First things first... You're on the island. Your day should be a leisurely exploration of outdoor space and not rushing around with timelines. So with that being said, yes, the service can be a bit slow here. But given there is literally only this or the Rectory Cafe to choose from on this stretch of the island, it should be no surprise the place gets busy and servers may be more tied up that one would hope... So my advice is to chill out and take this in stride rather than being impatient. Once you get past any initial wait for a table and then subsequent wait for the waitress to actually tend to your table, things will turn around. The food is good (burger and fries for $15 was a very satisfying lunch, and nothing on the menu is over $18), the beer is reasonably priced ($6.50 + tax for a craft pint of Mill Street or Sidelaunch beers), and the atmosphere is lovely. Also, to correct the review below - there are washrooms, they are around the back of the place near the lawn bowling. If you're really impatient, just go to the takeout section. While the menu is different and it can also get busy, they do seem to work through the line pretty efficiently. Otherwise, take your time, chill out and enjoy your day with a stop into the Island Cafe. read more

Walk a little further to The Rectory, it's not much further and has a clear leg up on the deal pirated "Island Cafe" Unfortunately the island cafe has little to offer for people who want good food or good service. Service is slow and not very knowledgeable, lazy and needs to be prompted for things like cutlery or which food belongs to which customer (was served a meat filled burrito when I ordered vegetarian, had to find out the hard way) food is meh, nothing special, but at least you have time to digest it while you wait 20 minutes for the server to bring the bill. read more

Island Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

We arrived here by accident. We took the Wards Island Ferry because it was the first one to arrive, and we wanted to get out of the city. On the island, the sign at the ferry dock announced that there was a music festival at the cafe. The food is real. Full of flavour and fresh things, beautifully laid out. They were totally welcoming of a tired grown person and an overly energetic small person, and the wait staff were charmed by his ordering. Warning, the chipotle humus is hot - I loved it, but it was too hot for the two year old. Every thing else was excellent. If they have the white chocolate coconut cake, get it. We watched two other tables order pieces, and based on their facial expressions we ordered one. It really was fabulous, and I don't like white chocolate. Two tables later they ran out. Don't be the one who does not get cake. Also, the red sangria. If you drink alcohol, drink the red sangria. The white is fine, but the red is what you want. I'm plotting a return, which is saying something considering the ferry and all. read more

Looks like most of the negative reviews here are by obnoxious tourists with an overdeveloped sense of entitlement. I'm a local who visits the island generally every other week in the summer and I love to pop in to the island cafe for lunch/dinner before/after hitting the beach! Yes, it can get busy, but the food is great and I've never had lousy service. In fact, the servers have always been very laid back and friendly to me, even when the place is packed. The beer is very reasonably priced given they have a near-monopoly on booze on the island. I love the tamarind shrimp, and the vegan burger is uhhh-mazing. Sure, the place isn't as spotless as the Four Seasons, but the patio is super cozy and it's rough around the edges in just the right way. Plus, these folks grow a TON of their own veggies on-site - their gardens are UNREAL. If you want to eat at some glib, gentrified "gastropub", this isn't the place for you. If you want to grab a meal on a cozy patio that matches the quirkiness and whimsy of the Toronto Islands in general, then it's worth a visit. read more

visited on a Saturday, loved it so much came back on the Sunday and loved it again Tried various items over the two visits, but what really made a difference especially when compared to the nearby Rectory Cafe, 5 minutes away was the staff, it is a family owned and run restaurant, it shows Home Smoked Fish board WOW $11, and great starter the Kale Salad, Fish Tacos, Chicken Mole, all great, Deserts really brought it home. Tarts layer cakes $6. and great fine selection of wine and biers, light and dark The Island Cafe is a folksy place right off the Ward's Island ferry dock read more

Subpar experience. We stopped by for take out at lunch. Take out options are very limited. Tried to order an island salad, but was told it was unavailable. No gyros either. Got a chicken salad sandwich and ham sandwich, both of which were just ok and overpriced at $8. Perhaps the sit down experience would be better. read more

Since my first review there has been a significant improvement to this seasonal restaurant. The food is still very much cafe fare but the fish and chips is a favourite. Reasonable selection of wine by the glass. It can get very busy during sunny evenings. Their early closing and limited opening days in Spring and Fall can make it a challenge. The kitchen closes early except in high summer. There is no indoor seating so it's weather dependant. It's a fun place to while away a warm evening. UPDATE this season 2018 we have been going regularly during the week. The staff a really friendly and the basic menu is pleasing. The quesadillas with guacamole are good. And they grow their own vegetables and herbs. Now that the Rectory has downgraded to beer and pub food this is the place to go on the Toronto Island. read more

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Wow I wouldn't have guessed there would be so many horrible reviews based on my experience there. Visited in the middle of the afternoon so it wasn't too busy and we were seated right away. The hostess was nice enough, but our server seemed a little out of it.. not too friendly, took forever to get back to our table... a little hazy if you know what I mean.. The food was good, fish and chips was not overcooked. Really good tartar sauce. The patio is ADORABLE. Like if you're the person to just go somewhere for the aesthetics- go here. Sunflower print tablecloths, umbrellas, sting lights, fresh flowers on the table, a garden behind the dining area. The ambiance and the views plus the good food made me not care about the subpar service. Would definitely return. read more

The cafe is in one of the most beautiful spots in Toronto. They are growing most all the greens they use right in their garden, any other produce from Ontario Food Terminal and meats from Sanigans. Great sangria and the Jimador is refreshing. Daily specials are the best - fried chicken, chicken dinners, pizzas, fish. Every thing is done in beauty and they make every effort for a light footprint and to improve the community and place that supports and sustains them. Free kale on Tuesday harvests from a pilot project with the city to see how many pounds of kale can be grown in a city park on 1/100th of an acre. 5-7pm I think. Just beautiful. I love having a morning coffee there early before it's too crowded on one of the many benches trellised with sweet peas and other gorgeous blooms. read more

Delicious! Great atmosphere, great food, friendly staff They grow their own greens!! Highly recommend a stop here! read more

Lovely location but oh so pricey, and the portions were oh so small. The waiter was a nice guy, but did I mention that we got 12 chips for $10. And the dessert was the size of a toonie for $10. If you are going to Ward Island, pack a lunch. read more

Went there last Sunday (June 9, 2013) when the weather was beautiful. Island Cafe is a picturesque place with a gorgeous patio, located close to the ferry dock, on the edge of a park on Ward Island. There is so much potential. Our server was quite friendly and accommodating and the setting made it earn 2 stars; but otherwise, it would have been one. The menu was limited, fries only available on "Frydays", chicken wing special only available after 5:30pm. No big deal as there were other things to choose from. The intention of a smaller menu is usually to simplify work in the kitchen so that speed and quality can be emphasized. We ordered a pitcher of beer, two orders of shrimp, and two orders of nachos. The beer took 15 minutes and our appetizers took 45 minutes to arrive. Each order of shrimp was six or seven shrimp with a side of watery tamarind dipping sauce. The nachos were basically toasted chips with hardly any cheese or toppings. We did opt for two add on guacamole orders at $2.50 each, for about two tablespoons of guac. The whole thing along with one glass of wine (just some sub-par appetizers and essentially 4 drinks) came to just over $80 after taxes and gratuity. This would have been reasonable for good quality food; but from what I observed, the food gets better attention at a fast food chain. I sincerely hope that Island Cafe can improve their quality and speed rather than just rely on their location monopoly. Otherwise Torontonians will catch on and save their appetites for the mainland. read more

The food and the setting are wonderful. Everything else, which is basically the staff, is not. Sure it's busy in the summer and things can go slowly. But in the fall, on a quiet morning there should be no excuse for such rude and slow service. We were informed - with a huff and a rude "we don't open until 11:30. You have to wait" - that seating wasn't open until 11:30 so we opted for the take-out bar. This was at 11:21. There were 2 parties of 2 ahead of me and the counter-service girl was so insanely slow that these 2 coffees, 2 juices and a nectarine took her 13 minutes to serve. I know this because by the time she was taking my order, I was informed breakfast wasn't served after 11:30. I looked at my clock: 11:34. I told her I had been waiting in line for nearly 15 minutes. She rolled her eyes and asked someone if we could have one more breakfast. Now it was his turn to grumble and grudgingly say "I guess so" and then turn to the kitchen and loudly say "Sorry guys, but we have to do one more breakfast even though it's after 11:30" ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME? If your service was at a normal pace - I would have ordered before 11:30. The second part of my order was a hot dog. I was told they might not be ready. Sooooooo, you don't serve breakfast at 11:30 but you don't have your hot dogs ready for your lunch? That makes sense. Finally, we got our food. But the hot dog was raw and my husband had to take it back. No apology and then they asked if he wanted his money back or another hot dog. Then he was told that the hot dogs weren't ready so he can have his money back or nothing. Fine. They gave him stale tortilla chips that took forever to put into a paper bag. The food and coffee, when you get it, is delicious. And to the other reviewer who says you should relax and enjoy the island vibe - well that's all fine and dandy if the island vibe is rude and dismissive. I would be okay with the slow service if it was at least service with a smile. It's a family run business and probably doesn't have to rely on service for business as there are only two places to eat on Ward Island. But will be bringing a picnic next time and skip trying to deal with the incompetent staff read more

Half the tables were empty and they still couldn't be bothered to bring me a menu (I got my own) or even come over to take my order after 15 minutes. Ridiculously bad service. read more

My experience here was terrible from start to finish. First, the host (who also ended up being our server) needs a major attitude check. She acted exasperated when we asked simple things like where the bathroom was located, etc. They were out of literally all alcohol listed on their menu except what they were calling a "margarita." Every surface I touched seemed to be sticky. The nachos my mom ordered looked like Tostitos scoop chips with sprinkle cheese that was nuked in the microwave...for $15. Such a bummer for our last meal while visiting Toronto. I am not usually one to write reviews, but I don't want other people to waste their money here! read more

The place is an absolute disaster. There are no signs indicating the different areas. Staff is grumpy and huffs at the guests especially the lady at the cash today. The place is not organized People in their bikini are allowed to enter into the eating area which is not very hygienic read more

The prices are outrageous ($2.00 plus tax for a 500 mL bottle of water??). The staff are slow and not very customer-oriented (staff more concerned with restocking items than with waiting on customers). I won't go there again. I'll leave that to people who think high prices and crappy customer service are signs of sophistication. (Why do unfavourable reviews get "filtered"? Is this supposed to be a glee club or a genuine rating service?) read more

the spot is no doubt picturesque and it's a lovely place to relax. the food, drinks, service and value aren't great though. even all this is forgivable given the island location, but i've concerns about food safety. there are flies swarming about the fruit, blenders and garbage. seems like a disaster waiting to happen. read more

This restaurant is family owned, they grow a lot of their own food and give away kale on Tuesday nights. Customers are able to walk through their gardens. Sit on the patio for full service or get take out and have a picnic either on or off their property. They do have seating around the property so you don't have to sit on the ground if you opt for the faster, "to go" service. Do go there if you want to sit and have a leisurely meal and try their sangria. Do not go there if you are in a big hurry. Vegetarian options. They have a kids menu, don't serve colas, do serve ice cream. There seems to be some rotation of staff which is to be expected at a seasonal venue. They have always been friendly to me. I can't imagine how anyone could complain, this place is busy and people work hard. They are frequently playing jazz music (which makes me very happy) and sometimes have live bands. I have seen some beautiful weddings held on their grounds. It's right next to the ferry docks and you can't beat the view of the skyline. read more

Was here last week and the experience started off great and went downhill from there. The Café was busy and staff running around. We received our cold drinks which were great considering we were hot and thirsty. We began to order our meals. My children ordered fish & chips and were immediately told there were no chips....I have never heard of any restaurant running out of French fries? Nacho chips were the substitute for the fries. When the meals arrived the nacho chips were stale for $16.00 unacceptable. My clubhouse sandwich was acceptable, I had a salad as my side. While we were finishing our meals, guests at a table nearby were paying for their lunch. They were paying by credit card and I overheard the server ask the gentleman "if there was a problem with the service?" He said "No" and the server then said "Well it is customary to tip 15 %" I was horrified! I could not believe what I was hearing. How dare she! They had not even left the table yet...the man might leave a cash tip! I became anxious to leave and I will never return. That conversation turned me off. $70 tip included (which I paid) even though they did not discount my children's meal for having no fries. Overpriced & nervy servers! read more

Adorable little place, but slow service at the counter. We waited 20 minutes for two veggie dogs. They forgot part of our order. We wanted to order ice cream, too, but it just took forever! read more

This is my fav place to get a bite on the island. I'm not vegetarian but the vege burger is amazing! Its bright pink so I guess it's made with beetroot, very moist and delicious. It's often busy and can be a hot mess at times so get your food to go, sit on the grass and enjoy. read more

I was a huge fan of this place last year, but things seem to have gone down hill for their opening weekend (perhaps an aberration?). Came here with family for brunch. We ordered a variety of things from the menu including eggs benedict, tofu scramble and a sandwich. I had the benny and it was as bland as can be. A barely toasted english muffin with some avocado and tasteless hollandaise served with about 10 cubes of potatoes that were insufficiently cooked. My partner had the tofu scramble and it was also bland - no flavour whatsoever. The server was pretty good - he was friendly but clearly had too many tables since he was being flagged down by everyone for things like ketchup and drinks. The food came decently quickly. It's just a shame that it sucked. We chose this place over the Rectory which is more expensive but I'd be happy to pay extra for palatable food. I'll be giving this place another shot later in the season, but if it's similar to this experience I'll be relying on the Rectory from then on. read more

I like the Island Cafe because for one, the food is fresh. They have a smoker so they smoke their own meats and salmon. This is the best spot to eat in the entire island. It's cute, cozy and the food is good BUT, the staff needs to look a little bit more presentable and clean. We've been there several times and it's always the same. The other day there was a waitress that looked a little too dirty for my liking. She had bug bits all over that were bloody (SO gross),and her clothes looked dirty. If it wasn't for the staff looking a little too raggedy, I'd give this place 4 stars! Please please have the staff clean up a little bit. It's a big turn off for such a nice place. read more

The bartender refused serve me by saying he had to change the keg. Waitress dumped dirty dishes from other people's table on the counter I was sitting. After I complained, the bartender slammed the beer in front of me, while the waitress slammed the glass of water in synchronized manner (really!) I told the bartender to be ashamed of himself. The next day I sent an angry email to the owner. No reply. How should I interpret this experience? If you want to go back to high school and get bullied by bunch of stupid kids, this is your place. No star. read more

Popular small venue means very busy and crowded unfortunately. Service was a little slow on a Sunday evening, but the place was very busy. Staff seemed reasonably friendly. The beer was cold and tasty. The Jerk Winner Winner Chicken Dinner? The chicken was very tasty, but the rice and peas with bland and cold. The deep fried plantains were way overcooked and burnt. The collared greens were meh - I don't eat them often so I don't know if they were any good. Would I visit again? Ya, probably. read more

Took 30 mins for them to make a burrito and I found a HAIR in it... I didn't complain but the wait staff were extremely short and despite us ordering food to stay and tipping before hand they would not allow us in the seating area?? read more

The setting is great, but the food isn't that wonderful, and the service is a bit lacking.

This little restaurant has a nice ambiance on their large patio. The reason I only gave them three stars was that our waiter seemed quite rude and he basically ignored us the whole time, and the place wasn't very busy. The food is ok, but in my opinion overpriced for what you get. I had the fish and chips. The fish was nicely battered and crisp, but the fries were served under the fish so they were kind of soggy. The fish comes with coleslaw and it had a strange taste which I couldn't identify but I didn't enjoy the coleslaw at all. My grandson had the nachos which had a huge blob of congealed, cold beans on top, that looked and tasted extremely unappetizing. I tried for about 10 minutes for the waiter to come to our table but he either didn't notice or was ignoring us. When I finally got his attention to ask for a spoon so we could remove the beans from the nachos he said I asked you twice if you wanted beans. Wow, kind of rude. By the time he brought a spoon and small plate so we could scrape off the disgustingly, cold congealed beans the cheese on the nachos was cold and dry. Pretty gross all in all. It's too bad because the location and outdoor patio have real potential to be a cool place to have a light meal while on the island. read more

I like this place a lot, for all the reasons others have mentioned--above all, the beautiful location--but recently I've noticed a couple of issues: 1) food is somewhat overpriced for portions that small. Yes I get that it's all local organic ingredients etc, and that the meat is from Sanagans, and that there's an overhead for having to get the ingredients over from the city. But when "small plates" start at $10... and those plates are REALLY small ($11 for a few pieces of smoked fish and some crackers, $2 extra for cream cheese???) - that's a bit of an issue. It can also be hit and miss--the staff really like to claim that the burgers are amazing, but the one I had recently was extremely overcooked and definitely not worth the $16 I paid. 2) Service can be really iffy. I paid $8 for a watermelon slushy with a shot of rum, but when it came there was no rum in it. Literally, not a whiff. I took it back to the bar and said "I don't think there's any rum in this" and the bartender just said "Well I put rum in it." Maybe he spritzed some rum scent on it and called that a shot? I don't know, but there was zero taste or smell of alcohol, after drinking it I was still stone cold sober. I don't mind at all if people make mistakes, but please don't pretend you didn't and then charge me $4 for a nonexistent shot of alcohol. read more

We stopped by this cafe on the Toronto Islands during a bike ride with a group of kids. I'm giving it five stars for outstanding service with smiles and great enthusiasm, the unique and friendly look of the place and the great food we ate at reasonable prices. This is exactly what the Toronto Islands needed! We did not have full meals so I can't review their dinners or breakfasts, but the drinks, and snacks we had (including Naan bread grilled with sun dried tomatoes and cheese, ice creams) were great. We'll definitely be back. read more

This cafe is fantastic! It has a comfortable cottage aura with a sprawling garden patio. The vibe perfectly reflects the island, and the menu is outstanding. You must try the smoked fish board. read more

Well I have been here in previous years and loved it. I went yesterday and got a hot dog...it was barely cooked. The bun had not been warmed or toasted...for 3.95 I was not impressed. I could have got far better at a hot dog wagon. What disturbed me more was I saw the worker take a pile of frozen hotdogs out of the freezer with his bare hands and break off a few to throw in the steamer..or whatever it is they use to heat them up..no wonder mine was barely cooked! I thought they had to use gloves when handling food like that. The gentleman that served me was pleasant enough, I just got the impression that the standard has seriously dropped. I am bringing out of town friends to the island next week and that has made my decision to take them to the Rectory, you do get what you pay for, I just hope they haven't gone downhill as well! read more

Went on a Sunday afternoon. The staff was friendly and we were seated right away. We ordered drinks which were pretty standard until I asked for a rum and diet coke. I was informed that the owners decided that they didn't want to sell pop for "health reasons." Being a diabetic, virtually the only thing I can mix a cocktail with is a diet pop. I informed the understanding waiter that the juice and the cocktails listed on their menu were just as full of sugar if not more and that by not providing artificial sweeteners, it was actually doing a disservice to those guest who are a low or no carb diet such as diabetics. While the intention is good, the effect is negative. Especially considering how loaded full of carbs the beer, ice cream, juices and specialty cocktails are (that i wish i could drink!). Island cafe, please reconsider your pop policies and perhaps even offer creative "skinny" or sugar free menu items and I will leave you 5 stars! :) read more

Today was our third visit. We went twice before once after lunch and once at supper time. Both times we waited over 10 min. for someone to speak to us,,,offer a drink? Then we left without eating. This morning we went for breakfast. There was no coffee, they had no hot water. There was no juice they weren't ready. We ordered, the tables and chairs were wet. I found a rag (there were no staff to be found) on the ground and wiped off a table and chair. There was no washroom to clean my hands after. The sandwich was announced, no table service. Two pieces of bread that were from the end of the loaf so about the size of half my hand, one over fried egg, one thin slice tomato one wilted lettuce leaf. 7 and change! The staff were late, grumpy and dismissive. 3 strikes you're out. We live here so the charming atmosphere is not sufficient to "Wow!" us. read more