We came to celebrate a birthday here as sambal is a favourite of the birthday recipient. As a table of four, we had the sate ayam, bakmi ayam, nasi uduk Jakarta, beef rendang, and ayam bakar. It was a feast and the perfect amount of food. Everything is delicious but I particularly liked the ayam bakar. The service is lovely as our waitress was friendly and helpful with recommendations. We had a lovely chat with her where she filled us in on the restaurants history and background. read more

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Service was amazing, chef personally came by to introduce the menu and offered her recommendations. Golden hour mocktail was citrusy and delicious. We did the set menu. My favorite was the beef rendang. The rest of the dishes were good but heavily sauced. Overall, great vibe and decent food. The reasons I didn't give 5 stars is because they didn't tell us that we only had 1:45 hours dining time and we were rushed at the end and didn't finish our desserts. Seating time limits should always be communicated, especially when we were celebrating a bday with slow-eating children. read more

Nasi Uduk Jakarta: the Rice was a bit too moist & clumpy, but had a good coconut scent & flavour; the scent & flavour were better than 8 nasi lemaks (a very similar dish) I've had in the GTA. The chicken was pretty tasty but too dry. The ikan bilis was very fragmented & had a lot of heads, so it was slightly unnerving eating a lot of decapitated fish & their heads. The ikan bilis & peanuts were crispy but on the dry side. The keropok was pretty tasty, crispy & slightly sweet. The sambal was good: not that spicy & very fresh. Iga bakar: there was a nice crisp to the ribs, which were quite meaty. The marinade was nice & slightly spicy but did not penetrate too far into the ribs. The ribs were on the dry side. The lettuce had a very nice char flavour & the marinade flavour was nice on it. Bakmi Ayam: the noodles were coated in super tasty chicken oil & had a good texture. The chicken pieces were generous, tender & tasty. The crispy wanton skins were pretty nice. The sambal tasted right & was fresh & very spicy fresh. The soup was decent tasting but too salty. read more

Sambal is an Indonesian restaurant run by a husband and wife team who are originally from Jakarta, Indonesia. We opted in for the Chef's Choice where the chef picks what you will be eating. I am so glad we did that because we got to try dishes that we wouldn't actually order. We got the Sate Ayam (Chicken Skewers), Tahu Gerot (Tofu with Tarmarind Vinaigrette), Noni's Wings, Famous Beef Rendang, Iga Bakar (Grilled Beef Ribs), Nasi Goreng Kampeong for the savoury items. For dessert, we got the Es Teler Sundae and Gula Aren Panna Cotta. Tahu Gerot was my favourite dish out of all. The puff tofu absorbed the flavours of the Tarmarind vinaigrette and the chillies giving a sweet, salty and spicy kick all in one bite. The grilled beef ribs were messy in the best way; the chef will instruct you to use your hands to eat it. From the desserts, definitely get the Es Teler sundae. It's vanilla icecream topped with Pandan crème, roasted coconut and jackfruit which was a perfect bite of creamy, crunchy and toasty. The service was impeccable. The kitchen itself is halal but they serve alcohol. They have some great mocktail options. I got a cocktail - S'Rai, which was a good palate cleanser but I definitely think the drinks could be better. Overall, a great spot for a date night or a group of friends! read more

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So I went with my aunts for dinner to this new Indonesian food place on Danforth and Chester. It was packed on the Danforth. Trying to find parking was a nightmare since the snow took over the street and parking lot that parking spaces were limited. We ended up parking at a green p parking lot and paying $9 for parking until 9pm then it was free. My aunt called on the day of and was able to get reservations for 7:30 pm. However when we got there we still had to wait for 30 mins to get our table. They didn't have a table for us so making reservations didn't help us get a table right away. Indonesia food is similar to Thai but much sweeter in all their dishes and even the hot sauce was sweet. I think I prefer Thai food. We got cocktails and appetizers to start: S'rai Lemongrass and coconut meet gin and lime in a crisp, refreshing harmony 2oz gin, lemongrass, coconut, lime And we got 2 mocktails that had Logan and lychees in them it was ok nothing special. Appetizer we got the tofu and the chicken skewers. The apps came lukewarm not sure if it was supposed to be that way and the tofu was deep fried but soggy. I did like the chicken but it was drenched in sauce and the pieces were tiny! Mains we got the chicken fried rice, it was bland and salty and there were no chicken in sight ! I was wondering if it had chicken at all and the rengang beef was a small amount of beef. The beef portion was small and the beef flavour was not bad but not amazing. The stewed chicken noodle soup was lukewarm and it was the worst dish there for the price and very tasteless. Again small amount of meat. I think I see a pattern here. For dessert it was the smaller portion I have ever seen for 10 for the panna cotta and $12 for the mini sundae. Panna cotta tastes like jello and not smooth and creamy and the ice cream was icy and melting when it got there. The ice cream was good but again tiny scoop. It was expensive and tiny portion and with the mediocre flavour not really worth the price. But it's new they opened since August snd the place was packed !! It's a family owned business and they spoke Chiu chow which is an old language in China and it's so cool speaking to them in that dialect the whole night! The servers were a bit aggressive. They make recommendations but get annoyed when you don't go with their suggestions. And when they suggest a dish you don't even have time to think and they just put in the order. The portions overall were very small for the price. The 3 of us ordered 5 dishes and 2 desserts to be filling. Our bill came to $200 pre gratuity. All in all I would say service is 4/5 super friendly but a bit aggressive ! However food lack in flavours and portion. 2/5 so I gave them 3/5 as an average. Would I go back? Probably not. read more

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** Atmosphere Loved the combination of greyish blue walls and brown brick walls. Liked the mirrors decor as well. Did i mention that their retro style nostalgic playlist is cool? Music and cozy vibes elevated comfortable dining experience. ** service 10/10 Really friendly service that you don't normally get in downtown Toronto **Food Very solid. I would love to try everything on the menu. We had... 1. AKMI AYAM($20) Bouncy Hand-pulled noodles topped with braised chicken served with crispy wonton chips Chicken broth (to drink or moist noodles if i want to) Sambal. Really really tasty noodles that made me forget that there were some chickens to eat as well. Solid broth. 2. IGA BAKAR($42) Three pieces of grilled beef ribs that are glazed in sweet soy. Grilled wedge salad. Glaze on ribs were really good! Unlike texas bbq, it was cheweier in a good way, not like falling off the bone. 4. WEDANG RONDE($12) Warm ginger tea with glutinous rice balls filled with choice of peanuts or black sesame. We went with black sesame balls. The scent of ginger tea & warmth coming out of the tea! Perfect for winter days. read more

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Amazing food. It was absolutely delicious. Service was a tad bit slow and the washrooms were in dire need of cleaning. But our server was excellent. The restaurant is a bit cold in winter given its size and proximity to the door. But overall the ambiance was great! overall had a great time here. read more

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I came here with 4 of my friends and two of us had a gluten allergy. I appreciated that they tried to accommodate us even though most of the menu wasn't gluten friendly. (The beef rendang was gluten free) I really missed eating authentic Indonesian food and this was the closest I could get. The chef and staff are indonesian and so it really felt like we were back in Indonesia. The place looks like a bar but they have seats that accommodate large groups. And the washrooms are so clean and smells like the villa I stayed at in Bali. I'm bringing all of my friends here next time I visit! read more

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This is a new Indonesian restaurant that just soft-opened on 2025-08-06. The interior has a green, organic vibe, with some Indonesian arts and crafts. Their menu is available via a QR code which directs you to their website. I'm impressed with the care they taking in preparing, cooking, and plating the food. I think the food is authentic; I'm not Indonesian. The sauces they added made it more flavourful. We ordered the following: 1. Es Teh Solo ($6.00). 2. Sate Ayam ($16.00). 3. Famous Beef Rendang ($28.00). 4. Baba Bowl ($19.00). 5. Sambal Flight ($8.00). They gave us a small sample for free. The customer service was good. Overall the food plating was well done. The Es Teh (tea) Solo is a house blended. I asked for it to be sweetened. It was just the right sweetness for me. The Sate Ayam (chicken) was a little soft for me; I would have preferred it cooked a little longer. It came with Sambal Kachang (peanut sauce). For the Famous Beef Rendang is different in Indonesia than in Malaysia. In the Malaysia, the beef is more moist. In Indonesia, the cook the sauce for 24 hours, and then slow cook and stir the beef with the sauce for 48 hours. The surface is more dry but it maintains the tenderness inside. I'm glad they explained it to me because I'm only used to the Malaysian version. The red sambal that was on the egg was quite spicy. It was supposed to come with a small bowl of Sambal Ijo (green) with is made with several chillies. They brought it out later, with apologies. The Baba Bowl is the staff favourite so I had to try it. It was quite good. It came with a tasty fried egg on a bed of rice. The Sambal Flight is Prawn Crackers served with 3 bowls of Sambal: Sambal Kachang (peanut), Sambal Ijo (green), and Sambal Terasi (prawn). They gave us a small sample with Sambal Terasi, since my dishes already have the other two sambal. I actually liked all 3 sambal; they were tasty and not very spicy. There is adequate indoor seating. They have an outdoor patio but won't have outdoor seating until 2026. There is free WiFi. The restaurant is wheelchair accessible (there is a very steep ramp at the entrance). There are two gender-neutral washrooms downstairs, so they are not wheelchair accessible. There is one hugh chair for little children. Review 2025-165 read more

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Tried out Sambal, the new Indonesian spot on the Danforth after spotting it on social media. As someone who loves Indonesian food, I was excited to see more of it represented in Toronto. The space is beautiful--modern and stylish--and the service is warm and attentive. The food tastes good, but it's definitely a modernized take. In that process, I feel it loses some of the bold kick and authenticity I was hoping for in the spices and dishes. That said, I appreciate that Sambal makes Indonesian cuisine more accessible to a wider audience. It's a great entry-level place for those new to the flavors, though I personally wish they had leaned a bit harder into the roots. read more

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The space is warm and vibey, the service is quick and friendly. Every dish hit us with flavor combos we didn't know we needed. * Sambal Flight: the best way to try all the sambals. We started strong with sambal kacang (peanut) and thought we were champs... until the next two humbled us real quick. * Tahu Gejrot: the tamarind sauce was 10/10. It's tangy, sweet and a little spicy. My 3rd fav overall. * Island Chips & Dip: the dip is a mix of grapes, pineapple & chilies. Refreshing but spicy, the dangerous kind that I couldn't stop eating. Bakmi Ayam: this hand-pulled noodles with braised chicken was our most favorite, and we'd order this again and again. * Famous Beef Rendang: My solid 2nd fave. It's bold, rich, tender, all in one. * Es Teler Sundae: sweet, tropical, and the second thing saving our mouths from the spice. * Golden Hour mocktail: tastes like vacation in a glass and also doubles as fire extinguisher for the spice lol We left happy, full, and slightly humbled by how spicy Indonesian food actually is. This was our first time trying it (no fusion distractions) so we can't tell you how authentic it is, but we can tell you it was damn delicious. We're already planning our 2nd visit. This time with a better spice tolerance lol. read more

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I'm Indonesian and the food was authentic and delicious! The price was very reasonable for the portions, quality, and elevated atmosphere. The jazz music, temperature inside, plating of the food, and decorations were all very tasteful and overall made the dining experience more positive. Everything from the cups and plates they used to the well-decorated bathrooms made this restaurant great! We went around 2pm on Dec. 21st and all of the staff and servers were so helpful and attentive. Loved this restaurant overall! Heads up, the ketoprak is really spicy :') read more

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Sambal bursts with flavour and spice. We went here a couple of times in the span of a week since we wanted to try a lot of the menu. - Sate Ayam: The chicken skewers were drowning in the house peanut sauce and I loved it! The chicken was perfectly grilled and the peanut sauce was thick and had a hint of sweetness to it. - Nasi Udak: The fried chicken was nicely crispy on the outside and tender inside. The sambal added the kick to the dish, the egg noodles cooled it down, and the toasted peanuts were a welcome salty crunch. - Iga Bakar: The showstopper dish. The ribs were really tender and tastily marinated without being greasy and heavy. - Famous Beef Rendang: I'm used to the more moist type of rendang, but this dry one was tender on the inside. - Baba Bowl: Who knew meatballs could be this tasty? This dish surprised me the most with how good it was. - Nasi Goreng: Great complement to other dishes. Would have liked a bit more of the chicken chunks. - Ketoprak: Refreshing noodle and tofu dish. The rice cakes added an interesting texture. - Gula Aren Panna Cotta: Good cool down dessert. - Java Tea: Perfect level of sweetness. Place is on the small side but is well laid out and interestingly decorated. Prices are what prices are these days. Service is friendly. Kitchen is efficient. Vibe is casual and welcoming. A great addition to the neighbourhood, and will keep coming back for more! read more

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We had such a lovely experience at the newly opened Sambal! Toronto needs more southeast Asian restaurants, and the food at Sambal was authentic and delicious. Service was friendly with multiple servers attending to us, and the manager stopped by a couple of times to check in as well. It's not very big inside, so be sure to make a reservation or arrive earlier. It got quite busy and lively on a Sunday night! read more

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Food: 3 Stars Service: 4 Stars Ambience: 4 Stars Fill Factor: Satisfied I visited this restaurant a few weeks ago after a recommendation. He had nothing but praise for this place so I gave it a try. In the end it wasn't a bad recommendation but wasn't an amazing one either. For appetizer we ordered skewers which were delicious. Meat was tender and flavorful and I really liked it with the peanut sauce. For my main I decided after looking through all the pictures online to get the Petruk's bowl which is rice, some meatballs and an egg. When the dish came the first thing I noticed is that the portion was much smaller than I expected which left me borderline hungry. Aside from that the meatballs were pretty good but not amazing. Also the rice is supposed to be coconut rice but I did not taste any hint of coconut flavour which was really disappointing. Overall the dish was decent but nothing to write home about. I guess maybe my expectations were too high after the hype but it was a fairly decent meal. The service was good as the staff answered all our questions and were super friendly chatting with us. The wait for the food was also fairly reasonable so no complaints about service overall. All in all I thought it was a decent experience and I hope to try some of the other dishes next time. The food was pretty decent and the staff was great. Worth a try if you're in the neighborhood. read more

Finally an Indonesian restaurant in Toronto! So happy they have opened an actual store after their pop up during covid. All dishes were so flavourful and good. Can't go wrong with satay and loved the beef rendang. Service was very friendly and helpful explaining the dishes. Restaurant isn't too big, but enough space between tables. Definitely will be back again! read more

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Sambal is a really good Indonesian restaurant on the Danforth. It has a charming interior and responsive and friendly service. I will say that my review may be slightly biased since I am allergic to nuts and could not try everything they had to offer on the menu because of this. I tried the Iga Bakar (grilled beef ribs) and the Nasi Goreng (fried rice). I don't like ordering fried rice in restaurants since it is easy to make at home, but Indonesian / Southeast Asian fried rice is the exception for me. Both dishes were good. Though, the beef ribs were a bit too sweet and came slightly warm. The head of lettuce was interesting. The menu said it was grilled, yet it felt only lightly so. I do give some grace for this dish, since I was unable to eat it with the peanut sauce it is supposed to come with. However, with the price point, I'm not so sure. The nasi goreng was also lacking a bit of seasoning. I also ordered this extra spicy, only to be a bit disappointed by the eventual spice level. I ordered some sambal terasi (spicy shrimp paste sambal) on the side, and this helped immensely (no surprise given the restaurant name). Each spoon of sambal, beef rib, rice, all together all of a sudden felt a lot more authentic and well-rounded overall. Definitely recommend ordering a side or two of sambal or the sambal flight to add to any of the dishes you order. I wish it came with a little more than 2 ounces for $3 however. A customer next to me got the nasi udak, which looked amazing and made me nostalgic to my home food of nasi lemak. Will be back to try it in the future and interested to see what other dishes they will add after soft-opening is finished! read more

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A taste of Jakarta, truly. You can't fake the complexity and sophistication of Indonesian (in this case, Javanese) cuisine. The redolent spicing, traditional technique and familiar dishes mark Sambal as an authentic and welcome addition to the generic Danforth restaurant row.​ And the value is unbeatable. Not to be missed. read more