I came in here with a small group during Winterlicious and while most of the group went with the Winterlicious menu I opted to order off their regular menu (not that there was anything wrong with the winterlicious menu) but I saw a couple of things I found interesting in the menu I wanted to give a try. They have a small but exciting sounding cocktail menu with many interesting sounding drinks and most of our group went for the same drink which was the Lazy Caprese which came garnished with 2 pieces of bocconcini and was spectacular. For my starter I went for the "tongue and cheek" appetizer which had spized raw beef and chicken liver parfait, cheese and "wild Canadian flavours" (could anything have been more open for interpretation?!), it's pictured above and it had an interesting dish presentation and ended up being very good, it's also perfect for sharing. My main was their lingcod dish (never heard of lingcod before) and our server (who by the way was very friendly) suggested that over whatever else I was pondering. And it really was very delicious even with a hint of lobster thrown in there. I was extremely satisfied and both those dishes cost me less than $40 (before tip and tax) which I would say is reasonable for a restaurant of this calibre. There was also a special event being held at the Lightbox that evening and Luma also had a visiting chef and they were preparing a dish that was identical to one that was served in a particular scene of this movie that was involved with the event. And as a result us diners had the option of ordering a very fancy sounding pancake type dish as an appetizer, I was very tempted but opted for my tongue and cheek instead. But that is a great example of how Luma benefits from being housed in Toronto's "home for the movies" and how us the patrons stand to benefit from this partnership. A big reason why I'm awarding Luma that 5 star rating. I will most definitely be doing repeat visits here with their regular menu changes which I've heard of. read more

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Great atmosphere, very corporate feel, if that make sense. Service is great. Food is wonderful too. read more

Luma - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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About a 4. I thought the service was 5/5, food prob. 3.5/5. As noted by some, the restaurant was on the 2nd floor of TIFF. Parking on weekends wasn't bad at all... for $5 (entrance to the west of the TIFF building). The restaurant wasn't too busy and when we got there, we got to experience their A+ service, from hanging our coats, greeting & seating us right away. They made sure everything was always "to our liking". We had... WILD SOCKEYE SALMON - butternut squash, brussels sprouts, beets and sea buckthorn STEAK FRITES 8oz flat iron, five onion gravy, northern woods mushrooms and truffle parmesan fries The Salmon was cooked to perfection. I liked how the outside was nice and crunchy but inside was just perfect and moist. Didn't look like they seasoned it very much. The veggies blended very well with it. Steak Frites was nice! Hubby found the medium rare a little too rare (imho it was perfect). The waitress was very nice and offered (a few times) to have to bring it back to the kitchen & have it cooked a little longer. When they brought it back out again, we ended up getting a whole new dish (with more fries). All nice and hot again :D The fries were awesome... but imho a little too much salt. But it was crazy good... likely my fav fries after McD's. Ambience and decor was very nice, chic and modern. Prices are high for me...but typical for downtown Toronto. read more

Luma - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I had really high expectations for this place, which might have contributed to my slightly disappointing experience. Don't get me wrong, the place is really nice, very brightly lit, looks classy, etc. It's nice that they have free coat check service in the front, although the downside is that it really slows things down at the beginning and end, and also makes the hallway really congested. I got the Pear's Prince to drink, which is one of their signature cocktails, I thought it was pretty interesting and quite enjoyed it - the drink is a mixture of bourbon, ginger, black pepper, soda, and had a slice of pear in it. The pear was sweet and crunchy, very delicious! In terms of the actual food though, I was also a little bit underwhelmed. I got the braised rabbit cavatelli which had swiss chard, zucchini, peas, asparagus and kale pesto. The dish wasn't bad overall, but again, my expectations might have just been a little off. I was expecting huge chunks of rabbit meat, but instead there were just kind of little blobs of meat, and the texture was similar to pulled pork. The texture of the pasta was perfect though, it was firm and al dente, so I really enjoyed that. I liked the kale pesto and all the vegetables and the dish as a whole, but I wasn't blown away. Also the portion was a lot smaller than I expected, so I wasn't quite full after my meal. My friend ordered the steak frites, medium, and when it came it was definitely overcooked and looked a lot more like medium well. I tried a piece and wasn't too impressed since it was too dry. I will say that the truffle parmesan fries were quite delicious though. Overall, I think this place is kind of overhyped, just because it's in the Entertainment District and because it's in the TIFF building. It's by no means a bad restaurant, but considering that it is kind of pricey, I think I was hoping for a little more "WOW" but unfortunately didn't get it this time. read more

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A few coworkers and I went to Luma for Summerlicious lunch - $20 for an appetizer, entree and dessert. Since O&B has a reputation for great restaurants and food, I was excited to try it. I was not disappointed, and my entire party was extremely happy with our meals. I started with the cured albacore tuna. For some reason, I thought it was going to be a tuna salad (chalk that up to a long week!), and I was happily surprised to see a pile of plump, cured tuna morsels arrive on my plate. The tuna was succulent and melted in my mouth and had the perfect amount of salt and acidity. The pea gremolata tasted fresh and clean - a perfect balance with the fish. This meal was starting out well! For my entree, I ordered the poached wild salmon. I don't usually order salmon as it's not one of my favourite fish, but I figured the other two options (pork loin or truffle lasagna) would be too heavy for lunch. The salmon was delicious and perfectly cooked. It flaked just as expected and had great flavour. The accompanying salad had egg, tomato , green beans, anchovy and potato and was a wonderful combination of texture and flavour. Everything tasted extremely fresh and summery - a great dish for a hot and humid day. To end everything, I had a citrus custard and pine nut biscotti. The custard was a tad heavier than I anticipated, but the flavour was spot on. The candied zest was a great textural balance and provided some sweetness to the dish. The biscotti was also the perfect match with it's muted sweet flavour and crunch. Overall a great meal, and a great chance to hang out with my fellow foodie friends. read more

Luma - Summerlicious 2012 - Cured Tuna, Poached Salmon, Citrus Custard - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Good restaurant with a fancy vibe. I would recommend to wear a dress shirt or something more than jeans and a tshirt. Hostesses were nice and very friendly with coat check. It can accommodate large groups but you have to book in advance. Based on it's limited availability, it's a popular place. I ordered a rabbit dish and was below my expectations. It was shredded rabbit with some pasta whereas I was expecting a good chunk of meat. It tasted decent but not the quality for the price I was paying. The portion is small and delicate which left my stomach unsatisfied at the end of the night. My friend had a steak with fries and it looked absolutely mouth watering. Will definitely get that next time. read more

Luma - Rabbit dish - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

My friends and I came to Luma after venturing to Second City and we had a really nice time. The waitress was really friendly and the restaurant looked really nice. They have a dining area and a cozy lounge section. We sat in the lounge section. It took a while for our waitress to come and take our orders but it was a nice experience. One of my friends had the cafe Nanaimo and it looked amazing (she said it was too). It arrived with gold flakes on top of the foam (or whip cream). My friend said her drink was to die for. However, this drink cannot be made for the lactose intolerant clientele. My other friend and I ordered the jasmine tea. Our teas arrived in iron tea pots, which made the experience even more unique. I would definitely venture back to Luma to try their main menu. Our experience was definitely 4-stars. However, when I called Luma in February to book my birthday dinner with 10 guests, they informed me they could not accommodate my food sensitivities during winterlicious because it is a pre-set meal. I found this absurd because Winterlicious is created so foodies can try new places to see if they want to go back. I found this attitude unacceptable and as a result I have to lower my rating to 3-stars. read more

2 stars for how the food tasted but overall 3 stars only because I'm giving them points for their presentation of the food, great service and fancy atmosphere. Thoroughly, thoroughly, I was disappointed with the food here. All the dishes were bland. Wedge Salad was basically an iceberg lettuce cut in half. I was appalled. Let's be nice and say that I at least liked the orange pieces in it, lol. Chicken Paillard was a grilled chicken breast meat with a poached egg on top. It was my first time trying an egg yolk covered chicken breast. Great idea but not something I would expect to eat at a high end restaurant, because I can make that myself at home. I left my Cinnamon Pavlova uneaten after few bites. It was too sweet and sticky. The only thing I liked was fresh blackberries. On the other hand, the service was awesome. They provide a coat check service. They will fold your napkins while you excuse yourself from the table. They will smoothly move you from appetizers to main dishes to desserts. Too bad that the food wasn't on par with the level of the service. To sum up, the dishes were lacking in creativity, imagination AND taste. Their menu was also a little confusing with the way they had listed their wine pairings for all of their dishes including appetizers and desserts. The meal was not a good value for what I got. If this Winterlicious lunch is reflective of their usual offerings, I probably won't return. read more

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I stopped my Luma for lunch this week, as I work close by. I only had an hour, but we were served, ate, and left on time. I was unsure what to order from the three options I had narrowed it down to, but my waiter kindly informed me that the trout salad bowl was the most popular. You have the option to receive a bowl if bread upon request, which i would definitely recommend. The bred is warm, crispy, and served with butter drizzled in honey. I found the butter to be a little firm since it was so cold, making it hard to spread onto the bread. I was a little disappointed when I saw my entree, as I was expecting more of a salad base to the bowl - it was almost all rice. The avocado was just mashed up in a little scoop and I think sliced would have been better just for a different texture. The soft boiled egg was cooked perfectly and absorbed into the rice well. I saved the best for last- the trout on the bowl was exceptional! It was cooked beautifully and had such an amazing flavour!! Overall, I had a good experience. It's a great spot for lunch due to the natural lighting coming in through the windows. read more

The 5 of us met at Luma on Friday for summerlicious at about 4:40pm for a 5:30 reservation. Seatings don't start until 5pm so we had a drink at the bar first. Great service and comfy couches by the window. I had a glass of champagne ($21) while the rest of the gals had a negroni aranciata ($11), a bubbly basil ($12) a green tea mojito ($10) and a dillon's dream ($12). Great cocktails! We decided to move to our table at 6pm. It was really nice not to be rushed. Our server Steven was fantastic! Friendly, knowledgeable and a lot of fun. We ordered old fashions...highly recommend it! I decided not to go with the summerlicious menu as I really wanted to try the braised rabbit that came with gnocchi ($26). The zucchini, peas, and asparagus were cooked perfectly and the kale pesto was delicious. Highly recommend. Back to the summerlicious menu... A few of the gals ordered the octopus salad and the verdict was a 3/5. The short ribs was a sizeable portion and very tender from what I tasted. The chocolate parfait sundae was the hit of the summerlicious menu. We also tried the Stilton which was tasty but would recommend the chocolate :) The truffle Parmesan fries are a must try at $8 and Steven was good enough to split that between the 5 of us on our bills. The scallops were also tasty and cooked very well. Great service, atmosphere and food but would go for the regular menu... Enjoy! read more

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After 30 minutes of waiting for the bill, I asked the waitress if I could pay. She was surprised; she thought I had already paid. She said I should speak up next time. Go somewhere else. read more

Like other reviewers, I wanted to love Luma but the best that I can say is that I liked it. If it were possible to do so, I would have given it 3 1/2 stars but it doesn't quite get to 4 stars for me. The restaurant is on the second floor of the TIFF building. The modern space and aesthetic was well executed. We sat on the patio overlooking the corner of King and John street with a view of the CN Tower - great view if a little loud with the passing traffic. I thought that the service was very good, although not superior - it took our waiter a very long time to get back to us when we were not ready to order right away. We ordered the steak tartare and the Burrata to share as apps ($16 and $17 respectively). Both were excellent but I enjoyed the Burrata the most. It is basically a large blob of mozzarella cheese on a bed of legumes in a fresh lemony/basil dressing. Really delicious. The steak tartare had nice flavour - not bland at all. For our mains, we ordered the lobster burger which was delivered conveniently cut in half for us to share. It was delicious but looked kind of lonely on the plate all by itself. I noticed later than for $6 more we could have ordered a side soup or mixed greens but for $21, I thought it was kind of cheesy to just present this rather small burger on the plate by itself. For our second main, we ordered the coconut milk poached red snapper which was a disappointment. The fish was overcooked and dry, although I enjoyed the sauce and vegetables it was served on - they were very tasty. Unfortunately, the waiter never did ask us how our mains were or I would have mentioned the overcooked snapper. I regret that I did not have an opportunity to tell him that this dish was disappointing. For dessert, on the strength of other reviews, we ordered the opera cake. The presentation was lovely but for $10 I would have expected a larger piece of cake. It was very rich tasting (almost like sweet pure butter - which I liked) but when we split it in half, it was barely two bites worth for each of us. The popcorn which was served with it didn't blow me away but the scoop of popcorn ice cream on a bed of chocolate pop rocks which explode in your mouth made the dessert for me. The sensation of the exploding pop rocks with the cold ice cream was very cool. If I ever go back, I am going to have to see if they would serve just the ice cream with the pop rocks! Loved it. Overall, I enjoyed lunch but I can't see myself rushing back here. read more

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3.5 star rounded up to 4*** This is located @ TIFF on King St....came here with my bestie during sunmerlicious...to try it out and I hafta say I'm impressed with the service. The gal that served us was attentive, big smile on her face and checked upon us accordingly during the night. The food app as tossed octopus salad.. tasted delightful...the chicked peas with arugala was served beautifully...so yummy for my tummy.. Chicken supreme.. didn't really know what was so supreme about it but it was slighty dry to my taste...with canned beans and bak choy and gailan...it was an a-ok... not like it wow'd me... I enjoyed the service and atmosphere quite a bit. Its casual and feels comfy to sit here and drink.. Chocolate parfait ...I'm ridiculously full to eat anymore ..my stomach is screaming at me to stop but my mouth keeps going.. =p ...first bite was 3.5 than it just suddenly becomes oh so yummy... I can't help but to keep eating.. so fattening yet so delicious.. I'm in a dilemma... help me... Ok I'm gonna stop now.. get ur butt here and come eat!! read more

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Ambiance/decor-5 Service-3 Food-4 Strikeouts-1/3 The one and only strikeout was the music. We came to Luma for the yearly "evening at Iceland" with the guest chefs cooking Icelandic dishes. This event comes with live music and group tables(randomly sat with a bunch of people). The problem is that we were situated right in from of the speakers and the guitarist, it was impossible to talk to anyone but the person next to us, making conversation difficult. There should not have been a table here, for this type of event. We did not have a choice of seating, it was already pre-arranged. The decor was very modern with dim lightning as expected with an upscale location like Luma. My only gripe here is the Lightning as it's quite difficult to take good foodie picsXD Can't say much about service since it was a pre set dinner for everyone. The problem here from a perfect rating is that our table was always served last and the advertised h'orderves were only a messily one helping of each type (2 types for the whole 45 minutes coming early). Foodie time! It was a total of 4 main courses. Icelandic Cod Langoustine Risotto Icelandic lamb Icelandic Skyr The cod wasn't anything special, but it was delicious and was very refreshing for a starter. It was a very good mixture of the seaweed salad and other cuisines mixed in with cod which is the Icelandic staple. The langoustine risotto was to die for!! Every bite of this dish was so rich with flavour. This was definitely the best dish I've had for risotto period. It felt like eating a buttered lobster to perfection but better!! I'm not even going to say much about the lamb, it wasn't quite a lamb chop or lamb meat you would expect. It wasn't bad. It wasn't great. The dessert was okay too. A sorbert and a cream cheese mousse. Definitely a very interesting combination. Left me wanting a bit more, second to the risotto. I'm not really a wine person, but even I could tell the wine pairings were below par. Overall, I enjoyed the food at night, mainly because the risotto shined like a dynamite. A special mention to their bread and butter which tasted like eating popcorn without the pop! I would probably go again next year with more people if possible. *drools*. read more

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Great spot for dinner date. We sat on the patio which is 1 story up from street level and it doesnt feel loud or crowded like most patios in the area. They also have specials on drinks from 4-9 which is nice. We shared the mushroom salad which was served in 2 separate dishes for us so that was a nice touch to split it. We had the flat iron steak and the chefs daily special which was a soft-shelled crab with some succotash-type side and yellow squash. Both dishes were delicious and very different. The soft shelled crab was very summery and fresh and light, and the flat iron steak was also delicious and served with potato and mushroom pave. Really good! We were too full for dessert... service was also very good and attentive. Its best to make a reservation if you want to dine inside as it was fully booked but the terrace patio is available for walk-ins. read more

Luma - Flat iron steak with mushroom pave and green beans - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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This place is really nice on the inside in terms of looks and has a nice view, especially if you're right beside the window, CN tower is literally beside you. The food was great, pricey but the portions are large (sometimes it feels like other pricey places have small portions). And the deserts were average. I got the beef cheek, which like the server said literally melts in your mouth. My gf got the duck which also tasted really good. For desert we got the sweets plate with several different sweets, which are not bad but not amazing... So just average. Lost a star for because the service was a bit slow (the server was good) even though it wasn't packed. And the washrooms were kinda far (outside of the restaurant but on the same floor) read more

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One of the O&B chain restaurants, this restaurant is located above TIFF. We came here for Mother's Day brunch because we thought it'd be nice to extend our palates beyond Canoe and O&B so we decided to try here. Food was mediocre at best. We ordered a burger and fries as well as belgian waffles. The waffles were something I could have put together at home and not worth the $15 or whatever they were. The fries lacked any sort of fried texture and were quite mushy. To top that, service was actually quite slow and it took forever for us to get any water refills or have anyone even come to take our order. Our server even forgot to give us stir spoons for our teas. Overall, it was a less than optimal experience and we will not be coming back. :( read more

We had an excellent experience at Luma during Summerlicious. We booked a table for 7 at the last minute and they were able to accommodate us on the patio in the corner table overlooking King and John St. Fantastic table during the summer with a great view of the CN tower while dining. For a Wednesday night the restaurant was packed. Everyone at the table ordered from the summerlious menu. I ordered the saigon salad, seared albacore tuna, and summer berry pudding and really enjoyed the meal. Most of the table ordered the grilled flatiron steak as their main and raved about it. We also ordered a few options from their main menu - truffle and parmesan frites, grilled octopus and scallop sashimi. The frites were amazing! I have to also add that the service was excellent. It was my first time going there and we really enjoyed our night. We will be coming back. read more

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My girlfriend and I visited Luma before heading out to see Wicked the other night, and I'm glad we did! Our reservation was for 5pm and we had initially requested a seat on the balcony, but due to noisy construction outside, we opted for the dining room. Our waitress (whose name I simply cannot remember, much to my regret) sat us at a lovely table near the windows, giving us a fantastic view of King St and the CN Tower. She was very attentive and made us feel right at home. Not once did we feel pressured or rushed, which was a load off of my shoulders. For drinks, my girlfriend had a glass of Hinterland sparkling wine, which was very bright and crisp - Perfect for the warm evening we were having. While I decided to try one of Luma's signature cocktails - the Pear's Prince. It was an amazing blend of Buffalo Trace bourbon, ginger, black pepper, pear, and soda, with just a slight bit of nutmeg to top it off. The only way to describe it was that it tasted like Christmas. It is definitely something I will be attempting to recreate at home! We decided to skip appetizers (as the cute little basket of warm sourdough bread and Hummus, that arrived with our drinks, had held us over quite well) and move right on to our main. I decided on the Braised Rabbit Cavatelli, while she opted for the special that night, which was a Seared Pickerel dish. I tell you, I cannot gush enough over the immaculate plating and presentation these meals had. They were gorgeous! My girlfriend said she almost didn't want to eat hers because it was so pretty.. But that lasted about thirty seconds, because once tried - it was difficult to put your fork down. Pickerel - By far the prettiest dish between the two of us. The fish was cooked perfectly and almost melted in your mouth. The flavours were completely on point, marrying well between the chickpea mash, greens, and the pumpkin puree. Braised Rabbit - Having never tried rabbit before, I was a little leery despite my slightly adventurous order - thank goodness I was delightfully surprised. The rabbit was shredded and cooked to a nicely tender state. The taste was mild and slightly spicy, but paired magnificently with the spinach, cucumber and pesto toss. The cavatelli itself was light and fluffy, and cooked to a perfect al dente. All in all, I cannot recommend this place enough. If you're looking for somewhere romantic and posh to treat your significant other, to celebrate a special occasion, or even to have a few nice cocktails after a long day at work - head over to the TIFF Light Box and check out Oliver & Bonacini's Luma. You wont regret it. read more

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Engaged in their WinterLicious menu based on the hotel concierge recommendation. Luma knows how to deliver the service, atmosphere and cuisine! My meal consisted of sweetbreads (trying them for the first time), braised short rib and a cinnamon pavlova for dessert. Each course was perfectly paced, well executed. Sweetbreads were delicately fried. They were described as an 'exceptional chicken nugget' which got my attention but you wanna know something? They tasted as described! The short rib was fork tender and the pavlova was generous and sweet as only meringue can be. An exceptional evening with hat tip to Danielle for the excellent service! read more

One of the best winterlicious places (and restaurants) in general. It's classy enough to take a date to, but you can go wearing jeans and still feel super pampered. The atmosphere is very open concept and the windows face down on king street perfect for people watching. The decor is beautiful and the lights aren't too dim where you can actually see who you're having dinner with. I went for lunch with my boyfriend and it was one of the best. Apps: Shrimp cocktail was on point; it was a good serving and tasted amazing. Mains: Lamb Meatballs: absolutely loved it. It was filling and the sauce was so good I wanted to lick it all off the plate. Dessert: Sorbet: not too sweet, and of course presented beautifully. Goat Cheese Pastry: this thing came from heaven. It was like sweet and savoury all in your mouth in the perfect combination and you couldn't get enough of it. To top it off, our server was wonderful, and drinks wonderful as well (the two things that REALLY matter right?) I would definitely come again on a non-winterlicious lunch/dinner. read more

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I was here for a birthday celebration. The service was excellent, right from being led to the table, jackets taken up till we had our last bite of desert. Really friendly and efficient wait staff. For food, the appetizer was quite disappointing - ordered the ceviche, and I definitely did not get the hit of lime/cilantro or juices with the seafood I was craving. I was a very very tiny portion (2 bites!) and dry fish, with some proscuitto or bacon. Not recommended for a $15 cost! What saved the night was the steak frites, done to perfection with excellent frites. The meat was so tender and moist. Dessert was also excellent and came complete with a happy birthday message and candle (who doesn't love to blow out a candle :-) We also had some martinis which were very tasty too. Overall, this restaurant feels modern, airy and cozy at the same time. You get to see the action on King street and feel the ambience in the room with the great lighting. Definitely has an older crowd (probably due to prices) but if you are younger, and have special celebration, they know how to make you feel special. Thanks Luma! read more

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Came here last night with a friend. We left super full. They had a range of delicious apps, I ordered the asparagus salad and my DC ordered the seared tuna daily special. We had a braised lamb special and steak, both were great. I loved the brussel sprouts and the park fries. We dined post theatre crowd so it wasn't super busy. Great place to catch up with friends if you don't want it to be super noisy. read more

Luma - Seared tuna belly Appetizer - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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I visited Luma on New Year's Eve much more quiet hen I anticipated but perhaps most people were partying. We chose the a la carte menu which may have been a bad choice in the end. Both I and my sister had the trout celery clam chowder to start. The creaminess of the chowder and saltiness of the trout were not palette friendly at all. I did not eat much of this. As my entree I got braised beef which was delicious but I would have appreciated if they asked me how I liked my beef cooked because they gave me medium rare and I prefer medium well. My sister had duck and was singing its praises. For dessert (my favourite part) we had lemon ice cream with blueberries and chocolate creme ....delicious! Dinner was pretty good it was the service that brings down the rating of Luma. The waitress never checked on us after we were brought each dish to ensure we were enjoying our meal. On top of that we had to continuously ask other waiters to get us drinks. Unacceptable!! I would visit Luma again but I hope for better service. read more

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Excellent for happy hour! It does get busy and difficult to find a seat and sometimes the servers can be a little flustered (and pushy) when it's busy, if you're unlucky. If you're aware of this caution note, and prepared to overlook, they offer GREAT drinks and snacks! During happy hour, daily from 4pm to 9pm includes $6 drinks (fancy ones like martinis and Manhattans). On Tuesday and Friday, there's a also special right now where you can order buck a shuck with a purchase of any bottle of wine. Must orders: Brussel sprouts and the fries! read more

Tried their summerlicious dinner menu. Love the stuffed squid for starter, the grilled picanha steak for the main and ended with a sweet coconut pannacotta. My least favorite would be the snapper cevice (It was okay, but I had better) in the appetizer, Atlantic salmon for the main taste a bit tangy for my liking and didnt like the clam as it taste fishy but I like the fava beans and potatoes. Service was excellent & not pretentious. The place was quite packed for Friday evening. Would I be back? Not sure read more

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I came here for lunch with my family after my graduation. I really wanted to sit on the patio, but unfortunately it was quite small so it had filled up quickly. They sat us by the window to make up for the lack of space on the patio. The menu was small, but it was lunch time. The reason I wanted to come here was because I saw a halibut dish I really wanted to try on the menu online. Unfortunately I realized that I had looked at the dinner menu, so it was not there! :( Despite that, I really enjoyed my steak frites. The steak was cooked beautifully and the parmigiana fries were incredibly tasty. I would recommend this place for anyone willing to spend a bit more, but enjoy some quality food. I have always been a fan of Oliver & Bonacini's restaurants. read more

- Ambiance (5/5) Upscale, chic. Nice white Christmas tree in the center made the whole atmosphere very festive! - Service (4/5) Great, professional, informative service. A little slow to refill water, so I thought that was slightly inattentive, but overall great experience. - Bread (3/5) The bread itself is kind of ordinary, but they served it with a scrumptious pumpkin puree!! - Pumpkin Pie Cocktail, $10 (4/5) Seasonal cocktail using Maker's Mark bourbon, maple syrup, orange bitters, and pumpkin puree. Great cocktail! - Roasted Cauliflower Soup, $9 (4/5) Very velvety texture. You can definitely taste the roasted cauliflower in there. Personally, I could've used a slight kick to it, but it was very good/ - Braised Short Rib, $20 (3/5) This is the one component that wasn't as refined. Served in a sauce that was a little bit too salty, the short rib also was short of super tender. It was just ok. - Value (5/5) Given what I ordered, I think the value here is superb. Creative, contemporary dining without breaking the bank is always a winner in my book. - Final Word If not for the beef short rib, this would've garnered some consideration for a 5. As it is, it's already a great experience, and I would happily return. read more

Went to three Summerlicious this year and this was my favorite of the three. Our party size was 14 and we came for a 1pm Saturday lunch. Restaurant was about 30% full with lots of empty tables. Staff were very friendly and accommodating. They didn't auto charge us gratuity which is always appreciated. For first course I got Grilled Octopus with broccoli, almond & focaccia salad, preserved lemon & harissa dressing. It was a good appetizer with a decent amount of octopus in it. The broccoli salad was good too and dressing went well with it. For second course I got Charred Marinated Steak Salad. The steak was full of flavours and nicely tender. Didn't like that they precut the steak also the size of the steak was small. The salad that came with the steak was average. I was able to sample the Cornmeal Haddock and Grilled BBQ Spiced Chicken Thighs. The Cornmeal Haddock had a nice crunch to it and the fish was seasoned well. The Grilled BBQ Spiced Chicken Thighs was really moist and had lots of flavour. I still prefer my steak salad more. For dessert I got the Sauvagine which was disappointing. Never had Sauvagine before and didn't like the texture or taste of the cheese. Maybe if it came with crackers it may have been better. The apricot and honey helped a bit in finishing the dessert. I was able to sample the Strawberry Lemon Poppy Seed Cake and Cookies & Cream Panna Cotta. Both were much better than mine. I'd go with the Cookies & Cream Panna Cotta next time. read more

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Came here with a group of friends for birthday celebrations. It was surprising they were able to fit so many of us seeing that it is a more upscale O&B resto that's also quite busy. The prix fixe is $40 that includes an app with a main - which seems like a pretty good deal except I wanted to try the braised rabbit cavetelli which wasn't on the menu. I had the much raved Pear's Prince and was extremely disappointed. The alcohol taste was too strong for my liking and I had more fun munching on the lone slice of pear than drinking the actual bourbon. Braised rabbit cavetelli - the swiss chard was perfect. The entire dish was seasoned well except there was way too much green visually. You eat with your eyes and I hope the chefs of Luma step it out with the plating of this dish and add some non-grassy colours so I don't feel like a rabbit eating this.. however, still enjoyed it and was quite satisfied after. Friends all had a great time at this resto, service was great - would be back. Perhaps after a viewing at TIFF :) read more

Luma - Braised Rabbit Cavatelli - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Went here last night for Winterlicious with my boyfriend. The front desk was nice, they took our coats and led us into the dining room. We were seated at a table near the front. My boyfriend and I ordered the potato leek soup and the shrimp cocktail salad for appetizers. The potato leek soup was the right temperature; not too hot and not too cold. It was really delicious! The salad was amazing as well, it was a good portion of greens, shrimp and sundried tomatoes with a tangy sauce. As for mains, we got the lamb ragu cavatelli and the welland county flat iron steak. The ragu was really tasty and the pasta was cooked to perfection. The steak was seared nicely while still being medium rare on the inside. The mushrooms, onions and especially the mashed squash (so delicious!) complimented the steak nicely. For dessert we ordered the cannoli and the date square. The cannoli was good, they filled it with goat cheese instead of ricotta cheese which gave it a more bitter and sour taste, which is not my preference. The date square was extremely delicious! It went so well with the accompanied vanilla ice cream, it reminded me of apple pie. The service was great, they checked up on us often and refilled our drinks whenever it seemed appropriate. The only negative I would have to say is the noise level. It was hard to hear my boyfriend at times with everyone else in the room talking. Will visit again! read more

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Came in during Summerlicious. Very spacious, great location and really stylish contemporary decor. Staff were friendly and attentive. Overall, the food and drinks that we had were good - I didn't find it amazing, but it wasn't too bad either. My only complaint was ordering the cornmeal-crusted catfish. While the catfish was prepared really well, I wasn't too keen on the romaine and radish combination. I found the vegetables to be a little too bitter for my liking. Should've ordered the pork duo or jerk spiced AAA steak. The best course would have to be dessert - loved the cookies and cream panna cotta! read more

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Cant say we'll be coming back. First impression was great tho because one of the chefs gave my baby boy a free appetizer. And then he said he felt bad so he made a bigger appy for everyone to share for free too!! It was actually really yummy & off the menu. Can't say the food was bad. It was actually done quite well. They definitely try to go for the unique factor with their upscale dishes like foie gras (did i even spell that right?) and tongue. I was a little weirded out by some of the appetizers' ingredients but maybe i'm just not that big on eating flower petals. Their dessert menu was a major fail. Their selection of dessert wine & tea was bigger than the actual desserts. I ordered a cake & it was maybe 2 bites with a side of popcorn icecream & some caramel popcorn?!? Okay...guess trying to be different means serving you up some cheesy dessert too...at $10 a pop!! Take note though, pop refills are not included so u will be charged the $3.50 for another pop (which may take up to an hour to get.) The glass is tiny & it's half ice!!! What the heck!? Ya this place is pretty pricy for what you get serving wise. Their whipped potatoes are really good & probably memorable. Our server was not the brightest. She was quite clumsy & dropped a knife & fork...almost on my baby's head!!! Not impressed with that! And it shouldn't take her an hour to get another drink order in & a little checking up on our table more than once per hour would be nice. The atmosphere is cool & it's a beautiful restaurant. I only give it 3 stars because for the price, the food & the definitely the service (maybe just from our server) wasn't up to par. I give them props for serving us a free appetizer just for my baby though. That's very sweet & definitely gave an awesome first impression in my eyes. Oh, and make sure u really lock the washroom door!! It was stuck in between a full turn & i thought it was okay. Was just about to unbutton my jeans & an old man walked in!! OMG!! The washrooms are private but unisex so u have to make sure the deadbolt turns completely!! How embarrassing...but hey, it could've been worse & he could've walked in on me mid stream...LOL!!! Not coming back tho...there's just way too many other restos across the street that would probably be better & at half the cost. read more

Luma - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Came here for $23 lunch Summerlicious and this is what I ordered: CHILLED GOLDEN TOMATO SOUP smashed avocado, sweet pepper relish This was super spicy. I liked the tomatoes, they were sweet and balanced it out. Could not finish this. VEGETABLE GUMBO warm cornbread Mine tasted a little smoky, I think it might have been slightly burnt. Gumbo also on the spicy side. The cornbread was really sweet. STONE FRUIT COBBLER vanilla ice cream Pretty standard. Too much fruit. Ice cream portion is very tiny. read more

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Been to Luma a few times before for Licious and their regular menu. Tried the following for lunch: CAJUN-SPICED CHICKEN LIVER PARFAITgrilled corn, snow peas and carrot salad, orange tarragon dressing BEEF BRISKET SANDWICHcrispy onion, cabbage slaw, L1 sauce, potato wedges STONE FRUIT COBBLER (vegetarian/local)sour cream ice cream The parfait was pretty good. Sandwich seemed more like a burger because of how big the bun was. Couldn't finish the cobbler because it was too sweet for my liking. read more

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Me and a few friends went to try out the menu during the Icelandic event. For a set price we were given a 4 course menu. If I had to describe in one word the taste of all the dishes it would have to be 'Rich'. From the started to the dessert, all had this rich taste to it. It would've been great if there was something lighter in taste that came along just to balance it out. Don't get me wrong, it was delicious and was filling. If I had to rank the meals it would have to be 1) Risotto 2) Seaweed salad 3)dessert 4)lamb. I have had lamb before but the meat tasted so gamey. The risotto with langoustine was the star of my meal followed by the seaweed. Sometimes I felt I wanted more in terms of portion size but the richness of the taste always reminds me that what was served was enough. On a side note I had an Icelandic mojito as it was very fruity (berry flavored) and what was entertaining was that it came with dry ice and so it had this bubbling effect. As expected, the staff, the service, and the cleanliness is on par with what is to be expected from a restaurant with a good reputation. I started my experience with Luma with the Icelandic menu (and would recommend people to try it as well) but I will definitely come back to try their regular menu read more

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The menu here is on the short side with only a handful of appetizers and entrees to choose from. They do have a great cocktail menu and a nice bar/lounge area... maybe for my next visit. What I tried: Tongue + Cheek - braised veal tongue, duck pate and pork head cheese with wild Canadian flavours ($15). The dish arrived on wooden board and I was impressed by its whimsical presentation. Looked like something from a fairy tail! The duck pate was simply wonderful and was incredibly light... my favourite part of the dish. The thinly shaved veal tongue was tasty and the head cheese, while a touch oily for my liking, was still delicious! Steak Tartare - spiced raw beef with chicken liver parfait, pickles and grilled o&b artisan bread ($15 appetizer/$28 main), which came topped with a quail egg. A big hit! Reminded me a lot of the steak tartare at Auberge du Pommier (one of my favourites!) Ricotta Gnudi - sautéed mushrooms, parmesan and chives ($15 appetizer/$20 main). Light, fluffy, pillowy gnudi covered in a parmesan foam. Earthy, fragrant... a mushroom lover's dream! Pappardelle - braised short rib, caramelized onions and horseradish cream ($19). The dish contained pieces of pulled, tender short rib and I loved the caramelized onions that gave the pasta a great flavour. Despite the generous amount of horseradish cream, it wasn't actually too potent. Chocolate Delice - dark Valrhona chocolate, caramelized bananas, peanut butter ice cream and brownie crumbs ($10). Love. Love. Love. A must order! A fantastic meal from start to finish... remember to save room for dessert :) read more

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I'm torn about this place. I went here three times over the course of TIFF and had really different experiences each time. My overall feeling is that the service and the food is hit or miss, which for the price point is unacceptable. Can you please get whomever trains the staff at Canoe to whip this place into shape? That being said, it is fun to sit at a window seat at the bar and watch all the people milling about below. So the view isn't as pretty as Canoe but it is interesting. Visit one (At the bar for a quick dinner): Waiter was great until it started to get busy and I was trying to get my check then he forgot about me. Sliders were delicious and the Chunking Express was tasty. 4 stars - 5 food/3 service. Visit two (At the bar trying to grab a quick breakfast between screenings): I waited forever before one of the two people working behind the bar acknowledged me. By that time I opted for a pastry to go since I didn't want to deal with them anymore. I think the girl who was going back and forth to the kitchen/storeroom restocking things assumed the guy had helped me already but he was busy talking and didn't acknowledge me until the girl had already started helping me. If it wasn't for the girl I would have walked out. The croissant was delicious. 2 stars - 4 food/3 service (female) 1 (male). Visit three (in the restaurant for lunch): The hostess made me feel like a piraña for being a solo diner at lunch during TIFF... I know I am not the only person who was eating by themselves all week... deal with it. But the waitress was awesome. Super friendly and nice. And when they didn't have a tea I liked (can't drink green teas and hate engilsh breakfast) she didn't flinch when I asked for hot water with lemon. Too bad the shrimp and lobster burger didn't live up to my expectations. After eating at Canoe (another Oliver Bonacini restaurant) the night before I was expecting fireworks on a plate, but the burger was just meh. I think it could have used a little more salt and maybe a little bit of spiciness. 4 stars - 3 food/4 service (waitress) 2 (hostess). read more

Luma - Shrimp and Lobster Burger - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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We went on Saturday night for dinner and the reception was very extremely friendly and I liked that they had a complimentary coat check. We had made a reservation and asked for a window table but when we got there the window tables were full. But some folks who arrived after us got seated at a window table so... we didn't let it bother us. The service was very friendly and courteous without being overdone. The food was delicious; the gnocchi was melt-in-your-mouth soft and the seared scallops would have made Chef Ramsey proud. The kamut rice was rather chewy so I wouldn't get that again but the cauliflower and other flavours in the scallop dish were fantastic. The bread was served with hummus, which was very fresh. The endive salad was an extremely healthy mix of dried fruit and nuts and was very tasty. They were out of a few things, including mint, so I don't know what happened but what we did have was very good. I love that their ginger lemonade is organic, worth the $7. It turns out we both read the dessert menu wrong; it looked like the description for 3 of the 4 desserts was just flavoured ice cream so we didn't end up getting any, but after seeing the photos here I realise that they were a dessert plus ice cream! Oh well, we were stuffed anyway. It has a nice classy atmosphere, so I would probably go back for a special occasion. read more

Luma - Seared scallops with kamut rice - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I usually don't have time to write a review but I made time for this one. I had the pleasure of eating at Luma for dinner yesterday. The staff was excellent, the seafood was great, they are organized, the food didn't taste like it was microwaved out of a box. It was a wonderful experience. We had some oysters and the Whole Black Sea Bass which comes with fried rice. The serving size was just right, the staff was super courteous. How did they find these guys? Anywhoo see you next year for another birthday. FYI it is inside the TIFF Bell Lightbox building for those of us who are directionally challenged with a GPS that goes crazy and sends you down on John Street. read more