I hate giving unfortunate reviews but I feel this one is more a warning as my experience might be a Your Mileage May Vary. Im not sure what happened or if it was just an off day but the service here seemed genuinely irritated and frustrated at something. This is a quick service take out spot. Though there is some standing room to eat your meal, the rough service makes this spot really unwelcoming and uncomfortable. I could not wait to get my food and just head back to my car to eat instead. Like most spots out in W Queen St W, it's a narrow older spot that has a lot of character. It's clean and functional ... nothing really to be knocking it. About the service, I should have taken the death stare upon opening the door as my first hint that I should have turned around. The tone and physical stance were really more confrontational and it most of the room look at each other with hesitation. He definitely did not care for anything and the throwing around of bowls, utensils, and everything was a bit alarming. As for the salad, the vinaigrette nearly made the salad inedible. It was overly salty and acidic... and I didnt put on very much onto it either. The vegetable offering is ok. Cauliflower was super limp and rubbery but all other vegetables seem at least fresh. 3/5 I dont think I'll be returning. Not sure what happened but from a service and food, there's better and more relaxing options nearby. read more

Bolt Fresh Bar - Almost inedible with that dressing - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Bolt is within walking distance of The Drake Hotel (which I adored) and is great if you need your fix of green smoothies and drinks. The staff here is super friendly and I didn't get a chance to check out their solid food. What I appreciated most about BFB is their willingness to accommodate dietary needs including my allergens of coconut and almond. Might not seem like a big deal to note; however, many sites use coconut and/or almond milk and don't offer alternatives. I was very open about it being my first time and they were so kind to walk me through their ordering process and give some insight. They also sell a particular brand of cold-pressed juices which had me craving for more as I left the city. The best one was the activated charcoal cold-pressed juice for those crazy nights you need to recover from. When I'm back in the neighbourhood I will definitely be swinging back! read more

Paying $7.50 for fresh pressed juice is not for everyone. If you asked me six years ago if I would add this to my usual routine, I would have laughed you out of the room. However, things change and I am a convert. Do I have time to go to the market regularly for fresh produce? Would I pay money to have someone else clean out my darn juicer? Basically, I've just deemed the health-giving goodness at Bolt worth the price tag. In the warmer months, I'm all about their Green Pineapple juice and in the winter months they usually bring the heat with their vegan soups. read more

Bolt Fresh Bar - Green pineapple - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Super disappointing! Wanted to grab solo dinner and thought this looked healthy. I was happy to see BOLT open around 8:30pm. I decided to go with their soup of the day with cauliflower and turmeric, I think it was. I decided to add nacho chips to make it more substantial. The soup was great but the nachos were stale and ruined the meal for me. :( I could see the associate digging around so she probably gave me the remnants of the bag when she should have informed me that it wasn't available instead. This experience inspired me to cook more for myself - yeesh! The only positive I see is that there's a ton of climate friendly options, which I always appreciate in a place... Will be a very very slow walk back to try a smoothie or a bowl. read more

Not very fresh for a " fresh bar " Rice is god awful ... It used to be great.. but has gone way down hill :( The new bowls are REALLY sad. What happened guys?!!!! read more

I love the roasted veggie bowl, but the last 6 times I've ordered it they were always out of 1-2 ingredients or the dressing. Although not the end of the world, but still a bit disappointing. Also, there were two instances where I went (once at 7:45 a couple weeks ago and once today at 7:30) and was not allowed to order the veggie bowl. The first time I was just told she closed the salad bar, so I just left without asking why. I thought because they were closing in 15 mins she probably just wanted to go home early or on time. Today though I asked why i wasn't allowed to order since they are open until 8 and the girl behind the counter simply stated that they close the salad bar at 7:30, even though I can still clearly see the veggies on display (though they had their lids on). I personally didn't think it would have been a big deal to open the lids and make an exception since nothing needed to be cooked but it seemed like my business wasn't wanted which is unfortunate because I go there all the time. I don't understand the logic behind why the salad bar is to be closed half an hour before the actual store. That seems like a silly practice since you are turning away business. Add up all those potential sales and at the end of the year that's a whole lot of revenue the owner could have gotten! Anyways, after 3 years of coming here I've been let down far too many times for me to a) promote the business any further and b) return as a customer. I will miss the food but there are plenty other options in the neighborhood. read more

Stopped in to try their acai parfaits. PRO - the young lady behind the counter on this particular Thursday night was nice and friendly CONS - the two items we ordered (the energy parfait and power parfait) were both meh at best - the whipped coconut cream add-on was OK but for $2.50?? - pricey (the bill for two parfaits came out to $24) read more

Absolutely love how fresh the food is. I had a strawberry, banana smoothie and a "burrito bowl". Delicious. Portions are decent and kept me full for a couple of hours. The environment was also welcoming and clean. read more

Bolt Fresh Bar - Burrito Bowl - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Smoothies are great. No seating only 2 seats to wait for your order. Tiny storefront. Try the parfait with the coconut cream. The coconut cream is very rich. Only problem is you will have to take it somewhere else because there's nowhere to sit and eat here. Hard to sit outside in the winter. They have good looking pastries too but did not try them. No bathroom. Accepts cards. read more

Delicious fresh food and super friendly and helpful staff! I had the sprout salad and the first base cold-pressed juice and was impressed with how fresh and delicious both were. Would defineitly go back! read more

Entirely staffed by beautiful girls with beautiful faces that have beautiful skin, and beautiful little cherub butts (I should probably go VEGAN right? Because who DOESN'T want to look like a sexy angel...If I looked like a sexy vegan angel, I would wear short shorts all the time too, even to work. Maybe they're born with it? Maybe it's Maybelline?) SHMANYWAYS, Bolt is straight to the point, offering healthy, wholesome to-go meals that are organic and gluten free. I grabbed a cold pressed Beet Juice, and let me just say, their Beet juice is my top 5 contender for Beet Juice's I've consumed (Number 1 Beet Juice is that one time I worked some Hippie Music Festival in BC and after the night shift of watching teenagers OD'ing on MDMA, and getting schmitty-faced drunk, Mama needed a refreshing Beet Juice to cleanse her palette. That Beet juice was historical and I fantasize about it to this day) SO YEA, Bolt has a nice Beet Juice. But possibly not the best ever Beet Juice. I also got their vegan curry on Quinoa, it was hearty and a great filling portion, the curry could have done with a touch more seasoning and it was missing something in terms of flavor, but it hit the spot nonetheless. My main bish and I initially came here because their Acai Bowl looked like a dish of the gods, it was so intricately beautiful in instagram photos on the official Bolt page that we though it must taste like the food of gods. But we were mistaken, looks were deceiving and the acai bowl (which actually comes in a cup? huh?) was pretty bland and our feelings can be summed as such ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Points for feeling REALLY healthy while eating the whole thing. read more

Worst smoothies I've ever had. Poor value for the money since they come in small sized cups, and very watery because they put way too much ice in them. Meals are inconsistent in quality, and often poorly constructed with bad ratios of ingredients. Too bad, they used to be top notch but no more... read more

I had a parfait, and it was ok. The space was so cute, But that point is moot. 'Cause the service was bad, And made me so sad, I'll never go back, 'Til they give her the sack. So, summarize, I had a mediocre, overpriced parfait, and the woman who served me was rude and crusty. Way to live up to the Queen West service stereotype, Bolt! Will not return. read more

Bolt is the perfect place to go when you are on a health kick. They serve vegetarian dishes only and is mainly take-out I was feeling pretty hungry so I ordered a grain bowl instead of a salad. I had the protein bowl which was pretty good and quite filling but I wish there was less grain(brown rice) and more of the other toppings and miso dressing. I decided to give Bolt a second chance.and tried an Acai bowl.Their Acai bowls are served in a cup not a bowl and they look like parfaits I had the Acai power bowl which comes with tropical fruits and is topped with whipped coconut. This bowl did not disappoint and definitely satisfied my sweet tooth. I'll be back to try their smoothies next. read more

I was taking a stroll in the neighborhood with my date and walked in to check this place out. It was the most rewarding spontaneous thing I've done in a while. They had been open only 10 minutes and I was their first customer. The staff was extremely friendly and took the time to talk to us about their products. The Armenian Lentil soup was divine. Very hearty and flavourful. I'll definitely be back to try their salads and smoothies! Note: Not a sit down restaurant. read more

I'm only giving this a 4-star rating for now as I've only tried one item from Bolt (this was my first time trying). First of all, the descriptions they provide for each menu item are fantastic - everything sounds amazing and I couldn't help but drool over each item. I chose the Vitamin Sea Bowl because I love sea vegetables and I wanted to see if it would live up to my expectations - and it did! Everything in the bowl was fresh and there were just enough toppings so that it wasn't over-bearing. At first it looks like a lot of kelp, but with all the other toppings, I would definitely say that the kelp enhanced the flavour of the bowl as opposed to drowning out all the other flavours. As I was watching the guy (I wish I knew his name) prep the bowl, I thought that he must surely be over-portioning the quinoa and all the toppings. Especially because the bowl is only $9. Suffice it to say, the amount that I walked away with was substantial giving the affordable price point - for the quality and amount that I got, I'd say that Bolt is definitely comparable to Live Food Market (but they're honestly a fraction of the price!!). I'll definitely go back there again. And again. read more

I didn't really jive with Bolt even before I was barfing my face off from drinking their juice. I ordered some green piña colada smoothie my first time and it wasn't great. I kept it in my fridge for days afterwards until it developed a composting skin because I couldn't justify throwing out a $9 juice I didn't like. Second time I order the beet and whatever else is in it juice. I am hit with the most violent food poisoning soon after. My body did not want whatever was dying inside that juice in me. I called the next day to let them know, and I was told I got sick from something else, even though it was the first thing I consumed in 14 hours... And considering my barf looked exactly like the juice I just consumed. The red of the beets made my bathroom look like a horror movie, so at least I got a cool picture read more

Very friendly staff and awesome smoothies! The drinks at the back are very useful for all ailments. Warning: prices are a little high but that's to be a expected with food this healthy. read more

Bottom line: Above average, slightly-pricey healthy lunch takeout joint Walking in Parkdale, you'd be hard pressed to take notice of Bolt. It's unassuming without much flashy signage. I walked by a few times before deciding to give it a go because the first few times the whirring sounds made me think they exclusively served juices/smoothies. The closest competition I can think of is iQ Foods which also has similar packaging and food offerings. Based on the tips here, I tried two grain bowls: 1) Quinoa Bowl and 2) Vitamin Sea Bowl. Quinoa Bowl ($10): This bowl contains shredded kale, green onions, parsley, avocado, tomato salsa and cherry tomatoes on a bed of quinoa. Lots of green popping out when you open the box. Feels very salad-y and generally quite tasty. If you like fresh shredded kale then this is for you. However, while it was good, it didn't have quite the flavour punch I was hoping for. Vitamin Sea Bowl ($9): The Vitamin Sea Bowl was an interesting mix of quinoa, seaweed, carrots, a slice of avocado, a mix of kimchi, red cabbage, sesame seeds and some kelp noodles. There's a separate creamy lemon tahini sauce. It's an interesting mix of ingredients and certainly feels very light. The tahini sauce was slightly tart from the lemon but is quite subdued in its flavour. The kimchi really grew on me; I felt that it was a strange addition early on but the combination of foods really hits that savoury spot. The servings are pretty decent, though within expectations given the price. Ingredients are very fresh too. Would visit regularly. read more

I love the concept of Bolt -- with their offerings of fresh, healthy smoothies, juices and meals -- and even their website, with its bright orange background and round, cheerful font makes me want to be happier and healthier. Unfortunately, the food didn't make me so happy. I stopped in to try the Protein bowl, a brown rice bowl (somewhat similar to Fresh's bowl offerings) with cherry tomatoes, marinated tofu, sprouts, beans, butternut squash, pepitas and carrot miso dressing. Everything is served to-go, so the components of the bowl were assembled in a takeout container and the dressing is served in a plastic cup within. For $9, the serving is generous -- possibly enough for two full meals, depending on your appetite. I found it to taste overwhelmingly of ginger, although I wasn't quite sure why, and the sauce seemed to disappear completely and be absorbed into the components without adding any enhancement of flavour. The more I ate, the less I liked it, and I couldn't bring myself to finish it even though I still felt hungry. On the positive side, the space inside is beautiful, and staff were very friendly. In addition to their menu items they also seem to sell drinks like kombucha, coconut water and some sort of kefir, as well as Chocosol chocolate. There appeared to be a few high-top tables inside, but no chairs, so perhaps not an ideal place to sit and linger. It's a bummer that there aren't any seating options inside, as I feel somewhat strange eating all this healthy food while producing so much unnecessary waste. I might come back to try one of their juice or smoothie offerings, but I'll skip the grain bowl next time and get my meal elsewhere. read more

In the time of the 2016 Rio Olympics, big ups to Usain Bolt and Bolt Fresh Bar! I haven't seen the meme grace their social media channels yet, but in due time, I am sure. I really like Bolt. From the bright interior to the easy-to-read menu, it's not as intimidating a place as one might think. Definitely take a gander at the menu before you go in though because with so much selection, it is hard to not just stand there, mouth agog, while you make your decision. In times of sickness, I have turned to Bolt for supped-up orange juices and health shots from Elxr Juice Lab. In times of health, any old smoothie will do. I especially like the Lemon Tart, which has a little bite to it from the hemp hearts, lemon zest and Royal dates. For the instagrammable showstopper, run don't walk to order an acai parfait and don't skimp on the whipped coconut cream. That's like ordering nachos without guac; it simply isn't done. The price point kind of prevents Bolt from being a daily or weekly indulgence, like a latte or muffin from coffee shops down the street. But, you do feel like you're getting what you pay from when you see all the fresh ingredients lined up in a salad box or being churned into a bright drink. #BOLT read more

I live a few doors down from Bolt, Bought a very mediocre tasting juice that was quite expensive in a well lit dirty setting. That would have all been fine by me (because honestly what I else did I suspect) I wouldn't be complaining had the service not been so awful. The quality of their ingredients looked suspect to me as well. Are the staff being mistreated is that why they are so rude? They all seemed to be more up to flirting and not wiping down the tables instead of providing some form of mild service. Thanks for the 10$ smoothie guys. I only made this account to give you this bad review. read more

YES! I have been waiting for a yelp page for BOLT to open up because I have been dying to review the newest addition to my neighbourhood's food scene. Surprisingly, there are not a lot of healthy/vegetarian options in WQW so when BOLT opened it was like an angel came down from the heavens above and personally blessed us with this beautiful, special and fantastic local offering. I have inhaled everything I have ever gotten from BOLT, which almost always consists of a "my grain" bowl. My personal favourite is quinoa, kale, beets, carrots, tofu and avocados with the zesty green dressing. If you order this and do not love it then you need to stop trying to convince yourself that you like healthy food. This combination is perfection. Ingredients are always crisp and fresh and the staff is so nice and happy. There is nothing I dislike about this place. They're local, support local food, support local companies, and are focused on health and nutrition. It's a fantastic spot and I'm so glad it opened up just down the street from me. I have quickly become a regular. I haven't tried the smoothies yet but I have my eyes on the Greena Colada and will make it happen sooner than later. In conclusion, I love you BOLT. Will you marry me? read more

3.5 stars. Bolt has made some recent changes and additions to their menu. One of the major changes that they've made was add onion flatbread snadwiches (these are decent, but I find 2 pieces of this flatbread too much for me because it is very oniony). They have also switched the strawberries for raspberries on one of their acai bowls (sadface - I know it's because strawberries are harder to access etc., but still sadface), and also related to the acai bowl they have changed the granola (no longer just oatmeal but also had some seeds in their, dislike...). They also recently started advertising that you can get the coconut whip to go - which is a cool and awesome option that I get sometimes. Overall, I'm not pleased w/ their changes, but am in favour of the many additions, which also include different cookies, salad and sandwich toppings, and refrigerated drinks. read more

The vibe: Clean, bright vegetarian take out! The food: Juice, salads, grain bowls and all that good, clean stuff. If you've done nothing but eat poutine all winter, or are suffering from a mega hangover, or just want to feel generally fresh and alive, come here and refresh. My go-to meal: The Vitamin Sea bowl - quinoa, kelp, seaweed, carrots, avocado and more. SO GOOD. Secret: There are usually little juice samples out, so you can try a juice before you commit. read more

I've been to Bolt twice now. It's a good spot to grab a quick healthy bite. The bowl servings are very generous. Being a meat eater, I was still full after finishing my quinoa bowl. The downside of this is the salsa mysteriously absorbed into my meal and left it seriously lacking taste. I had the protein bowl the second time and the dressing + butternut squash give it more flavour - I'd recommend this if you're not making your own. Although, it still had a very "carby" feel to it I often get after eating vegetarian food. I tried the beet juice which was tasty, but a smallish serving for the price. The best part about bolt are the acai bowls. I've had both on the menu, and they are like a healthy dessert, although I question how many calories they have. That's how good they are! Bottom line is a decent, convenient spot to grab a very healthy, quick meal. Think IQ/Kupfert/freshii but not limited to food court hours (aka no weekends). read more

Being from Vancouver, where healthy, cheap and quick food options abound, I was incredibly excited when Bolt opened up in my neighbourhood. The Vitamin Sea bowl is a wonderful blend of grain, seaweeds, and veggies, and I love it. I've also had a few of their smoothies and they do not disappoint! The only reason that I give this place 4 stars instead of 5 is that they need to work a little on consistency. I've had the Greena Colada a few times - the first it was a dreamy smooth tropical slice of heaven, and the next it tasted bitter and icy. sadface. Same with the grain bowls - sometimes they are heavenly and others the quinoa is undercooked and the ratio of ingredients is all off. Overall though, I love this place. Great staff. Nice environment. Decent prices. Healthy and delicious foods. If you're on Queen West and you need a quick bite of something that is NOT pizza or poutine, this place is your jam! read more

I never understand why take out food places automatically ask for tips (when paying with card)... if you don't have seating- and you're not leaving the conforts of behind your counter why do you feel you deserve 15%? I tip my coffee/ tea places always- by choice (into their tip jar)- why? Because they're pleasant- they smile, listen and add to the positivity in my day. Bolt- you were rude, when I asked a question you totally disregarded it, and there just seems to be a cloud of gloominess behind the counter- so no- you do not deserve the 15percent and I consciously will hit "other" and choose 0. Because you are miserable and I do not believe in rewarding negative Behaivior. Please leave my neighbourhood to make room for another shop that brings in more pleasant staff!! read more

Not too shabby! This place is pretty good for a quick, healthy bite to eat. I've tried most of the menu items now and I'd have to say the best are the Kale Caesar and the Energy Parfaits.. oh, and the soup is always really tasty too! The Kale Caesar dressing is quite possibly the best I've had and I love that they threw some chickpeas, avocado, tempeh and grape tomatoes in there to keep things interesting. The coconut whipped cream on the parfaits is super thick and creamy. My only 'beef' with this place is that it's pretty expensive. Also, there's nowhere to sit and eat. There are a couple of high top tables that you can stand at while you chow down but a few bar stools would really go a long way. But hey, thanks for making high quality healthy grub easily accessible! read more

I really do love Bolt Fresh Bar. I've gone there a few times but didn't notice how expensive the parfait is esp the coconut whipped cream. $14 for a parfait?not going to be coming back for that anymore sadly. Parfait is small for that price and coconut whipped cream is to expensive for the small amount they give you. read more

I've been there once since they have recently opened, and I do plan on making another trip. Their menu seems very bland and small, so hopefully they expand it after being open for quite some time. Initially I was intending to buy a grain bowl for dinner, but they seemed kind of "meh" just in terms of variety. So I opted for an acai bowl because i LOVE acai bowls. The person working there didn't seem to know exactly what she was making or doing, but she still managed to pull off a decent acai bowl. Not many places in Toronto offer them, so it was pretty good since you don't have much to compare to (unless you make your own at home of course). The acai blend was good, fruit toppings good, granola good. But nothing too spectacular. I will return to try more menu items in the future. read more

Just what I needed today: a fresh smoothie - chocolate and PB - and kombucha. The smoothie was awesome! And the kombucha was a new brand I've not tried before & tasted great! I loved the music they were playing today. The staff were loving it too; singing along. They were all genuinely friendly and the speed of their service was outstanding! Since I'm always 5 minutes behind, their speedy service gave 5 minutes back to me! Got my day back on track and re-energized too! Thank - you! read more

I was craving for something healthy and from outside it looked good. Although my boyfriend told me not go because he didn't like it I wanted to try it anyway. But I should have listened to him... Really disappointing, I wonder how you can fail making an acaï bowl without tasting acaï. Too expensive for what it is, not worth trying. Sorry! read more

Feeling peckish, went in for a healthy snack. Had the Vitamin Sea Bowl (see what they did there?) which was quite average, there was nothing dazzling about it and, for $13 on rice and shredded carrots and cabbage, i was expecting darn dazzle. There you have it, happiness again turns out to be reality minus expectations. The latter did me in. I recommend you keep walking past this place and go for slightly better grub at Fresh or Queen and Dufferin. read more

I like this place a lot! I had the lemon smoothie and a carob cookie to go and they were SOOOOOOOO good. I cannot wait to go back for an acai bowl, so excited! read more

Pretty solid vegan spot. Had a rice bowl there today that came with a bunch of stuff, all the ingredients seemed fresh and came together well. Simple and tasty read more

Unsanitary practices, I was disgusted. They have this employee who has got to be the most unfriendly and inappropriately dressed food handler I've ever encountered (just for pure description purpose, she's Asian, with facial piercings). She prepared food for the person ahead of me. Used her fingers to scoop vegetables/fruits, no gloves, then exchanged money to complete the transaction. WITHOUT WASHING HER HANDS, she proceeded to prepare my order, touched the fruit with her hands, wiped them on her shirt and then took my money. GROSS! Can you imagine the filth that's on her hands, touching the food that customers are about to consume?! During the summer, she wears these teeny short short spandex shorts (more like underwear) and half of her bottom hangs out, I AM STARING AT HER BARE AS*!! I think another reviewer commented on this. Let's not forget that regardless of how tasty this food may be or how popular this place may be, this is a FOOD joint and certain practices are unacceptable. Another thing with this place is that servers think they're too cool to prepare your food. No smiles, barely any eye contact, as if I'm bothering them by being there? I'm tired of these "cool" places that are popping up, where attitude is on the menu. Get real. Be nice to customers. Otherwise, you won't get any. And for god's sake, wash your hands and at least try to wear clothes that don't expose your as*. read more

Please note this review is only on the acai bowls. After living in California for a decade acai bowls became the standard grab and go breakfast item. I've never been to Brazil but I feel I have my share of solid tasty acai bowls. Now to my assessment of of Bolt's acai bowl. First I saw them pour a fruit mixture into a cup not blend a fresh array of fruit acai in a blender. Then they proceeded to top of this sludge with a pile fruit to bury this hot mess they called an acai bowl. It was liquid not frozen nor fresh and I definitely will not be going back for one at all. I give this 2 stars solely because they put a very tasty and better than the entire bowl, a coconut whip on top, that was the only good thing. If you're going for the acai please stay away but if you're having their salad bowls I'm sure they're ok as I have never tried them. read more

Ugghhh. I am eternally disappointed. I haven't been around to have an acai bowl all winter, and given it's warm and summery, I thought "oh hey, I'm gonna get myself some bolt deliciousness". Much to my dismay they've changed their prices, and removed the best part: the coconut whipped cream. It's now 1.50 extra just for that. I mean, come on. Not only was my bowl lacklustre and plopped together with no care, it was made out of order (aka I was shuffled behind people who ordered well after me), by staff who seemed to care less. I never thought I'd see this day, but. Don't count on me coming back any time soon. read more

Used to love this place but the girl who took my order behind the cash register was very rude and seemed annoyed when I asked her a question about the menu items....very disappointing! read more