.
Japanese
This Charadise-affiliated JBBQ place doesn't suck quite as much as it's neighbor, but it's nothing to write home about. It's pretty hard to mess up BBQ to be fair, so it's alright.
Japanese
Everyone raves about the dry ramen here but I think it's just not for me. Perfectly fine bowl of regular ramen though; this could be 4 stars on a good day.
Bar
Matcha Matcha follows in the footsteps of other trendy cafe's by offering this after hours cocktail experience. The highballs are all refreshing crowd pleasers, while the lowballs are quite unique, but more of an acquired taste.
Bar
While the vibe is admittedly a little dead, their largely tea-based cocktail menu is actually pretty good.
Chinese
This city doesn't really need more mid mala places, but here ya go I guess.
Chinese
Can't go wrong with this classic Toronto malatang spot.
Thai
A rare instance where modern fusion actually works out, the dishes were generally just as good as their classic counterparts. Drinks were bad though, they really need to take a second look at the cocktail menu.
Contemporary
While some of the small plates like the liver mousse Challah, sticky carrots, and crudo were unique and deeply flavourful, the mains didn't really wow, and the potatoes were disappointingly dry.
Bar
Their unique takes on classic cocktails certainly sound interesting, and mostly land well. The gin fizz was my definite favourite, would recommend giving it a try, so long as you can get a spot that is.
Japanese
Both the cocktails and the food were stunning. Every drink we tried was phenomenal, and had great unique Japanese flavour profiles. The food menu is mostly small bites and similarly impressive, with the uni toast being a definite standout.
Palestinian
Got the tasting menu at this upscale Palestinian place. The appetizers were big hits, and the mains were mostly good, though I think the price is holding this place back a little.
Chinese
Decent portion size of decent noodles.
Japanese
Cheap and standardized, but actually pretty good all things considered. Anyone who lines up for this is crazy though
Sandwiches
Solid Italian sandwiches, and the portion size is actually quite large. A little messy to eat, might want to take home to eat as there is no seating, but if you have no other option it's worth getting a little messy for. Whether it's worth waiting half an hour in line is up to you however.
Contemporary
For a spot that is perennially at the top of Toronto restaurateur's fav spots in the city, this was shockingly mid. Their "famous" roast chicken is dry and the gravy is weak. The tartare was the only good side, as the burrata and asparagus was a confusing mix of flavours and the eggplant was cooked well but laughably tiny. This must be some sort of psy-op, if it wasn't for the tartare I might even give it a 2.
Bar
A cute and trendy wine bar with a tiny-but-good asian inspired menu. Not pretentious, wine's are fairly priced and not too fancy.
Italian
The Bernhardt's team puts together a fantastic Italian menu at this charmingly retro spot. While everything was great, the radicchio was the star of the show.
Bar
While not the only Asian-inspired cocktail bar west of Ossington, nor even the best, the cocktails here are perfectly serviceable. Their signature "Opium" did not live up to the hype though. Music is too loud for the intimate interior, they couldn't decide whether to be more Hanmoto or Mahjong I guess.
Contemporary
While this does bring a distinctly unwelcome King-street vibe onto Queen, it does end up being better than some of it's contemporaries. The shrimp toast was executed better than expected. Potato pave was off-puttingly rich.
Chinese
It's malatang, what do you expect. Was a little slow but fine.
Chinese
To be honest I can't really tell these malatang places apart. Food is standard I guess, but for a Hai Di Lao child brand the sauce bar is abysmal. Unlimited ice cream kinda sucks, it's watery.
Korean
Homey Korean food in a nice Ossignton-typical interior. Menu is small and done fairly well, though lacks inspiration. Pork ribs were great.
Bar
The long lists of Japanese ingredients in each cocktail look like they would be out of this world, but I can attest that they remain very much in this world. Beautiful and vibey interior that makes for a great date night, as long as your date likes their drinks kinda mid.
Contemporary
The whitest person you know is on a date with someone named Everleigh here right now as we speak. It will not be a good date.
Ethiopean
My first Ethiopean food ever so not sure if what I have to say is particularly informed. I quite liked the flavours overall, but found some of the meat to be quite tough. Not sure how I feel about the traditional bread, but to each their own.
Japanese
Sampo may be just the after hours name for Ohiru Cafe, but I think it overtakes it's AM version. Dishes are small but have great flavour.
Japanese
"What if we do breakfast, but like Japanese". While this sentence might make a few weebs wet their pants, it's not exactly the best of both worlds.
Indian
Their slightly modern take on Indian dishes were mostly fine. Lamb was overcooked I thought.
Mediterranean
While they could use with some more official seating, the food here was amazing. Still thinking about the salad ngl.
Japanese
All things considered, a nice Omakase experience.
Japanese
Nice if you want a heavy bowl of ramen.
Japanese
As trendy as this bar is, their substance doesn't quite live up to the style. The drinks were alright, but genuinely confused who is eating their signature Dyno Wings. Way too much.
Korean
Nice and hearty, perfect for a cold winter's day.
Spanish
Gus Tacos manages to pull off an upscale restaurant suprisingly well.
Vietnamese
Not sure if this is entirely authentic to the original Anthony Bourdain-lauded location in Vietnam, but considering how fusion usually plays out in this city, it's phenomenal.
Latin
Never has corn been taken so seriously and tasted so good. Their ultra-modern menu is very interesting and highlights corn in the perfect way without feeling like a gimmick. Nice date night vibes as well.
Japanese
Simple Japanese food in a simple spot. Wait, I'm getting deja vu...
Japanese
Simple Japanese food in a simple spot.
Korean
More like chicken minus.
Thai
This Koh Lipe associated Thai spot doesn't quite live up to it's sister's reputation, but is good nonetheless.
Italian
The small menu of this modern-retro Italian spot was good all round. The signature lardo is heavy but worth it.
Pizza
It's hard to go wrong with Detroit pizza, but this one was really not memorable. 2 stars might be a bit harsh but I don't have the heart to give it 3.
Contemporary
Absolutely nothing to complain about, pretty solid BBQ food as far as I'm concerned.
Japanese
Wanted to like this more so bad but genuinely what are you people talking about? It's just regular Japanese food done slightly more modern. The Tokyo Toast is famous for what? Sunny's does it way better. Everything is fine, but like just fine.
Japanese
They got hand rolls, they got sushi, and they even have the bar! Exactly as advertised, but nothing noteworthy. Bit too much rice on the rolls of we're being honest, especially when salmon and tuna are $7 each.
Vietnamese
A fine bowl of pho, but surely not as good as everyone makes it out to be. Broth is a little light for my liking.
Italian
The food on this very focused menu was all done quite well, no standouts but solid all around. The drink menu is quite interesting, though I found some of flavours in the cocktails getting lost in the mix.
Japanese
Extremely impressed by this Zakkushi-owned basement bar. The dishes were all unique and had distinctly Japanese flavours. The egg mushi and yellowtail were highlights.
Cafe
A beautiful new addition to College and Spadina, Project Seoul has a great menu and a great vibe. I don't see einspanners enough here, but theirs is great. Good spot to study or read, and tons of seating.
Spanish
The menu of this Mexican-Korean-New York fusion spot is as tasty as it is unique. Apps were all fantastic as were most mains, though the carne asada was a bit lacking.
Japanese
This place might be better than Raku tbh, certainly more authentic to real Japanese udon. The flavours are simple but put together masterfully, and served lightning quick. Really felt like I was back in Tokyo. Willing to move this to 5 stars after I sample a few more dishes.
French
Wasn't expecting not to like this tbh, but quite disappointing. The tartare was fine, but the calamari tasted cheap and the Caesar salad was forgettable. The mains were not it. The rigatoni would have been better off with grocery store sauce. I asked for the steak medium rare and got a tiny, shrivelled up piece that was 2.73 seconds away from being well done. I would have sent it back but it's not like I believed the kitchen could actually serve good food anyways.
Italian
A Toronto classic serving up nice Italian food in an eclectic space. The mains were decent but the apps were quite nice. Something about the decor borders a bit too close to dingy though, this location might not be the best date night spot.
Mediterranean
The meat is decent I guess but the rice kind of tastes like what you'd get at a school cafeteria.
Korean
Modern Korean places continue to dissapoint me in this city. Pretty much everything from my Comma review applies here; everything was done amateurishly. Some things were too sweet, others too salty, and some just bland. Drinks also sucked, again either WAY too sweet or just bland, and I don't even think there was alcohol in them tbh?
Cafe
The Baldwin location of Rooms has the same great drinks as Ossignton, but with the added benefit of a vinyl bar. I don't think there's any cool person in TO who doesn't have an insta story from here.
Bar
The undeniably vibiest Rooms location also has great Japanese small plates and cocktails. Dimly lit and and ultra-stylish, pretty much everything here slaps, making it a must-go destination for a classy yet casual date night.
Pizza
Exactly what you want from a good Detroit style pizza place.
Fried Chicken
Firstly, the fried chicken sandwich is just the chicken fingers but in a bun. Like at least gimme a full piece. Secondly, how is it possible that fried chicken isn't crispy at all? Like the taste is fine, but where's my crunch?
Thai
Great noodles, nothing more to say. Wasn't very spicy, just the right amount. Delicious mango sticky rice as well.
Sandwiches
They would spit on you in New York for serving this. Or MTL for that matter. Bad bread. Bad meat. And that's the only stuff in it, so. I considered 2 stars because the shoestring fries were fantastic, but the sando was just that bad.
Japanese
Their pork broth is super rich and flavorful, and though I normally prefer thin noodles, their almost udon-sized noodles were perfectly chewy. Be prepared for a heavy meal though, I only finished about half of my bowl.
Chinese
The meats at this charcoal BBQ spot taste great and the charcoal gives a nice flavor, but not sure if the price matches up. Also wouldn't recommend their suan cai.
Bar
Another place in the same vein as Midnight Market and Big Trouble. The drinks are decent if you go before it turns into a club, but it gets super loud after 10.
Bar
Great cocktails, but the boozy soft serve really brings it home. Only complaint is that they should give you more.
Pizza
A decent Detroit style slice, but could use a bit more sauce. Or not more I guess, just better spread, too many bites are straight cheese.
Contemporary
Cute little wine bar with some good food at decent prices. The empanadas were great.
Cafe
Great drinks if you can wait in line for 45 mins. Tiktok is lying about this being the best matcha in the city tho.
Bar
Seems like it's trying to be a speakeasy, but falls short in the style department. Drinks were fine, but quite standard.
Burgers
A passable smash burger, but not all it's hyped up to be. Needs more sauce, and the jalapenos clashed with the other flavours.
Contemporary
This nearly gets a 4 for buck-a-shuck oysters offered regularly (great quality too), but the tuna ceviche was quite barren and the beef cheek was homey at best. Not many patrons inside.
Contemporary
Exactly what you would expect from an over hyped "date night" spot, moody vibe and doting servers but food is nothing special. Octopus was decent though. Also why is the music so loud.
Spanish
Delicious Peruvian food with extremely good portion size. Really nice seafood.
Korean
The tiniest little mom and pop shop underground on Spadina, this place serves great sandwiches in it's limited hours. Checkout their daily special items, like sushi on Tues, tteokkbokki on Wed, and kimbap on Fri.
Contemporary
While the signature steak frites are a good price, the quality is just ok. Gristle should be cut off, and the small amount of chimichurri given isn't enough to maek the unseasoned steak pop.
Contemporary
Cute little spot with nice diner food. Cherry's done the classics well in a way that is both homey and modern.
Japanese
Okinawan food in Toronto! In addition to standard ramen types, they also offer Okinawan soba, which is a thicker wider noodle served in clear broth. This is one of the more authentic Japanese meals I've had in TO. The broth has a nice strong bonito flavour with great homemade fishcakes as well. Comes with very tender pork ribs (like full bone included). Good gyoza as well, and they have shikuwasa lemonade for another taste of the island. Lovely owners.
Chinese
Fairly middle of the road Chinese food. They have all the standards done pretty much exactly how you'd expect, but nothing is particularly great.
French
Strikes a nice balance between upscale and accessible. Staples like tartare are done fairly standard here, but their sweetbread entree was unique for the city and quite good. Great cocktails.
Japanese
Good quality sushi in an upscale setting, but not a total standout at this price point. All the pieces were nice and fresh, but the lobster miso soup had too strong a flavour.
Japanese
This international ramen chain brings their signature yuzu-flavoured broth to Toronto. While I thought their signature ramen was better in their Japan location, the tsukemen was their best bowl; perfect texture and great flavour in the dipping sauce.
Chinese
One of the better rice noodles in the GTA. Comes with all the toppings already in the bowl. Their braised beef is great quality.
Thai
A dessert and snacks shop made in partnership with Koh Lipe. Their toast was delicious, and their gelato is good quality, though I personally didn't prefer their green Thai tea flavour.
Chinese
Personal sized hot pot place. It was mostly cabbage with a few beef rolls and like 3 mushrooms. Service isn't great. Not clean either.
Chinese
Might be my new go-to for dumplings. Not only we're they great quality, but shocking cheap considering the more modern interior.
Chinese
Honestly I'm pretty sure they buy all their stuff from Kai Wei, it's about the same quality as you could make at home, but if you're looking for variety, the price is pretty good.
Japanese
AYCE shabu shabu that's actually quite good for the price. The selection isn't vast, but the meats were good, and the staff are attentive. Like they bring stuff out like 2 minutes after you order it.
Japanese
Listen, all locations of this chain have the same issue, the dog is pretty good, but way to expensive. At the end of the day, its just a hot dog. How did my order end up being $20?
Chinese
Very palatable but not particularly authentic. You could take your white friends here, but fobs would probably like it too.
Hong Kong
Hearty and homey Hong Kong food, with an emphasis on seafood. Their double cheese was pretty good, definitely try the Milo toast.
Chinese
This is one of my favorite Chinese dishes done incredibly well. The pumpkin broth was delicious. Be warned though, even the lowest tier of spice is quite hot.
Korean
No fuss takeout dishes. Fresh and good quality.
Korean
The tiny menu is well executed at this retro diner-inspired Korean spot. Though I usually don't like the signature sweetness of Korean takes on dishes, these came out quite cozy and homey. Good portion size.
Chinese
Good skewers and noodles.
Japanese
A modern sushi place specializing in hand rolls. Their flight was very solid all around, and pretty fair pricing for the quality. Desperately needs more seating.
Dessert
I don't normally review beverage places, but this is the best drink I've ever had in my life. Punching lemon tea is my new fav.
Korean
Juicy chicken, nice crisp.
Caribbean
Delicious food and cocktails at this modern vibey spot, but somewhat marred by bad service. Every single thing was painfully slow, even getting the bill was like pulling teeth.
Breakfast/Brunch
One of the best Montreal brunch spots comes to Toronto and doesn't disappoint. Prices are more expensive here, but worth it.
Japanese
Simple and authentic, this udon spot is nice for a homey bowl of noodles. Their soba is thick and chewy, if that's what you're into.
Bar
Some of the best cocktails in the city.
Japanese
This place probably reminds me the most of actual Japanese food of anywhere in TO. The dishes are simple, but good, and pretty cheap comparatively. Just good, authentic comfort food.
Dessert
I normally refrain from putting BBT places on here, but this is a true local gem. Their slushes are so good, it's literally just the fresh fruit blended with ice, no artificial BS. Prices are insanely good to boot, considering the fruti is so fresh. Never had a bad drink, ever. I'd die before I stopped recommending this.
Contemporary
While Bellwoods is more popular, I think the beers here are much better, especially if you like sours. Their food options don't disappoint, and make a great pairing to the beer. Nice huge patio outside.
Breakfast/Brunch
Great Jewish-style bagel spot (that also has some pretty good Challah). Their lox would be considered respectible in New York, but probably not the best of the best. Their patio is always full, but just get takeout TBH, the service isn't great and it's more expensive. They always have leftover bread for sale at a discount, would highly recommend to take some home.
Chinese
Located in Yorkdale mall, this place clearly caters to people shopping for Louis and Chanel, with its sleek interior and modern presentation. The food was pretty good, but you're paying the luxury tax for it.
Korean
It's actually pretty good, nice and crispy.
Korean
Takeout only kimbap place. It's alright, kimbap is never really gonna be revolutionary. Too expensive tbh.
Dessert
Not quite as soft as it could be, but my real qualm is that the icing layer is far too thick and far too sweet, just too much.
Korean
While this modern Korean spot has some ambitious dishes, I found the execution to fall flat. Nothing was bad per se, it just didn't work. The fried bossam tasted oddly like cinnamon, the fried tofu was too bland, and the kimchi-laden tartare over kimbap sounds interesting, but at the end of the day I'd just prefer chips or bread with beef that actually tastes good.
Dessert
Has a couple interesting flavours, but tasted kind of artificial.
Sandwiches
Tucked away in a little stall at the top of McCormick park, this offshoot of the main Imanishi suffers the same issue as many great Japanese sando places: absolutely delicious food, but tiny portions.
Cafe
Got some decent cookies.
Dessert
Popular gelato spot on St.Claire. The gelato bars are small but good, as was the gelato-soft serve.
Japanese
Take out only sushi place in roncy. They have a nice maguro-negi roll, which is shockingly hard to find here, but for some reason their veggie tempura is yam only :/
Mediterranean
The food was pretty good, but there was way too much bread. Like seriously, bread everywhere. The sausage came with bread and hummus, I don't even think you were supposed to eat them together.
Sandwiches
Absolutely huge sandwiches. Great deal for the price. Get the veal.
Chinese
The broth and the toppings here were actually pretty good, the beef brisket and the pork belly both hit. I'm not the hugest fan of egg noodles in general, but overall the flavour is definitely there.
Korean
An unabashed rip off of New York's Cote (5 stars btw), serving a fine dining version of KBBQ. The set menu here gets you a seafood tower, seafood pancake with uni, 4 cuts of meat, some sides, and a dessert. While the meats were good, this place falls short of it's inspiration. The doenjangjigae and cold noodles were both quite bland, and the service was a tad lacking compared to Cote. Still though, a unique experience for TO, and one that I would recommend.
Korean
Cheap and decent Korean food, found in the food court underneath Aura. Not bad for takeout.
Japanese
A servicable bowl of ramen, but with ikkousha literally right beside it, it's a bit hard to recommend.
French
A cozy little Queen west spot serving great French food. The dishes are simple, but delicious. Both the steak and green beans were fantastic. Lots of personality inside. Some minutia are holding it back from a 5 star rating; the tartare was a little heavy on the chives, and the garlic butter for the steak was a touch too salty.
Dessert
Cute little ice cream shop with some delicious and unique flavours.
Bar
A bar with no menu; you just tell them what kind of thing you're looking for, and the bartender makes you something. I was expecting some more unique drinks, but most things were fairly standard, although the theme was bang on every time. Surprisingly fairly priced, 4 drinks was less than $80.
Korean
The food here was actually quite good, but the absolutely tiny menu makes it hard to order much. Slightly overpriced.
Japanese
This izakaya has more of a regular restaurant than the hustle and bustle of places like Don Don and Kinka, but the food is just as delicious. Pretty much everything was a hit. The house sake was suprisingly cheap and fantastic.
Chinese
Maybe the fancier broths are better, but the original broth is exceptionally bland, and the toppings weren't much better.
Burgers
Matty Matheson keeps it simple with just cheese, sauce, pickles, and some medium rare patties, but the results are greasy and delicious. They also serve blue slushies!
Japanese
The perfect bowl of ramen. Broth is rich and flavourful while remaining light. Noodles are the perfect toughness and pork is cooked magnificently. Simple but delicious.
Seafood
Oh boy, where do I start. The chowder is disgusting. Its just huge potato chunks in a grossly artificial sauce reminiscent of stadium-grade nacho cheese. The lobster roll is flavourless and the mayo tastes odd. The top-split bun overpowers everything else, and has only a tiny hole in the center, ensuring that half of your bites are 100% bread and that the lobster all falls off the bun once you get to the middle. Everything needed more salt.
Sandwiches
There are only 2 things on the menu of this much acclaimed sandwich shop: steak and pork. The steak is cooked perfectly, and the chimichurri sauce is an interesting shakeup, although it's a little overpowering in some bites. Has a bit of a kick as well.
Dessert
A retro and quirky ice cream shop with a good selection of classics and novelties, including my childhood favorite and a rare find, Superhero.
Sandwiches
Not sure if this much loved sandiwch stop quite justifies it's price, but it's good nonetheless. Could have used a little bit of acidity to cut through the very greasy meat, IMO.
Dessert
It's soft serve, whatever. Ice cream wasn't good and their toppings didn't do much for me.
Japanese
An Izakaya mainly focussing on skewers. I thought this was going to be a bit better, as the vibe (and staff) are the closest I've seen to an actual Japanese resto in Toronto, but a lot of the skewers were just ok; their beef is not my fav. The chicken skin was delicious. You have to pay extra for sauce though 😬
Chinese
Delicious szechuan food. Every single person here was a fob, like I got looks.
Cafe
A very instagrammable asian-run cafe, started by a guy who was just making madeleines out of his house. Their brunch menu has good flavors, although I found it to be a tad salty.
Breakfast/Brunch
A family-run Middle Eastern diner. Not great food tbh, but I guess if you just want a humble plate then go for it. The skewer plate we got had so little meat though.
Italian
An alright Italian spot in Liberty Village. The cheese on the steak sandwich tasted a bit off, but most stuff was decent.
Korean
Further proof that the best Korean food is outside DT now. Their signature cold noodle is slushy and refreshing. A nice family-run joint.
Japanese
Nice homey Japanese food up in Markham. Nothing will blow your socks off, but it's nice and comforting.
Dessert
Solid bingsoo, nice ratio of topping to ice. Ice was nice and creamy, but maybe a little too sweet.
Contemporary
Cheeky and eclectic spot on the east side with a small and quirky rotating menu. The spot has lots of personality, but the only dish that wowed was the tartare. The fish was just glorified fish and chips, and the beef wasn't tender nor flavourful enough.
Contemporary
Many consider this one of the best smash burgers around, which I somewhat agree with, though I found that the patties had a little too much char, and got a little dry when not paired with the sauce. They have a great banana pudding. Fries are average.
Vietnamese
One of the best pho spots in the city, not the fanciest but great flavour. The weekend special pho has a nice chili broth but I don't particularly like the firm noodles. Spring rolls are deliciously crispy, but the fresh rolls had like 1 shrimp in it 😐
Thai
A solid liberty village Thai spot, nothing to complain about. The Tom Yum Pad Thai doesn't really taste much like Tom Yum, but it good nonetheless.
Latin
Apparently the Dupont one give us 3 tacos for the price of 2 here. Tacos and burritos were acceptable but nothing special, ceviche was a little bland. Nice guac though.
Korean
Ok the chicken was pretty good here, but the yangnyeom sauce had a very slight puke-ish taste. The other flavor was great though, so maybe that one is just a dud.
Japanese
Very solid sushi from this sleek and modern new addition to the scene. Not actually that expensive despite being better than the regular fare. Wish they had a proper dine in option.
Latin
Some nice options with great flavours, but I'd stay away from the ground meats. It got more expensive now so not super worth it.
Contemporary
Food was way better than expected. A great summer place to grab some brews.
Pizza
Up there as one of the better slices in the city. Great flavours; slices are a little floppy tho.
Pizza
Boooooooooo 👎 The OG location in NYC is WAY better, this one's just disappointing. Slices are soggy, and too much bread.
Pizza
A Toronto classic that's hard to go wrong with. Nice thin crust. Good if you want a greasy (but not too greasy) slice.
Sandwiches
An ok hoagie, nothing more. Mayo is a bit sweet for my taste.
Chinese
Considering I never really see people here, I was shocked at how great this was. Food was consistently good and actually quite cheap. Not quite S tier, but severely underrated.
Sandwiches
A quality sub with good ingredients, but not exactly all it's hyped up to be imo. The cross-section goes crazy tho.
Korean
The Jokbal/Bossam platter here is huge and delicious. I think it would feed 4 comfortably (note: since it's so fatty it does NOT reheat well, eat as much as you can there). The cold noodles are great too, nice and chewy with a flavourful broth. Great banchan too, the kimchi had a nice sweetness, and the picked cabbage had a perfect acidic zest.
Korean
Though just on the edge of K-town, this was surprisingly better than most of the places on Bloor. Very solid tteokbokki.
Thai
Great modern Thai food, nice interior as well. Cocktails were all good.
French
Alder boasts one of the most beautiful interiors in the city, with a menu that is all solid, but with no major standouts. Apparently the cucumber salad and carpaccio are fantastic. Great drinks.
Mediterranean
Great Greek food on Ossignton with a modern and intimate interior. Fried gnocchi was the best dish.
Chinese
Solid Chinese skewers spot with decently good value and good regular dishes, though it doesn't particularly stand out amongst the crowd.
Chinese
Solid rice noodle spot with some decent toppings. Not the most flavourful but good on a cold day.
Japanese
Great spot for primarily seafood don. All seafood was nice and fresh and the sauces were tasty but not overpowering. Bowl looks small but one was enough for me.
Chinese
Modern chinese tapas served in a swanky venue. Most dishes were good, but not great. Duck dumplings were a bit too salty, but ssam as pretty good.
French
Not quite as good as everyone says, you really need to know what to order. The ratatouille and lobster spaghetti were good. The croquettes and the calamari were disappointing.
Contemporary
Though the drinks are really just mid, the food is surprisingly good. The short ribs were amazing.
Japanese
The King and Spadina location of the Japanese coffee bar turns into a beautifully lit bar at night. Consistenly great cocktails and a lovely vibe. The food is quite good; the katsu sando is amazing. Live music on Saturdays is a huge hit.
Breakfast/Brunch
Known as one of the best brunches in the city for a reason, though it might not live up completely to the hype. great shakshuka. Steak sandwich was a little underwhelming.
French
A fantastic French-Japanese menu, with many great dishes, though nothing particularly stand out or innovative, just good food. Very butter heavy.
Italian
Cheap italian food that's all decent, but nothing special. Won't disappoint for the price, but not all it's hyped up to be.
Sandwiches
Sandwich was pretty good, as expected. Much better than Lambo's IMO.
Dessert
Has horrible reviews on google; must be under new mgmt because it was all fine. Great shaved ice, good amount of stuff and ice was very fruity.
Bar
The space is dimly lit and visually stunning, just like you would expect of a top tier speakeasy. Even the menu is hand drawn, which is a nice touch. The drinks live up as well, proving that this place has both style and substance. Gallery is tiny, not really much of an attraction.
Korean
Korean fusion joint with a small menu. A nice place but not fancy. Portions are larger than anticipated, probably only need 3 dishes for 2 people. No standouts, but solid menu. Bulgogi cheesesteak was the highlight.
Breakfast/Brunch
Clean liberty-village brunch spot. Not too busy but still good. Had a great ginger beer.
Dessert
Great bingsoo place, good fruit portions and nice ice. Not sure about their non-bingsoo options.
Chinese
Lowkey one of the better Chinese spots in the city, certainly one of the best Xiao Long Bao. Northeastern salad is a highlight.
Contemporary
Solid higher end food in a beautiful space, though they only have standing tables. Drinks are just alright, but all of the tapas were great.
Japanese
Decent sushi, but nothing special. Their deep fried roll was kinda mid.
Japanese
Korean tonkatsu, very crispy batter, good taste, large portions. A little skimpy on the rice, but can't complain.
Italian
Its on King, so of course it's mid white people food with mediocre service. Food isn't bad though, but maybe needs some salt.
Japanese
Not the best sushi I've ever had, but not the worst. Karaage portion is HUGE, definitely worth it. Space is very bare bones.
Chinese
Chinese "burger" chain, where the bun is more flaky. Ended up being dry and a little flavorless. Fries are FIRE though.
Chinese
Good, simple chinese fare in a cute interior. Not quite enough soup in the buns though.
Breakfast/Brunch
Egg sandwiches on a sweet and fluffy bread. Had an oddly sweet sauce on it, but was good nonetheless.
Mediterranean
Food is all solid, but doesn't really stand out. The chicken was plain but good. Highlight of the meal was the oxtail. I've seen people talk about the drinks here, but the drink menu is completely uninspired.
Chinese
Chinese skewers in soup. It's spicy, but still managable, but just barely. Skewers are good and side dishes are nice additions, but the skewer size is a little small.
Burgers
A very solid smash burger, though maybe not #1 in TO, as many have claimed.
Contemporary
Good food in an elegant interior. Staff is very nice and unpretentious. Portions are good sized. Steak was amazingly tender.
Dessert
Absolutely delicious ice cream, the flavours taste like the real thing in ice cream form. Banana and mint were perfect.
Chinese
Good dim sum, pretty nice interior.
Dessert
Delicious asian desserts, they have a fairly large menu, but manage to do most things well. Their shaved ice is perfectly creamy, and their fruits are fresh.
Pizza
The king of Toronto pizza, it's simply the best. Crust is perfectly crisp and flaky, and each slice has the perfect ratio of high quality ingredients to greasy goodness. The burrata pizza is the best slice IMO.
Korean
A small, streetfood-esque venue with great dishes and great prices. Kimbap is fantastic and tteokbokki is perfectly soft. The carbonara is better than it looks. The fried sides are good but not super worth.
French
Florette's tiny menu is all fine, but there are no clear standouts. Other places have done their dishes better, but nothing is disappointing. Cocktails are interesting and food-focused, and space is cute but slightly cramped.
Chinese
Though not overly authentic, Sunny's offers tasty and well executed dishes that satisfy any cravings. The cocktails were equally good, and the space has a fun, swanky vibe.
Italian
The warm interior makes you think this wouldn't be as disappointing as it was. Apps were complete mid, the risotto was way too salty, and my pasta tasted like it was off the loblaws shelf and had unacceptably dry chicken pieces.
Bar
A space themed bar with some very visually impressive and tasty drinks that are a little on the weak side. The venue is actually quite inviting, with and open feel and lounge seating, not gimmacky at all. Staff is very nice as well.
Japanese
Street-stand-esque place that mainly serves takoyaki.
Chinese
Soup dumplings are too sweet and the rest of the food needed a bit more flavor. Not bad, but not super good.
Italian
Appetizers and pastas we're all absolutely fantastic, though we didn't try their limited selection of mains. Space is warm and inviting, like Bar Isabel.
Chinese
Probably the best spot downtown for sang ji. Make sure to get their other dishes as well.
Japanese
Food was extremely mid but honestly the portions are huge. Good if you're on a budget but not if you want to have fun.
Burgers
It's good n stuff, but truthfully not my favorite smash burger on the market.
Chinese
Dim sum served in an almost hipster-ish cafe type setting. Menu is small but everything was good.
Pizza
Gotta be one of - if not the best - west end pizza places.
Japanese
Great little stand for onigiri. Pork and tuna ones were the best.
Japanese
Very solid Katsu. Good variety of sauces and an onsen egg. Breading is crisp, meat is cooked a perfect medium rare, and it's not too heavy or greasy.
Seafood
A solid well balanced roll, although quite small for the $25 price tag. I don't think I would buy it again unless I was really craving lobster.
Japanese
Solid torch sushi place. Nothing special but good all around. Has buck-a-shuck oysters, but you have to get a drink to get a dozen.
Italian
Absolutely horrendous vibes. Serves "Italian" food that tastes like it came fresh out the microwave. I could make better pasta with $5 and a rusty spoon. I would say this is for kids except there were mostly adults, and everyone there looks like they want to hurt you. I wanted to take a shower after I left.
Chinese
Good quality hot pot with over the top service. Their tomato and beef broths are renowned. Ask for extras if they have them.
Burgers
Best fries in the city lowkey (waffle fries), but the burger isn't quite the best smash. Sauce is a little weird.
Japanese
Conveyor belt sushi from the Miku/Minami family. Pretty good quality for the price, but their options are pretty basic. No special rolls.
Italian
Has some good food you can get just walking around. Haven't tried the sit down restos inside though, so results are incomplete.
Burgers
Possibly my favourite smash burger. Not too big, and it's got proper toppings. Extremely solid.
Contemporary
Worst tacos I've ever had. Like you couldn't pay me to finish it. Filthy King St energy as well. However, their ghost kitchen Junior's burger joint is one of the better smash burgers in the city.
Spanish
Despite the upscale interior the crowd is dressed more laid back. Dishes were good, but for the price you'd expect a little bit better.
Italian
Kinda like Terroni but less pretentious. Nothing super special, but one of the better calamari's I've had.
Korean
Technically JBBQ. There's a reason it's so hard to get a spot here, some of the best meats and best variety in the game. AYCE.
Dessert
Absolutely fantastic gelato flavours. Not too sweet and not as expensive as you'd think either.
Seafood
Great if you wanna try a bunch of oysters, not all are hits, but good if you know what you want. Kitshcy maritime interior.
Japanese
Considered one of the best ramen in the city for good reason.
Bar
Extremely small speakeasy under little sister. The bartender is so passionate about the drinks and they're all great. They have one with ants in it.
Japanese
Has pretty good happy hour prices. Sushi is consistently good, go if you want aburi. Won an award for best interior in NA.
Japanese
"Wagyu" was the worst meat I've ever had in my whole life, and they spilt something on me and the waiter barely cared. The rest of the dishes were mostly flavourless
Dessert
Mango ice cream has actual sticky rice, total classic. The tiramisu is fantastic, you can really taste the rum.
Korean
One of the most popular soondubu places, but I don't know if I see it. Meat is a little low quality, and soup isn't as flavourful as I'd like. Don't forget to eat the soaked rice after.
Middle Eastern
Front of house was unnecessarily rude, I witnessed multiples tables complain about it. Food is disappointing, shakshuka is flavourless and their "famous" schnitzel was dry. I fail to see why this place is famed.
Bar
Truly a one of a kind speakeasy experience. You gotta go to know.
Bar
Coffee martinis and oysters were fantastic, what more can you ask for. Staff was pretty cool, kinda just act like you're friends.
Chinese
It's no Hai di lao, but still a decent AYCE hot pot experience.
Latin
Meh tacos.
Chinese
Pretty good Chinese skewers. Their spice mix is great, but gets tiring after a while, as its used on almost everything.
Contemporary
Vancouver version of the Keg if it wasn't just a steakhouse. Gotta go for happy hour bellinis.
Cafe
Thai
A modern spin on Thai food that has earned its reputation. The slaw is an absolute my try dish for the city.
Italian
Great pasta, nothin more to say.
Fried Chicken
Tbh I think I'd prefer most other friend chicken places to this one, but it's definitely not bad. They're fries are kinda fire though.
Burgers
A passable smash burger, but not the best. Considering "fries" is in the name I was expecting better on that front.
Japanese
A down to earth but higher end sushi spot. Their futomaki is a total must try. Set menu is great and pretty worth.
French
French spot out by high park. A little hard to get in since no resos, but worth it as a hip spot with a younger crowd.
Japanese
A pretty good Izakaya experience in North York. Big but not too bustling. They have buck-a-shuck which is fine for the price.
Japanese
Donburi place with a modern interior and great food. Pork is a classic, steak is good to but slightly blander. Onsen egg is a must include. Music goes too hard tho.
Chinese
Modern Chinese place with maybe too many options, but you can find some good stuff.
Latin
A fun neon-y vibe with some great modern Latin food. The duck fried rice si surprisingly large and taste great, if a little salty. Pretty much everything we got was a hit. Absolutely pops off on the weekends, but maybe not with the best crowd
Japanese
This confirms that that balding guy on TikTok that ONLY does ramen reviews has atrocious taste. This is his absolute #1 ramen and it was just whatever.
Latin
Some solid tacos that won't disappoint. Their chips are so crunchy, and each taco comes with a handful, or you can get a bag for yourself.
Italian
Overhyped but fine. It's not like grandma used to make, but it'll do for a business dinner. The fact that they don't do substitutions or give you any sauce with the calamari is genuinely ridiculous though.
Japanese
Mostly plant based menu, with mostly Japanese food. Surprisingly good, their sushi is as good or better than actual fish.
Cafe
Cookies are fire, and hot chocolate is one of the better in the city. Get the lavender lemonade in the summer.
Cafe
Fancy little cafe, slightly overpriced and not all the desserts are great, but has a good chai.
Fried Chicken
Solid Korean fried chicken with a pretty cool interior. Most people just think of it as a drinking place but don't sleep on the food.
Thai
If you want a pad thai it'll do.
Italian
Despite the somewhat drab interior, has great Italian food. Chicken parm sando is fantastic.
Chinese
Totally overhyped modern chinese place. Peking duck was dry af. Cocktail had fancy plating, but I could do better with 2 limes and a bottle of crown smh.
Thai
Japanese
Kinda mid ramen, there's a lot better in the city, but their side dishes are pretty good.
Chinese
A fine dimsum place, can go toe to toe with rolsan.
Filipino
Filipino place where you can get a huge buffet served on a banana leaf and rice.
Cafe
Korean
On the same level as paldo, as good dishes but nothing better than the standard.
Japanese
A fantastic tempura based menu which goes beyond your usual shimp and veggie tempura. You can also get ramen from the sister restaurant downstairs.
Japanese
A personal guilty pleasure, the cheese tonkatsu is a great addition. I love thie breading even if it's a little non-standard. A great intro to katsu.
Burgers
Might be a chain but it's an undeniably solid burger.
Japanese
Standard torch sushi place, I think there's better out there though.
Spanish
Great spanish food with a cozy interior. Their paella was fantastic and the sangria was some of the best.
Spanish
Fantastic tapas and cocktails in an upscale venue, but with down to earth staff.
Bar
Speakeasy behind a yogurt shop, the tea cocktail is a much try.
Bar
Serves some of the craziest cocktails in the city, but you'll pay for it (most expensive cocktails are legit $60).
Japanese
A true gem in the sushi scene. Prices are surprisingly reasonable for how good it is. Service is a little slow.
Japanese
Doesn't seem to be that popular but the food here doesn't fall short. A little smaller and quieter than you might expect for an Izakaya.
Japanese
Some of the best Udon noodles I've had. Broth is always great, but meats tend to be tough or dry.
French
Alo's little sister restaurant, serves great French food in an intimate setting, with a constantly rotating menu.
Italian
Not super bad but absolutely not worth the hype. Not authentic at all, caters to suburban people who wish there was a King St uptown. Cocktails are watered down, but the bread platter is huge for the price. Inside is pretty though.
Japanese
Serving an interesting mix of sushi and tacos, both options end up being quite solid. Very hyped now, but for good reason, though some of the tacos are better than others. Great soft shelled crab.
Vietnamese
Very solid bowl of pho. Good broth, large portion, beef is good quality.
Japanese
Solid AYCE sushi and other stuff.
Chinese
Standard chinese fare served in a modern establishment. Not super whitewashed though.
Vietnamese
Matty Matheson is back at it again, but damn that white boi can make some good pho. Not super standard flavor, but good nonetheless.
Middle Eastern
Great middle eastern eats in Ossington. Cocktails are as solid as the food.
Latin
Shockingly solid tacos for a resto across from Ruby Soho. Happy hour is worth it, but considering the area, go at your own risk.
Korean
Best KBBQ in the city don't @ me. Beef hanging tender is goated. All banchan are fire, and you get the corn and egg on the grill?? AND you get the stew??? For free???? How can you not go, bffr.
Thai
Much more deserving of it's hype than Pai. Can get quite busy, but worth it.
Breakfast/Brunch
Don't get the hype. Mainly health focussed food for Alo-wearing social media marketers on their lunch break in Liberty Village. A trip to Erewhon would change these people's lives.
Pizza
Fantastic pizza that used to be my absolute favorite in the city, but their new recipef or the garlic bread just isn't the same.
Sandwiches
#1 panini in the city. Actually, scratch that, #1 lunch spot in the city. And you can get 2 side salads or a soup? King of variety. Get the glass noodle if you're going salads.
Pizza
IMO not quite as good as GA, but still good pizza. Anyone who says this is #1 or in the running for it should not be trusted.
Vietnamese
An interesting Dutch-Indo fusion, not all the dishes were hits but points for uniqueness. Has a great speakeasy underneath.
Italian
Serves greasy pizza along with great italian dishes. Pasta is amazing. A little hard to get a spot but totally worth it. People go crazy for the caesar salad.
French
Intimate French place with a bohemian feel. The basque cake is famous and for good reason. Pretty much any menu option is great. Except for the octopus, that was just okay.
Thai
Modern Thai place that now has a Bib Gourmand. The curry doesn't have cream which isn't a personal preference but everything is fire. Spring rolls were amazing. Half priced wine bottles on Wed.
Japanese
Lowkey one of the best ramen in the city, but Isshen doesn't want to hear that.
Japanese
Believe it or not I used to love this place but they have completely lost the plot. All the dishes suck now, they're not even new they're just made worse than before. The ramen is top 3 worst I've ever had. Just sad to see tbh, their grilled squid used to be one of my favorite dishes in the city.
Japanese
Japanese
The goat of izakayas downtown. Everything is good and I'm always shocked how cheap it is.
Japanese
A perfectly standard Izakaya, they've got some hits and duds, but if you're looking for Izakaya food you won't leave disappointed. I lowkey love how loud the Bloor location is.
Contemporary
Nice farm-to-table contemporary food with a seasonal menu. Upscale but unpretentious, and great as a date spot.
Dessert
Contemporary
Honestly their sausages are mid. Yeah they have "exotic" meats but who cares tbh, just doesn't taste that good.
Eclectic
Lavelle if it were actually good and not pretentious. Steak was amazing. Go swimming in the pool if you're hot.
Breakfast/Brunch
You literally can't eat here on weekends because they're ALWAYS full for brunch, but fuck its good. Fried chicken is amazing, as are the classic pancakes. Hella wasps in the summer though.
Italian
Overhyped to oblivion by TikTok "influencers", but ya know what it does the job.
Burgers
I just didn't really like much about this, dry meat and not much flavour. Someone get this guy out of the lab.
Korean
One of the better places for standard Korean fare in ktown, but still nothing special.
Malaysian
Not a lot of Malay places downtown, so this is a treat. Their stuff is so good. Only thing I wasn't a fan of was the turnip cakes.
Korean
Disappointingly bad, don't be fooled by how trendy it looks. Food is way to salty.
Japanese
Actually one of my fav poke places in the city, sushi is alright as well.
Korean
The cheese dakgalbi is a must get, but could be just a little saucier. Serves 2 and tastes great, only complaint is I wish there was more deokk.
Korean
Dessert
The cutest little macarons, so many flavours and all of them are great. Perfect for a gift.
Latin
Korean
I love that this place has cheap stuff but it's really not all that. Value can't be beat though.
Latin
Some of the better tacos in Toronto, but it's getting a bit too hyped nowadays. Small size.
Korean
Basic Korean food in a kind of run down place. Not great, but not horrible.
Chinese
Not as good as artisan noodle, but not bad either.
Latin
Definitely some of the best tacos in the city. Hyped for a reason. Any of the seafood tacos are smash hits.
Cafe
Now famous for their croissant wheels. They have some good pastries, but I find them a little indulgent for my taste.
Korean
Severely overhyped, fades into the background with all the other mid ktown places.
Dessert
Matcha is as good or better than Tsujiri. The winter menu hojicha/jasmine soft serve is fantastic, better than the matcha imo.
Latin
A cute little mom and pop place, their guacamole pulled pork is one of the best thing's I've had in the city.
Thai
Shockingly good Thai food for the price, this might be the best Thai spot in the city.
Thai
Korean
Serves only one dish: deokkbokki. Serves 2 and comes wil ramen noodles and cheese. Super spicy but literally the best deokkbokki I've had in my life.
Dessert
Dessert
Thai
"What's my favourite Thai restaurant? Oh it's this little place called Pai. Have you heard of it?"
Chinese
There are plentiful options for good rice noodles in Toronto, and this one is just okay. Broth could be better.
Chinese
See magic noodle review.
Taiwanese
Korean
Not the worst Korean you can get, but most other places will be better. If you're really craving Korean and can't get to ktown it'll do.
Fried Chicken
Chinese
About on par with Fudao, in fact they might be perfectly matched.
Vietnamese
A no fuss Viet place. I'm in love with their fried chicken rolls, but the rest of the menu is just alright.
Fried Chicken
A litmus test for Korean fried chicken. Solid but not true greatness.
Korean
Everything here is alright and slightly overpriced, but it does the job. Deokkbokki is lowkey fire tho.
Chinese
A classic spot for crossing the bridge noodles.
Italian
Worse food than Fran's and their servers are rude.
Taiwanese
All their dishes are gross, don't be fooled by the stylish look. Green grotto was better, and that's saying something.
Dessert
I just don't like this kind of thing, too much pastry in the cone.
Sandwiches
A Taiwanese cafe with a nice interior and pretty good sandwiches.
Chinese
Best place for some Canto food with the true Chinatown vibe. BBQ pork and roast duck were a staple in my university diet.
Korean
Severely overpriced kbbq. Literally any other place has better meat for less money.
Japanese
For AYCE they've got some decent stuff. Their salmon sashimi is certainly a standout. If you know what to get it can be pretty good bang for you buck.
Italian
I got a huge stick with thinly cut meat stuck to it. It's a cool gimmick, but doesn't taste great.
Contemporary
Their pulled pork changed my life in university. Most of their stuff is pretty good actually. Not my favourite fries though.
Chinese
I don't like this kind of noodle and they don't even do it well.
Dessert
Some of the desserts can be hit or miss, but their hits make it a fairly worth it destination.
Vietnamese
Primarily vegetarian food. Every dish I had was bad.
Korean
Though this place might not be on everyone's list, this is a solid contender for best Korean food in Toronto. Certainly the best kimchi fried rice I've ever had. Their soon dubu is better than Buk Chang Dong's. No fuss and not too expensive, but delicious.
Seafood
A messy but fine seafood boil
Fried Chicken
Chinese
The worst "chinese" food I've ever had. You might get banned from China for eating here.
Chinese
Though they've moved to a new space in Chinatown, Rolsan remains the most well known and well loved dim sum in downtown. They serve all day as well.
Chinese
Chinese
House of Gormet is lowkey better but if they're full this does the same thing just fine.
Chinese
The fact that this is on the Michilin guide is ridiculous. So many better spots in the city.
Korean
With raw marinated crab being the only thing on the menu, I expected a little better. The marinade was far too light and the ban chan were hit or miss. Probably not worth $60 for 1 crab, but it will do if you've got a craving.
Korean
The titular gyoza were pretty good here, and their bossam was decent as well. Simple food, but good.
Bar
Not sure the vaguely tech-themed interior makes a lot of sense, but it looks nice, and the drinks are decent as well, though not particularly unique. I feel like I've seen a version of most of them done better elsewhere.
Japanese
The Hamburg steak at this famous Japanese chain is perfectly cooked and perfectly juicy. A little expensive for what it is, but overall would recommend if you're into that kind of thing.
Bar
Asian-inspired speakeasies set up behind dessert places always seem to be pretty good in this city, and this one is no exception. A nice balanced drink menu that is solid all around, and unique enough to come give it a try.
Korean
While the small bites here were all solid, the makgeolli is the star of the show. It's difficult to find an authentic makgeolli bar in the city, but this place takes you right down to the streets of Seoul.
Nigerian
Maybe this just isn't for me but I found most of the food to be not very flavourful or poorly done. Service was also not very good and the music was WAY too loud for such a small interior.
Japanese
This Charadise-affiliated JBBQ place doesn't suck quite as much as it's neighbor, but it's nothing to write home about. It's pretty hard to mess up BBQ to be fair, so it's alright.
Japanese
Everyone raves about the dry ramen here but I think it's just not for me. Perfectly fine bowl of regular ramen though; this could be 4 stars on a good day.
Bar
Matcha Matcha follows in the footsteps of other trendy cafe's by offering this after hours cocktail experience. The highballs are all refreshing crowd pleasers, while the lowballs are quite unique, but more of an acquired taste.
Bar
While the vibe is admittedly a little dead, their largely tea-based cocktail menu is actually pretty good.
Chinese
This city doesn't really need more mid mala places, but here ya go I guess.
Chinese
Can't go wrong with this classic Toronto malatang spot.
Thai
A rare instance where modern fusion actually works out, the dishes were generally just as good as their classic counterparts. Drinks were bad though, they really need to take a second look at the cocktail menu.
Contemporary
While some of the small plates like the liver mousse Challah, sticky carrots, and crudo were unique and deeply flavourful, the mains didn't really wow, and the potatoes were disappointingly dry.
Bar
Their unique takes on classic cocktails certainly sound interesting, and mostly land well. The gin fizz was my definite favourite, would recommend giving it a try, so long as you can get a spot that is.
Japanese
Both the cocktails and the food were stunning. Every drink we tried was phenomenal, and had great unique Japanese flavour profiles. The food menu is mostly small bites and similarly impressive, with the uni toast being a definite standout.
Palestinian
Got the tasting menu at this upscale Palestinian place. The appetizers were big hits, and the mains were mostly good, though I think the price is holding this place back a little.
Chinese
Decent portion size of decent noodles.
Japanese
Cheap and standardized, but actually pretty good all things considered. Anyone who lines up for this is crazy though
Sandwiches
Solid Italian sandwiches, and the portion size is actually quite large. A little messy to eat, might want to take home to eat as there is no seating, but if you have no other option it's worth getting a little messy for. Whether it's worth waiting half an hour in line is up to you however.
Contemporary
For a spot that is perennially at the top of Toronto restaurateur's fav spots in the city, this was shockingly mid. Their "famous" roast chicken is dry and the gravy is weak. The tartare was the only good side, as the burrata and asparagus was a confusing mix of flavours and the eggplant was cooked well but laughably tiny. This must be some sort of psy-op, if it wasn't for the tartare I might even give it a 2.
Bar
A cute and trendy wine bar with a tiny-but-good asian inspired menu. Not pretentious, wine's are fairly priced and not too fancy.
Italian
The Bernhardt's team puts together a fantastic Italian menu at this charmingly retro spot. While everything was great, the radicchio was the star of the show.
Bar
While not the only Asian-inspired cocktail bar west of Ossington, nor even the best, the cocktails here are perfectly serviceable. Their signature "Opium" did not live up to the hype though. Music is too loud for the intimate interior, they couldn't decide whether to be more Hanmoto or Mahjong I guess.
Contemporary
While this does bring a distinctly unwelcome King-street vibe onto Queen, it does end up being better than some of it's contemporaries. The shrimp toast was executed better than expected. Potato pave was off-puttingly rich.
Chinese
It's malatang, what do you expect. Was a little slow but fine.
Chinese
To be honest I can't really tell these malatang places apart. Food is standard I guess, but for a Hai Di Lao child brand the sauce bar is abysmal. Unlimited ice cream kinda sucks, it's watery.
Korean
Homey Korean food in a nice Ossignton-typical interior. Menu is small and done fairly well, though lacks inspiration. Pork ribs were great.
Bar
The long lists of Japanese ingredients in each cocktail look like they would be out of this world, but I can attest that they remain very much in this world. Beautiful and vibey interior that makes for a great date night, as long as your date likes their drinks kinda mid.
Contemporary
The whitest person you know is on a date with someone named Everleigh here right now as we speak. It will not be a good date.
Ethiopean
My first Ethiopean food ever so not sure if what I have to say is particularly informed. I quite liked the flavours overall, but found some of the meat to be quite tough. Not sure how I feel about the traditional bread, but to each their own.
Japanese
Sampo may be just the after hours name for Ohiru Cafe, but I think it overtakes it's AM version. Dishes are small but have great flavour.
Japanese
"What if we do breakfast, but like Japanese". While this sentence might make a few weebs wet their pants, it's not exactly the best of both worlds.
Indian
Their slightly modern take on Indian dishes were mostly fine. Lamb was overcooked I thought.
Mediterranean
While they could use with some more official seating, the food here was amazing. Still thinking about the salad ngl.
Japanese
All things considered, a nice Omakase experience.
Japanese
Nice if you want a heavy bowl of ramen.
Japanese
As trendy as this bar is, their substance doesn't quite live up to the style. The drinks were alright, but genuinely confused who is eating their signature Dyno Wings. Way too much.
Korean
Nice and hearty, perfect for a cold winter's day.
Spanish
Gus Tacos manages to pull off an upscale restaurant suprisingly well.
Vietnamese
Not sure if this is entirely authentic to the original Anthony Bourdain-lauded location in Vietnam, but considering how fusion usually plays out in this city, it's phenomenal.
Latin
Never has corn been taken so seriously and tasted so good. Their ultra-modern menu is very interesting and highlights corn in the perfect way without feeling like a gimmick. Nice date night vibes as well.
Japanese
Simple Japanese food in a simple spot. Wait, I'm getting deja vu...
Japanese
Simple Japanese food in a simple spot.
Korean
More like chicken minus.
Thai
This Koh Lipe associated Thai spot doesn't quite live up to it's sister's reputation, but is good nonetheless.
Italian
The small menu of this modern-retro Italian spot was good all round. The signature lardo is heavy but worth it.
Pizza
It's hard to go wrong with Detroit pizza, but this one was really not memorable. 2 stars might be a bit harsh but I don't have the heart to give it 3.
Contemporary
Absolutely nothing to complain about, pretty solid BBQ food as far as I'm concerned.
Japanese
Wanted to like this more so bad but genuinely what are you people talking about? It's just regular Japanese food done slightly more modern. The Tokyo Toast is famous for what? Sunny's does it way better. Everything is fine, but like just fine.
Japanese
They got hand rolls, they got sushi, and they even have the bar! Exactly as advertised, but nothing noteworthy. Bit too much rice on the rolls of we're being honest, especially when salmon and tuna are $7 each.
Vietnamese
A fine bowl of pho, but surely not as good as everyone makes it out to be. Broth is a little light for my liking.
Italian
The food on this very focused menu was all done quite well, no standouts but solid all around. The drink menu is quite interesting, though I found some of flavours in the cocktails getting lost in the mix.
Japanese
Extremely impressed by this Zakkushi-owned basement bar. The dishes were all unique and had distinctly Japanese flavours. The egg mushi and yellowtail were highlights.
Cafe
A beautiful new addition to College and Spadina, Project Seoul has a great menu and a great vibe. I don't see einspanners enough here, but theirs is great. Good spot to study or read, and tons of seating.
Spanish
The menu of this Mexican-Korean-New York fusion spot is as tasty as it is unique. Apps were all fantastic as were most mains, though the carne asada was a bit lacking.
Japanese
This place might be better than Raku tbh, certainly more authentic to real Japanese udon. The flavours are simple but put together masterfully, and served lightning quick. Really felt like I was back in Tokyo. Willing to move this to 5 stars after I sample a few more dishes.
French
Wasn't expecting not to like this tbh, but quite disappointing. The tartare was fine, but the calamari tasted cheap and the Caesar salad was forgettable. The mains were not it. The rigatoni would have been better off with grocery store sauce. I asked for the steak medium rare and got a tiny, shrivelled up piece that was 2.73 seconds away from being well done. I would have sent it back but it's not like I believed the kitchen could actually serve good food anyways.
Italian
A Toronto classic serving up nice Italian food in an eclectic space. The mains were decent but the apps were quite nice. Something about the decor borders a bit too close to dingy though, this location might not be the best date night spot.
Mediterranean
The meat is decent I guess but the rice kind of tastes like what you'd get at a school cafeteria.
Korean
Modern Korean places continue to dissapoint me in this city. Pretty much everything from my Comma review applies here; everything was done amateurishly. Some things were too sweet, others too salty, and some just bland. Drinks also sucked, again either WAY too sweet or just bland, and I don't even think there was alcohol in them tbh?
Cafe
The Baldwin location of Rooms has the same great drinks as Ossignton, but with the added benefit of a vinyl bar. I don't think there's any cool person in TO who doesn't have an insta story from here.
Bar
The undeniably vibiest Rooms location also has great Japanese small plates and cocktails. Dimly lit and and ultra-stylish, pretty much everything here slaps, making it a must-go destination for a classy yet casual date night.
Pizza
Exactly what you want from a good Detroit style pizza place.
Fried Chicken
Firstly, the fried chicken sandwich is just the chicken fingers but in a bun. Like at least gimme a full piece. Secondly, how is it possible that fried chicken isn't crispy at all? Like the taste is fine, but where's my crunch?
Thai
Great noodles, nothing more to say. Wasn't very spicy, just the right amount. Delicious mango sticky rice as well.
Sandwiches
They would spit on you in New York for serving this. Or MTL for that matter. Bad bread. Bad meat. And that's the only stuff in it, so. I considered 2 stars because the shoestring fries were fantastic, but the sando was just that bad.
Japanese
Their pork broth is super rich and flavorful, and though I normally prefer thin noodles, their almost udon-sized noodles were perfectly chewy. Be prepared for a heavy meal though, I only finished about half of my bowl.
Chinese
The meats at this charcoal BBQ spot taste great and the charcoal gives a nice flavor, but not sure if the price matches up. Also wouldn't recommend their suan cai.
Bar
Another place in the same vein as Midnight Market and Big Trouble. The drinks are decent if you go before it turns into a club, but it gets super loud after 10.
Bar
Great cocktails, but the boozy soft serve really brings it home. Only complaint is that they should give you more.
Pizza
A decent Detroit style slice, but could use a bit more sauce. Or not more I guess, just better spread, too many bites are straight cheese.
Contemporary
Cute little wine bar with some good food at decent prices. The empanadas were great.
Cafe
Great drinks if you can wait in line for 45 mins. Tiktok is lying about this being the best matcha in the city tho.
Bar
Seems like it's trying to be a speakeasy, but falls short in the style department. Drinks were fine, but quite standard.
Burgers
A passable smash burger, but not all it's hyped up to be. Needs more sauce, and the jalapenos clashed with the other flavours.
Contemporary
This nearly gets a 4 for buck-a-shuck oysters offered regularly (great quality too), but the tuna ceviche was quite barren and the beef cheek was homey at best. Not many patrons inside.
Contemporary
Exactly what you would expect from an over hyped "date night" spot, moody vibe and doting servers but food is nothing special. Octopus was decent though. Also why is the music so loud.
Spanish
Delicious Peruvian food with extremely good portion size. Really nice seafood.
Korean
The tiniest little mom and pop shop underground on Spadina, this place serves great sandwiches in it's limited hours. Checkout their daily special items, like sushi on Tues, tteokkbokki on Wed, and kimbap on Fri.
Contemporary
While the signature steak frites are a good price, the quality is just ok. Gristle should be cut off, and the small amount of chimichurri given isn't enough to maek the unseasoned steak pop.
Contemporary
Cute little spot with nice diner food. Cherry's done the classics well in a way that is both homey and modern.
Japanese
Okinawan food in Toronto! In addition to standard ramen types, they also offer Okinawan soba, which is a thicker wider noodle served in clear broth. This is one of the more authentic Japanese meals I've had in TO. The broth has a nice strong bonito flavour with great homemade fishcakes as well. Comes with very tender pork ribs (like full bone included). Good gyoza as well, and they have shikuwasa lemonade for another taste of the island. Lovely owners.
Chinese
Fairly middle of the road Chinese food. They have all the standards done pretty much exactly how you'd expect, but nothing is particularly great.
French
Strikes a nice balance between upscale and accessible. Staples like tartare are done fairly standard here, but their sweetbread entree was unique for the city and quite good. Great cocktails.
Japanese
Good quality sushi in an upscale setting, but not a total standout at this price point. All the pieces were nice and fresh, but the lobster miso soup had too strong a flavour.
Japanese
This international ramen chain brings their signature yuzu-flavoured broth to Toronto. While I thought their signature ramen was better in their Japan location, the tsukemen was their best bowl; perfect texture and great flavour in the dipping sauce.
Chinese
One of the better rice noodles in the GTA. Comes with all the toppings already in the bowl. Their braised beef is great quality.
Thai
A dessert and snacks shop made in partnership with Koh Lipe. Their toast was delicious, and their gelato is good quality, though I personally didn't prefer their green Thai tea flavour.
Chinese
Personal sized hot pot place. It was mostly cabbage with a few beef rolls and like 3 mushrooms. Service isn't great. Not clean either.
Chinese
Might be my new go-to for dumplings. Not only we're they great quality, but shocking cheap considering the more modern interior.
Chinese
Honestly I'm pretty sure they buy all their stuff from Kai Wei, it's about the same quality as you could make at home, but if you're looking for variety, the price is pretty good.
Japanese
AYCE shabu shabu that's actually quite good for the price. The selection isn't vast, but the meats were good, and the staff are attentive. Like they bring stuff out like 2 minutes after you order it.
Japanese
Listen, all locations of this chain have the same issue, the dog is pretty good, but way to expensive. At the end of the day, its just a hot dog. How did my order end up being $20?
Chinese
Very palatable but not particularly authentic. You could take your white friends here, but fobs would probably like it too.
Hong Kong
Hearty and homey Hong Kong food, with an emphasis on seafood. Their double cheese was pretty good, definitely try the Milo toast.
Chinese
This is one of my favorite Chinese dishes done incredibly well. The pumpkin broth was delicious. Be warned though, even the lowest tier of spice is quite hot.
Korean
No fuss takeout dishes. Fresh and good quality.
Korean
The tiny menu is well executed at this retro diner-inspired Korean spot. Though I usually don't like the signature sweetness of Korean takes on dishes, these came out quite cozy and homey. Good portion size.
Chinese
Good skewers and noodles.
Japanese
A modern sushi place specializing in hand rolls. Their flight was very solid all around, and pretty fair pricing for the quality. Desperately needs more seating.
Dessert
I don't normally review beverage places, but this is the best drink I've ever had in my life. Punching lemon tea is my new fav.
Korean
Juicy chicken, nice crisp.
Caribbean
Delicious food and cocktails at this modern vibey spot, but somewhat marred by bad service. Every single thing was painfully slow, even getting the bill was like pulling teeth.
Breakfast/Brunch
One of the best Montreal brunch spots comes to Toronto and doesn't disappoint. Prices are more expensive here, but worth it.
Japanese
Simple and authentic, this udon spot is nice for a homey bowl of noodles. Their soba is thick and chewy, if that's what you're into.
Bar
Some of the best cocktails in the city.
Japanese
This place probably reminds me the most of actual Japanese food of anywhere in TO. The dishes are simple, but good, and pretty cheap comparatively. Just good, authentic comfort food.
Dessert
I normally refrain from putting BBT places on here, but this is a true local gem. Their slushes are so good, it's literally just the fresh fruit blended with ice, no artificial BS. Prices are insanely good to boot, considering the fruti is so fresh. Never had a bad drink, ever. I'd die before I stopped recommending this.
Contemporary
While Bellwoods is more popular, I think the beers here are much better, especially if you like sours. Their food options don't disappoint, and make a great pairing to the beer. Nice huge patio outside.
Breakfast/Brunch
Great Jewish-style bagel spot (that also has some pretty good Challah). Their lox would be considered respectible in New York, but probably not the best of the best. Their patio is always full, but just get takeout TBH, the service isn't great and it's more expensive. They always have leftover bread for sale at a discount, would highly recommend to take some home.
Chinese
Located in Yorkdale mall, this place clearly caters to people shopping for Louis and Chanel, with its sleek interior and modern presentation. The food was pretty good, but you're paying the luxury tax for it.
Korean
It's actually pretty good, nice and crispy.
Korean
Takeout only kimbap place. It's alright, kimbap is never really gonna be revolutionary. Too expensive tbh.
Dessert
Not quite as soft as it could be, but my real qualm is that the icing layer is far too thick and far too sweet, just too much.
Korean
While this modern Korean spot has some ambitious dishes, I found the execution to fall flat. Nothing was bad per se, it just didn't work. The fried bossam tasted oddly like cinnamon, the fried tofu was too bland, and the kimchi-laden tartare over kimbap sounds interesting, but at the end of the day I'd just prefer chips or bread with beef that actually tastes good.
Dessert
Has a couple interesting flavours, but tasted kind of artificial.
Sandwiches
Tucked away in a little stall at the top of McCormick park, this offshoot of the main Imanishi suffers the same issue as many great Japanese sando places: absolutely delicious food, but tiny portions.
Cafe
Got some decent cookies.
Dessert
Popular gelato spot on St.Claire. The gelato bars are small but good, as was the gelato-soft serve.
Japanese
Take out only sushi place in roncy. They have a nice maguro-negi roll, which is shockingly hard to find here, but for some reason their veggie tempura is yam only :/
Mediterranean
The food was pretty good, but there was way too much bread. Like seriously, bread everywhere. The sausage came with bread and hummus, I don't even think you were supposed to eat them together.
Sandwiches
Absolutely huge sandwiches. Great deal for the price. Get the veal.
Chinese
The broth and the toppings here were actually pretty good, the beef brisket and the pork belly both hit. I'm not the hugest fan of egg noodles in general, but overall the flavour is definitely there.
Korean
An unabashed rip off of New York's Cote (5 stars btw), serving a fine dining version of KBBQ. The set menu here gets you a seafood tower, seafood pancake with uni, 4 cuts of meat, some sides, and a dessert. While the meats were good, this place falls short of it's inspiration. The doenjangjigae and cold noodles were both quite bland, and the service was a tad lacking compared to Cote. Still though, a unique experience for TO, and one that I would recommend.
Korean
Cheap and decent Korean food, found in the food court underneath Aura. Not bad for takeout.
Japanese
A servicable bowl of ramen, but with ikkousha literally right beside it, it's a bit hard to recommend.
French
A cozy little Queen west spot serving great French food. The dishes are simple, but delicious. Both the steak and green beans were fantastic. Lots of personality inside. Some minutia are holding it back from a 5 star rating; the tartare was a little heavy on the chives, and the garlic butter for the steak was a touch too salty.
Dessert
Cute little ice cream shop with some delicious and unique flavours.
Bar
A bar with no menu; you just tell them what kind of thing you're looking for, and the bartender makes you something. I was expecting some more unique drinks, but most things were fairly standard, although the theme was bang on every time. Surprisingly fairly priced, 4 drinks was less than $80.
Korean
The food here was actually quite good, but the absolutely tiny menu makes it hard to order much. Slightly overpriced.
Japanese
This izakaya has more of a regular restaurant than the hustle and bustle of places like Don Don and Kinka, but the food is just as delicious. Pretty much everything was a hit. The house sake was suprisingly cheap and fantastic.
Chinese
Maybe the fancier broths are better, but the original broth is exceptionally bland, and the toppings weren't much better.
Burgers
Matty Matheson keeps it simple with just cheese, sauce, pickles, and some medium rare patties, but the results are greasy and delicious. They also serve blue slushies!
Japanese
The perfect bowl of ramen. Broth is rich and flavourful while remaining light. Noodles are the perfect toughness and pork is cooked magnificently. Simple but delicious.
Seafood
Oh boy, where do I start. The chowder is disgusting. Its just huge potato chunks in a grossly artificial sauce reminiscent of stadium-grade nacho cheese. The lobster roll is flavourless and the mayo tastes odd. The top-split bun overpowers everything else, and has only a tiny hole in the center, ensuring that half of your bites are 100% bread and that the lobster all falls off the bun once you get to the middle. Everything needed more salt.
Sandwiches
There are only 2 things on the menu of this much acclaimed sandwich shop: steak and pork. The steak is cooked perfectly, and the chimichurri sauce is an interesting shakeup, although it's a little overpowering in some bites. Has a bit of a kick as well.
Dessert
A retro and quirky ice cream shop with a good selection of classics and novelties, including my childhood favorite and a rare find, Superhero.
Sandwiches
Not sure if this much loved sandiwch stop quite justifies it's price, but it's good nonetheless. Could have used a little bit of acidity to cut through the very greasy meat, IMO.
Dessert
It's soft serve, whatever. Ice cream wasn't good and their toppings didn't do much for me.
Japanese
An Izakaya mainly focussing on skewers. I thought this was going to be a bit better, as the vibe (and staff) are the closest I've seen to an actual Japanese resto in Toronto, but a lot of the skewers were just ok; their beef is not my fav. The chicken skin was delicious. You have to pay extra for sauce though 😬
Chinese
Delicious szechuan food. Every single person here was a fob, like I got looks.
Cafe
A very instagrammable asian-run cafe, started by a guy who was just making madeleines out of his house. Their brunch menu has good flavors, although I found it to be a tad salty.
Breakfast/Brunch
A family-run Middle Eastern diner. Not great food tbh, but I guess if you just want a humble plate then go for it. The skewer plate we got had so little meat though.
Italian
An alright Italian spot in Liberty Village. The cheese on the steak sandwich tasted a bit off, but most stuff was decent.
Korean
Further proof that the best Korean food is outside DT now. Their signature cold noodle is slushy and refreshing. A nice family-run joint.
Japanese
Nice homey Japanese food up in Markham. Nothing will blow your socks off, but it's nice and comforting.
Dessert
Solid bingsoo, nice ratio of topping to ice. Ice was nice and creamy, but maybe a little too sweet.
Contemporary
Cheeky and eclectic spot on the east side with a small and quirky rotating menu. The spot has lots of personality, but the only dish that wowed was the tartare. The fish was just glorified fish and chips, and the beef wasn't tender nor flavourful enough.
Contemporary
Many consider this one of the best smash burgers around, which I somewhat agree with, though I found that the patties had a little too much char, and got a little dry when not paired with the sauce. They have a great banana pudding. Fries are average.
Vietnamese
One of the best pho spots in the city, not the fanciest but great flavour. The weekend special pho has a nice chili broth but I don't particularly like the firm noodles. Spring rolls are deliciously crispy, but the fresh rolls had like 1 shrimp in it 😐
Thai
A solid liberty village Thai spot, nothing to complain about. The Tom Yum Pad Thai doesn't really taste much like Tom Yum, but it good nonetheless.
Latin
Apparently the Dupont one give us 3 tacos for the price of 2 here. Tacos and burritos were acceptable but nothing special, ceviche was a little bland. Nice guac though.
Korean
Ok the chicken was pretty good here, but the yangnyeom sauce had a very slight puke-ish taste. The other flavor was great though, so maybe that one is just a dud.
Japanese
Very solid sushi from this sleek and modern new addition to the scene. Not actually that expensive despite being better than the regular fare. Wish they had a proper dine in option.
Latin
Some nice options with great flavours, but I'd stay away from the ground meats. It got more expensive now so not super worth it.
Contemporary
Food was way better than expected. A great summer place to grab some brews.
Pizza
Up there as one of the better slices in the city. Great flavours; slices are a little floppy tho.
Pizza
Boooooooooo 👎 The OG location in NYC is WAY better, this one's just disappointing. Slices are soggy, and too much bread.
Pizza
A Toronto classic that's hard to go wrong with. Nice thin crust. Good if you want a greasy (but not too greasy) slice.
Sandwiches
An ok hoagie, nothing more. Mayo is a bit sweet for my taste.
Chinese
Considering I never really see people here, I was shocked at how great this was. Food was consistently good and actually quite cheap. Not quite S tier, but severely underrated.
Sandwiches
A quality sub with good ingredients, but not exactly all it's hyped up to be imo. The cross-section goes crazy tho.
Korean
The Jokbal/Bossam platter here is huge and delicious. I think it would feed 4 comfortably (note: since it's so fatty it does NOT reheat well, eat as much as you can there). The cold noodles are great too, nice and chewy with a flavourful broth. Great banchan too, the kimchi had a nice sweetness, and the picked cabbage had a perfect acidic zest.
Korean
Though just on the edge of K-town, this was surprisingly better than most of the places on Bloor. Very solid tteokbokki.
Thai
Great modern Thai food, nice interior as well. Cocktails were all good.
French
Alder boasts one of the most beautiful interiors in the city, with a menu that is all solid, but with no major standouts. Apparently the cucumber salad and carpaccio are fantastic. Great drinks.
Mediterranean
Great Greek food on Ossignton with a modern and intimate interior. Fried gnocchi was the best dish.
Chinese
Solid Chinese skewers spot with decently good value and good regular dishes, though it doesn't particularly stand out amongst the crowd.
Chinese
Solid rice noodle spot with some decent toppings. Not the most flavourful but good on a cold day.
Japanese
Great spot for primarily seafood don. All seafood was nice and fresh and the sauces were tasty but not overpowering. Bowl looks small but one was enough for me.
Chinese
Modern chinese tapas served in a swanky venue. Most dishes were good, but not great. Duck dumplings were a bit too salty, but ssam as pretty good.
French
Not quite as good as everyone says, you really need to know what to order. The ratatouille and lobster spaghetti were good. The croquettes and the calamari were disappointing.
Contemporary
Though the drinks are really just mid, the food is surprisingly good. The short ribs were amazing.
Japanese
The King and Spadina location of the Japanese coffee bar turns into a beautifully lit bar at night. Consistenly great cocktails and a lovely vibe. The food is quite good; the katsu sando is amazing. Live music on Saturdays is a huge hit.
Breakfast/Brunch
Known as one of the best brunches in the city for a reason, though it might not live up completely to the hype. great shakshuka. Steak sandwich was a little underwhelming.
French
A fantastic French-Japanese menu, with many great dishes, though nothing particularly stand out or innovative, just good food. Very butter heavy.
Italian
Cheap italian food that's all decent, but nothing special. Won't disappoint for the price, but not all it's hyped up to be.
Sandwiches
Sandwich was pretty good, as expected. Much better than Lambo's IMO.
Dessert
Has horrible reviews on google; must be under new mgmt because it was all fine. Great shaved ice, good amount of stuff and ice was very fruity.
Bar
The space is dimly lit and visually stunning, just like you would expect of a top tier speakeasy. Even the menu is hand drawn, which is a nice touch. The drinks live up as well, proving that this place has both style and substance. Gallery is tiny, not really much of an attraction.
Korean
Korean fusion joint with a small menu. A nice place but not fancy. Portions are larger than anticipated, probably only need 3 dishes for 2 people. No standouts, but solid menu. Bulgogi cheesesteak was the highlight.
Breakfast/Brunch
Clean liberty-village brunch spot. Not too busy but still good. Had a great ginger beer.
Dessert
Great bingsoo place, good fruit portions and nice ice. Not sure about their non-bingsoo options.
Chinese
Lowkey one of the better Chinese spots in the city, certainly one of the best Xiao Long Bao. Northeastern salad is a highlight.
Contemporary
Solid higher end food in a beautiful space, though they only have standing tables. Drinks are just alright, but all of the tapas were great.
Japanese
Decent sushi, but nothing special. Their deep fried roll was kinda mid.
Japanese
Korean tonkatsu, very crispy batter, good taste, large portions. A little skimpy on the rice, but can't complain.
Italian
Its on King, so of course it's mid white people food with mediocre service. Food isn't bad though, but maybe needs some salt.
Japanese
Not the best sushi I've ever had, but not the worst. Karaage portion is HUGE, definitely worth it. Space is very bare bones.
Chinese
Chinese "burger" chain, where the bun is more flaky. Ended up being dry and a little flavorless. Fries are FIRE though.
Chinese
Good, simple chinese fare in a cute interior. Not quite enough soup in the buns though.
Breakfast/Brunch
Egg sandwiches on a sweet and fluffy bread. Had an oddly sweet sauce on it, but was good nonetheless.
Mediterranean
Food is all solid, but doesn't really stand out. The chicken was plain but good. Highlight of the meal was the oxtail. I've seen people talk about the drinks here, but the drink menu is completely uninspired.
Chinese
Chinese skewers in soup. It's spicy, but still managable, but just barely. Skewers are good and side dishes are nice additions, but the skewer size is a little small.
Burgers
A very solid smash burger, though maybe not #1 in TO, as many have claimed.
Contemporary
Good food in an elegant interior. Staff is very nice and unpretentious. Portions are good sized. Steak was amazingly tender.
Dessert
Absolutely delicious ice cream, the flavours taste like the real thing in ice cream form. Banana and mint were perfect.
Chinese
Good dim sum, pretty nice interior.
Dessert
Delicious asian desserts, they have a fairly large menu, but manage to do most things well. Their shaved ice is perfectly creamy, and their fruits are fresh.
Pizza
The king of Toronto pizza, it's simply the best. Crust is perfectly crisp and flaky, and each slice has the perfect ratio of high quality ingredients to greasy goodness. The burrata pizza is the best slice IMO.
Korean
A small, streetfood-esque venue with great dishes and great prices. Kimbap is fantastic and tteokbokki is perfectly soft. The carbonara is better than it looks. The fried sides are good but not super worth.
French
Florette's tiny menu is all fine, but there are no clear standouts. Other places have done their dishes better, but nothing is disappointing. Cocktails are interesting and food-focused, and space is cute but slightly cramped.
Chinese
Though not overly authentic, Sunny's offers tasty and well executed dishes that satisfy any cravings. The cocktails were equally good, and the space has a fun, swanky vibe.
Italian
The warm interior makes you think this wouldn't be as disappointing as it was. Apps were complete mid, the risotto was way too salty, and my pasta tasted like it was off the loblaws shelf and had unacceptably dry chicken pieces.
Bar
A space themed bar with some very visually impressive and tasty drinks that are a little on the weak side. The venue is actually quite inviting, with and open feel and lounge seating, not gimmacky at all. Staff is very nice as well.
Japanese
Street-stand-esque place that mainly serves takoyaki.
Chinese
Soup dumplings are too sweet and the rest of the food needed a bit more flavor. Not bad, but not super good.
Italian
Appetizers and pastas we're all absolutely fantastic, though we didn't try their limited selection of mains. Space is warm and inviting, like Bar Isabel.
Chinese
Probably the best spot downtown for sang ji. Make sure to get their other dishes as well.
Japanese
Food was extremely mid but honestly the portions are huge. Good if you're on a budget but not if you want to have fun.
Burgers
It's good n stuff, but truthfully not my favorite smash burger on the market.
Chinese
Dim sum served in an almost hipster-ish cafe type setting. Menu is small but everything was good.
Pizza
Gotta be one of - if not the best - west end pizza places.
Japanese
Great little stand for onigiri. Pork and tuna ones were the best.
Japanese
Very solid Katsu. Good variety of sauces and an onsen egg. Breading is crisp, meat is cooked a perfect medium rare, and it's not too heavy or greasy.
Seafood
A solid well balanced roll, although quite small for the $25 price tag. I don't think I would buy it again unless I was really craving lobster.
Japanese
Solid torch sushi place. Nothing special but good all around. Has buck-a-shuck oysters, but you have to get a drink to get a dozen.
Italian
Absolutely horrendous vibes. Serves "Italian" food that tastes like it came fresh out the microwave. I could make better pasta with $5 and a rusty spoon. I would say this is for kids except there were mostly adults, and everyone there looks like they want to hurt you. I wanted to take a shower after I left.
Chinese
Good quality hot pot with over the top service. Their tomato and beef broths are renowned. Ask for extras if they have them.
Burgers
Best fries in the city lowkey (waffle fries), but the burger isn't quite the best smash. Sauce is a little weird.
Japanese
Conveyor belt sushi from the Miku/Minami family. Pretty good quality for the price, but their options are pretty basic. No special rolls.
Italian
Has some good food you can get just walking around. Haven't tried the sit down restos inside though, so results are incomplete.
Burgers
Possibly my favourite smash burger. Not too big, and it's got proper toppings. Extremely solid.
Contemporary
Worst tacos I've ever had. Like you couldn't pay me to finish it. Filthy King St energy as well. However, their ghost kitchen Junior's burger joint is one of the better smash burgers in the city.
Spanish
Despite the upscale interior the crowd is dressed more laid back. Dishes were good, but for the price you'd expect a little bit better.
Italian
Kinda like Terroni but less pretentious. Nothing super special, but one of the better calamari's I've had.
Korean
Technically JBBQ. There's a reason it's so hard to get a spot here, some of the best meats and best variety in the game. AYCE.
Dessert
Absolutely fantastic gelato flavours. Not too sweet and not as expensive as you'd think either.
Seafood
Great if you wanna try a bunch of oysters, not all are hits, but good if you know what you want. Kitshcy maritime interior.
Japanese
Considered one of the best ramen in the city for good reason.
Bar
Extremely small speakeasy under little sister. The bartender is so passionate about the drinks and they're all great. They have one with ants in it.
Japanese
Has pretty good happy hour prices. Sushi is consistently good, go if you want aburi. Won an award for best interior in NA.
Japanese
"Wagyu" was the worst meat I've ever had in my whole life, and they spilt something on me and the waiter barely cared. The rest of the dishes were mostly flavourless
Dessert
Mango ice cream has actual sticky rice, total classic. The tiramisu is fantastic, you can really taste the rum.
Korean
One of the most popular soondubu places, but I don't know if I see it. Meat is a little low quality, and soup isn't as flavourful as I'd like. Don't forget to eat the soaked rice after.
Middle Eastern
Front of house was unnecessarily rude, I witnessed multiples tables complain about it. Food is disappointing, shakshuka is flavourless and their "famous" schnitzel was dry. I fail to see why this place is famed.
Bar
Truly a one of a kind speakeasy experience. You gotta go to know.
Bar
Coffee martinis and oysters were fantastic, what more can you ask for. Staff was pretty cool, kinda just act like you're friends.
Chinese
It's no Hai di lao, but still a decent AYCE hot pot experience.
Latin
Meh tacos.
Chinese
Pretty good Chinese skewers. Their spice mix is great, but gets tiring after a while, as its used on almost everything.
Contemporary
Vancouver version of the Keg if it wasn't just a steakhouse. Gotta go for happy hour bellinis.
Cafe
Thai
A modern spin on Thai food that has earned its reputation. The slaw is an absolute my try dish for the city.
Italian
Great pasta, nothin more to say.
Fried Chicken
Tbh I think I'd prefer most other friend chicken places to this one, but it's definitely not bad. They're fries are kinda fire though.
Burgers
A passable smash burger, but not the best. Considering "fries" is in the name I was expecting better on that front.
Japanese
A down to earth but higher end sushi spot. Their futomaki is a total must try. Set menu is great and pretty worth.
French
French spot out by high park. A little hard to get in since no resos, but worth it as a hip spot with a younger crowd.
Japanese
A pretty good Izakaya experience in North York. Big but not too bustling. They have buck-a-shuck which is fine for the price.
Japanese
Donburi place with a modern interior and great food. Pork is a classic, steak is good to but slightly blander. Onsen egg is a must include. Music goes too hard tho.
Chinese
Modern Chinese place with maybe too many options, but you can find some good stuff.
Latin
A fun neon-y vibe with some great modern Latin food. The duck fried rice si surprisingly large and taste great, if a little salty. Pretty much everything we got was a hit. Absolutely pops off on the weekends, but maybe not with the best crowd
Japanese
This confirms that that balding guy on TikTok that ONLY does ramen reviews has atrocious taste. This is his absolute #1 ramen and it was just whatever.
Latin
Some solid tacos that won't disappoint. Their chips are so crunchy, and each taco comes with a handful, or you can get a bag for yourself.
Italian
Overhyped but fine. It's not like grandma used to make, but it'll do for a business dinner. The fact that they don't do substitutions or give you any sauce with the calamari is genuinely ridiculous though.
Japanese
Mostly plant based menu, with mostly Japanese food. Surprisingly good, their sushi is as good or better than actual fish.
Cafe
Cookies are fire, and hot chocolate is one of the better in the city. Get the lavender lemonade in the summer.
Cafe
Fancy little cafe, slightly overpriced and not all the desserts are great, but has a good chai.
Fried Chicken
Solid Korean fried chicken with a pretty cool interior. Most people just think of it as a drinking place but don't sleep on the food.
Thai
If you want a pad thai it'll do.
Italian
Despite the somewhat drab interior, has great Italian food. Chicken parm sando is fantastic.
Chinese
Totally overhyped modern chinese place. Peking duck was dry af. Cocktail had fancy plating, but I could do better with 2 limes and a bottle of crown smh.
Thai
Japanese
Kinda mid ramen, there's a lot better in the city, but their side dishes are pretty good.
Chinese
A fine dimsum place, can go toe to toe with rolsan.
Filipino
Filipino place where you can get a huge buffet served on a banana leaf and rice.
Cafe
Korean
On the same level as paldo, as good dishes but nothing better than the standard.
Japanese
A fantastic tempura based menu which goes beyond your usual shimp and veggie tempura. You can also get ramen from the sister restaurant downstairs.
Japanese
A personal guilty pleasure, the cheese tonkatsu is a great addition. I love thie breading even if it's a little non-standard. A great intro to katsu.
Burgers
Might be a chain but it's an undeniably solid burger.
Japanese
Standard torch sushi place, I think there's better out there though.
Spanish
Great spanish food with a cozy interior. Their paella was fantastic and the sangria was some of the best.
Spanish
Fantastic tapas and cocktails in an upscale venue, but with down to earth staff.
Bar
Speakeasy behind a yogurt shop, the tea cocktail is a much try.
Bar
Serves some of the craziest cocktails in the city, but you'll pay for it (most expensive cocktails are legit $60).
Japanese
A true gem in the sushi scene. Prices are surprisingly reasonable for how good it is. Service is a little slow.
Japanese
Doesn't seem to be that popular but the food here doesn't fall short. A little smaller and quieter than you might expect for an Izakaya.
Japanese
Some of the best Udon noodles I've had. Broth is always great, but meats tend to be tough or dry.
French
Alo's little sister restaurant, serves great French food in an intimate setting, with a constantly rotating menu.
Italian
Not super bad but absolutely not worth the hype. Not authentic at all, caters to suburban people who wish there was a King St uptown. Cocktails are watered down, but the bread platter is huge for the price. Inside is pretty though.
Japanese
Serving an interesting mix of sushi and tacos, both options end up being quite solid. Very hyped now, but for good reason, though some of the tacos are better than others. Great soft shelled crab.
Vietnamese
Very solid bowl of pho. Good broth, large portion, beef is good quality.
Japanese
Solid AYCE sushi and other stuff.
Chinese
Standard chinese fare served in a modern establishment. Not super whitewashed though.
Vietnamese
Matty Matheson is back at it again, but damn that white boi can make some good pho. Not super standard flavor, but good nonetheless.
Middle Eastern
Great middle eastern eats in Ossington. Cocktails are as solid as the food.
Latin
Shockingly solid tacos for a resto across from Ruby Soho. Happy hour is worth it, but considering the area, go at your own risk.
Korean
Best KBBQ in the city don't @ me. Beef hanging tender is goated. All banchan are fire, and you get the corn and egg on the grill?? AND you get the stew??? For free???? How can you not go, bffr.
Thai
Much more deserving of it's hype than Pai. Can get quite busy, but worth it.
Breakfast/Brunch
Don't get the hype. Mainly health focussed food for Alo-wearing social media marketers on their lunch break in Liberty Village. A trip to Erewhon would change these people's lives.
Pizza
Fantastic pizza that used to be my absolute favorite in the city, but their new recipef or the garlic bread just isn't the same.
Sandwiches
#1 panini in the city. Actually, scratch that, #1 lunch spot in the city. And you can get 2 side salads or a soup? King of variety. Get the glass noodle if you're going salads.
Pizza
IMO not quite as good as GA, but still good pizza. Anyone who says this is #1 or in the running for it should not be trusted.
Vietnamese
An interesting Dutch-Indo fusion, not all the dishes were hits but points for uniqueness. Has a great speakeasy underneath.
Italian
Serves greasy pizza along with great italian dishes. Pasta is amazing. A little hard to get a spot but totally worth it. People go crazy for the caesar salad.
French
Intimate French place with a bohemian feel. The basque cake is famous and for good reason. Pretty much any menu option is great. Except for the octopus, that was just okay.
Thai
Modern Thai place that now has a Bib Gourmand. The curry doesn't have cream which isn't a personal preference but everything is fire. Spring rolls were amazing. Half priced wine bottles on Wed.
Japanese
Lowkey one of the best ramen in the city, but Isshen doesn't want to hear that.
Japanese
Believe it or not I used to love this place but they have completely lost the plot. All the dishes suck now, they're not even new they're just made worse than before. The ramen is top 3 worst I've ever had. Just sad to see tbh, their grilled squid used to be one of my favorite dishes in the city.
Japanese
Japanese
The goat of izakayas downtown. Everything is good and I'm always shocked how cheap it is.
Japanese
A perfectly standard Izakaya, they've got some hits and duds, but if you're looking for Izakaya food you won't leave disappointed. I lowkey love how loud the Bloor location is.
Contemporary
Nice farm-to-table contemporary food with a seasonal menu. Upscale but unpretentious, and great as a date spot.
Dessert
Contemporary
Honestly their sausages are mid. Yeah they have "exotic" meats but who cares tbh, just doesn't taste that good.
Eclectic
Lavelle if it were actually good and not pretentious. Steak was amazing. Go swimming in the pool if you're hot.
Breakfast/Brunch
You literally can't eat here on weekends because they're ALWAYS full for brunch, but fuck its good. Fried chicken is amazing, as are the classic pancakes. Hella wasps in the summer though.
Italian
Overhyped to oblivion by TikTok "influencers", but ya know what it does the job.
Burgers
I just didn't really like much about this, dry meat and not much flavour. Someone get this guy out of the lab.
Korean
One of the better places for standard Korean fare in ktown, but still nothing special.
Malaysian
Not a lot of Malay places downtown, so this is a treat. Their stuff is so good. Only thing I wasn't a fan of was the turnip cakes.
Korean
Disappointingly bad, don't be fooled by how trendy it looks. Food is way to salty.
Japanese
Actually one of my fav poke places in the city, sushi is alright as well.
Korean
The cheese dakgalbi is a must get, but could be just a little saucier. Serves 2 and tastes great, only complaint is I wish there was more deokk.
Korean
Dessert
The cutest little macarons, so many flavours and all of them are great. Perfect for a gift.
Latin
Korean
I love that this place has cheap stuff but it's really not all that. Value can't be beat though.
Latin
Some of the better tacos in Toronto, but it's getting a bit too hyped nowadays. Small size.
Korean
Basic Korean food in a kind of run down place. Not great, but not horrible.
Chinese
Not as good as artisan noodle, but not bad either.
Latin
Definitely some of the best tacos in the city. Hyped for a reason. Any of the seafood tacos are smash hits.
Cafe
Now famous for their croissant wheels. They have some good pastries, but I find them a little indulgent for my taste.
Korean
Severely overhyped, fades into the background with all the other mid ktown places.
Dessert
Matcha is as good or better than Tsujiri. The winter menu hojicha/jasmine soft serve is fantastic, better than the matcha imo.
Latin
A cute little mom and pop place, their guacamole pulled pork is one of the best thing's I've had in the city.
Thai
Shockingly good Thai food for the price, this might be the best Thai spot in the city.
Thai
Korean
Serves only one dish: deokkbokki. Serves 2 and comes wil ramen noodles and cheese. Super spicy but literally the best deokkbokki I've had in my life.
Dessert
Dessert
Thai
"What's my favourite Thai restaurant? Oh it's this little place called Pai. Have you heard of it?"
Chinese
There are plentiful options for good rice noodles in Toronto, and this one is just okay. Broth could be better.
Chinese
See magic noodle review.
Taiwanese
Korean
Not the worst Korean you can get, but most other places will be better. If you're really craving Korean and can't get to ktown it'll do.
Fried Chicken
Chinese
About on par with Fudao, in fact they might be perfectly matched.
Vietnamese
A no fuss Viet place. I'm in love with their fried chicken rolls, but the rest of the menu is just alright.
Fried Chicken
A litmus test for Korean fried chicken. Solid but not true greatness.
Korean
Everything here is alright and slightly overpriced, but it does the job. Deokkbokki is lowkey fire tho.
Chinese
A classic spot for crossing the bridge noodles.
Italian
Worse food than Fran's and their servers are rude.
Taiwanese
All their dishes are gross, don't be fooled by the stylish look. Green grotto was better, and that's saying something.
Dessert
I just don't like this kind of thing, too much pastry in the cone.
Sandwiches
A Taiwanese cafe with a nice interior and pretty good sandwiches.
Chinese
Best place for some Canto food with the true Chinatown vibe. BBQ pork and roast duck were a staple in my university diet.
Korean
Severely overpriced kbbq. Literally any other place has better meat for less money.
Japanese
For AYCE they've got some decent stuff. Their salmon sashimi is certainly a standout. If you know what to get it can be pretty good bang for you buck.
Italian
I got a huge stick with thinly cut meat stuck to it. It's a cool gimmick, but doesn't taste great.
Contemporary
Their pulled pork changed my life in university. Most of their stuff is pretty good actually. Not my favourite fries though.
Chinese
I don't like this kind of noodle and they don't even do it well.
Dessert
Some of the desserts can be hit or miss, but their hits make it a fairly worth it destination.
Vietnamese
Primarily vegetarian food. Every dish I had was bad.
Korean
Though this place might not be on everyone's list, this is a solid contender for best Korean food in Toronto. Certainly the best kimchi fried rice I've ever had. Their soon dubu is better than Buk Chang Dong's. No fuss and not too expensive, but delicious.
Seafood
A messy but fine seafood boil
Fried Chicken
Chinese
The worst "chinese" food I've ever had. You might get banned from China for eating here.
Chinese
Though they've moved to a new space in Chinatown, Rolsan remains the most well known and well loved dim sum in downtown. They serve all day as well.
Chinese
Chinese
House of Gormet is lowkey better but if they're full this does the same thing just fine.
Chinese
The fact that this is on the Michilin guide is ridiculous. So many better spots in the city.