My girlfriend and I came from NYC and joined two friends fir an extended weekend in Toronto, and a Canadian co-worker of mine gave this place high marks. They were 110% correct. We took the full tasting menu experience and were taken on a true culinary journey. It only helped that our server was so into our experience as visitors. Worth every penny. read more

One of my favourite restaurants in Toronto! I went on Tuesday and got the half off pre set menu! The food was amazing! The salad, the Brussel sprouts, the fried chicken, amazing! Even the bathroom was an experience with the heated toilets! read more

Part of a longer review... "Like something gracing the cover of Lucky Peach, the Hamachi bites came next. I admired the intricacy of the four pieces that were arranged symmetrically on the circular plate. Luscious pieces of Hamachi mixed with cucumber sat on top of a chicharrón cracker and were artfully finished with a slice of jalapeño and some microgreens. Sara's chicharrones -- although pieces of carnivorous glory -- tasted as if the air got to them. They were un peu stale and didn't have the crunch factor I'd anticipated. Sara's "French fries" were a whimsical take on the classic fry and were summed up in one magiquebite. The two fried logs were made of grated russet potatoes and fatty schmaltz before being submerged in the deep fryer. Then, they were topped with kimchi, Kewpie mayo and bonito flakes." read more

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Super unique and delicious dinner at Sara. We ordered most of their menu and everything was delicious. Service was great and restaurant was clean and neat. Loved the vibes. read more

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Super aesthetic and tasting menu is super worth it. At basically 100$ a person, you are getting soooo many dishes. We were getting so full but just wanted to keep trying more. No standout dishes because there were so many that were good! Ceviche dishes with scallops were great. Very memorable experience. Service was good read more

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Amazing restaurant with great food and vibes. Star dishes were the latkes, tuna tartare and artichokes! read more

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Came here for a birthday celebration with the travelzoo voucher purchased back before the lockdown. The travelzoo voucher was for the tasting menu. The food were all great, all the dishes from the tasting menu were great. I was actually surprised by the flavour profile of all the dishes. The Duck wonton was actually one of my favourite for the night. Only downside, nothing was done for birthday celebration. read more

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Recently went here for my partner's birthday dinner and he loved it so much that he can't stop talking about how incredible SARA is to everyone we know :) Key dishes we loved were the Ahi Tuna Tartare with generous truffle and the Octopus main. Most of our dishes were quite reasonable portions (my personal concern when it comes to more upscale dining haha) but the octopus came almost whole. I would personally skip the Ikura Latke and Wagyu Reuben as they were quite small and underwhelming for us. In my reso - asked if they could write a hbd message on the dessert for my partner and they were able to do it on a piece of delicious cake along with a surprise sparkler, which made our evening so memorable overall. read more

We have been to Sara a few times. It's located in a discreet building that looks like a two-story house. The inside decor and ambience is clean, minimalist and relaxing. Despite its hype we have always managed to get a reso where they allowed us to sit by the windows for natural light. Admittedly in the past the portions were bigger. The first time we were there it felt the best (as other times there have been pacing service issues). The fries used to be a portion of four, and now it comes with only two. We asked why - apparently people actually said four was too big of a portion. I guess it kind of makes sense since you want to share things, but I would never complain about too big of a portion. Meh. Anyways, I have always really liked the latkes and the kohlrabi cakes. The pork belly was also to die-for. The other dishes - fish, dumplings less so. So, the best bet is to order a bunch and you will find a lot of things to like amidst things you don't. Our server on all occasions (same lucky guy) was super laid back but knowledgeable. He has tried to get us to use the phone storage blocks in the table, but we use our phones for food photos so doesn't really work. All in all, great place for a nice dinner. read more

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Love the decor and atmosphere at SARA - you kind of know that it's a relatively high end place given the decor. I'm not entirely sure what kind of cuisine they serve at SARA but it was definitely something mixed with Asian flavours. We found gochujang, yuzu, ikura and other Asian ingredients in our food which was interesting. I loved certain dishes such as the Squash Latkes, Yellowtail Sashimi and Scallop and Crab Dumplings. Some others were a little too salty and others were just... interesting and new. Overall, relatively enjoyed my meal, it was an interesting experience. read more

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Being a long time fan of Food Dudes and Rasa, I was super excited when hubby surprised me with a reservation here for my birthday with friends. Both the food and the service was excellent. I haven't been to a place where they were this knowledgeable about the menu (without 'checking with the back') , ensured we had enough to be able to try everything (or order more), was able to make aware/make substitutions for dietary things (gluten free, dairy free), AND even prepare an alternative dessert not on the menu. Oh, and ALSO split dishes, where possible into separate plates for sharing (so you don't have to turn the dish into a disaster and pass it along). It allowed for a more civilized meal, better experience and better 'gram photos. In addition, we got some extra dishes we didn't order to pair with our dinner. Not sure if this was a birthday or first time treat, but it was an excellent touch. The best dishes were the small ones, less so the big entree dishes, so I suggest you focus on those. Favourites were the latkes with roe, the 'fries', dumplings. We were a party of 6, we ordered a lot, including drinks. We were there for 3.5 hours (estimated was 3). It was great conversation and atmosphere on a summer night in their back patio. About $70 per person. For what we got and special occasion meal i feel that's about right. read more

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My friends and I stumbled upon this restaurant on a Sunday night. We ordered a bunch of plates to share. To our surprise the food was really good! Every plate was on point and very flavorful! I would definitely come back! The service was amazing and we had a really good experience! read more

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Nice atmosphere inside however left disappointed. Both of the main dishes were not even hot - they were just warm. For the price range of their plates i had high expectations - but they were disappointing. The pork belly was warm, salad on the side we didnt even finish... it was overly salty and many other restaurants could have made this dish better... the crab and scallop dumpling - 20 dollars for 2 dumplings - didnt even know which part had the scallops . service was also lacking. The hostess realized we were waiting for so long before someone finally decided to take out order. I will not be back. read more

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I feel Sara is just getting their feet wet as they just launched and trying to find their ground. Comparing Sara to their counterparts of Rasa and Omaw 2.0, this venture clearly is trying to hit a higher tier of fine dining. It has a bit more polish and formality, but it doesn't hit that sweet spot quite yet. The big thing that made my table question whether we would even consider Sara again is the value. We ordered 8 things on the menu and all of us left hungry... even after $115++ per person including a drink and tips. We've done tasting menus at Canis, Richmond, Core, Omaw 2.0, Dailo, and other spots around Toronto. Sara seems to try to curate a meal that allows you to pick and choose what you'd like ... small plates at small plates pricing but at tasting menu sizes. This was bumping up against Canis, Edulis, and Canoe pricing but the concern is that Sara was not hitting the same consistency, tastes, or value. I applaud them for trying... but they do need to rethink many of their plates. Anyhow, onto the review. The space is a newly renovated house that sits just north of the trendy King St. Buca, Jimmy's, and Chubby's are their neighbours. It's a cute spot and there are some design trends that make me think of some of the minimalist designs I've seen recently (Quetzal is one). The concern is that it's really stark and missing that eye catching detail... as if someone told them to design and then take away 2 things to keep the design clean. They took away the thing that would have made the room. Service here is actually quite good for week 2. It definitely sits on top of Rasa in terms of attentiveness and efficiency. I didnt find any of the servers to be missing anything. I know it's early so I can't fault them for this but as they continue to operate, I hope the service grows in sincerity and authenticity. It feels like they're hyper aware and wanting to give an austere fine dining experience. Good on them but a little warmth and showing the genuine interest & personality goes a long way. As for the food, some highlights... some ok dishes. I'll say it upfront that nothing failed but things didn't excite and some even were just ok. Hamachi Bites - Literally a bite. 4 chip sized bites of creamy hamachi on a chicarron chip for $16. It's one of the better tastes and a good opener. We had similar bite sized offerings at Canis and Richmond but it was bundled under the whole chef tasting menu and one of 12+ different tastes we had that night. This is where the question of value popped up immediately in the first dish. This didn't bode well for the rest of the other dishes French Fries - tasty yes but I think they should rethink the dish name perhaps. When you think french fries, you think a mound (small or large) of fries. This was 4 fries but they were a small hashbrown size. Yes they had nice zest from the kimchi and bonito on top but for $14 for 4 fries, it hits you again... the question of value. We were amazed at the Richmond offering of a crisp phyllo treatment of potatoes and then topped with a generous mound of delicious tartare. Contrasting that to this... it's a hard sell. Bincho Broccoli - Nice flavour leveraging a Vietnamese inspired sauce to bring the sour and pungent. I liked this especially with the nuttier kohlrabi cakes in it. A better dish on the menu. I dont want to repeat but small. Chopped Salad - A larger item and I think it was more of a relief we werent so worried about the dish size for once. Compared to Rasa Salad, it's good in it's own right. I found it milder so if you like a 'fresh' tasting salad without a lot of bold flavours, this would be your option. Chicken Wing - This was a mixed reception at the table. I've seen wings being used to stuff great items and then deep fry before. I dont think I've seen it in Toronto though. Two wings cut into 2 creates '4 dumplings' ... they were stuffed shrimp. I liked it more than others but I think other people had their wing piece soggier interior and exterior wise. King Salmon - I know king salmon is a premium but the table was wondering if they were missing the 2nd piece. The salmon seemed no bigger than 2 sushi pieces put together and for $25. The pic shows microgreens on the salmon so you can get an idea of scale. Momo Yakitori - Unfortunately dry and lacking tastes Cherry Crullers - Lipbalm pot sized doughnuts that didnt have any strong cherry flavour. It did arrive hot to the table though. I would suggest Sara to perhaps look at Bao Bei or Mak n Ming in Vancouver. Those managed to hit that balance between Asian fusion small plates, great modern atmosphere, and still approaching the fine dining aspect. It's not an easy feat to hit fine dining levels ... especially when you have an amazing spot like Buca literally next door who delivers fine dining on all levels at a better price point. Walking out I was reminded how good Buca was in contrast. read more

SARA - King Salmon with microgreens on it. You can understand how little salmon you get for $25. - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

My first time there was November, and revisit there last week with friends. Staff was great both times. Courteous, friendly, polite, mindful if we need time to chat and not look at the menu, etc. I'm not much of a drinker, but my friends gave some preferences to what flavours they like and they made us a really smooth martini that came with a molecular component to be enjoyed halfway through. Friends were also happy with wine pairing. Food I've had both times were mostly bold with texture. It's not for those looking for mild simple natural flavour profiles. Friends thoroughly enjoyed "French Fries" I've had the pea slaw and regular chopped salad. Both are great. The Reuben was great, my friends devoured it without mustard. Personally being Asian, I wasn't much of a fan of their version of Laksa, but my friend enjoyed it. Cod was cooked perfectly. Happy to return for another meal. read more

We were visiting Toronto and found this really good restaurant. We tried the tasting menu and it was excellent. Try it. The service was excellent. We will come back on our next trip to Toronto. read more

Had an amazing evening at Sara. All the dishes my table ordered were on point. Atmosphere is serene and beautiful. Food French Fries was one of the most delicious dish I've had here. It's flavourful and the texture is amazing. I really felt like ordering seconds. The chopped salad is to die for. I've tried rasa and omaw chopped salad as well and this version is more fresh and light compared to the two. The wasabi peas were a great addition. Portion for this dish is great. 3 people shared it and had a bit left over. I found wagyu reuben to be an odd dish considering that other dishes were very asian inspired but this was super delicious. The quality of the meat and the way that it was cooked was absolute art. Other dishes we tried included Hamachi Bites (my table loved these), yellowtail sashimi, snap pea slaw, wonton soup. Bar They offer custom cocktails and martinis which was fun. Everyone at my table were satisfied with their drinks. The cocktails are beautiful and lots of variations can be made. Design The space is beautifully designed. Very minimal. It's soft and serene when you walk in. I found the overall space breathtaking as this is the total opposite of this neighbourhood. Although it's very minimal, you can tell that every little detail has been thought out. Even the washrooms are designed and has branded soaps. Although some might say it's too minimal, I really appreciated this design approach. Service All the servers that came to our table were very informative and continuously checked upon us throughout the whole evening. My water glass was never low or empty and were always refilled. This is something that tends to annoy me when servers don't realize the water glasses are empty and low. Overall the service exceeded my expectations. Yes, this is more of a fine dining and higher end in terms of price point but the food and experience was worth it for myself personally. The restaurant is still new and it always takes times for them to iron things out. Considering that it just opened, everything has been very impressive. I would definitely recommend taking a visit here! read more

SARA - Custom cocktail - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Expectations was definitely lead a stray with hype. Overall experience was less than desirable from the moment our order was taken; I'll get into the details further. Food: 5 dishes ordered to share amongst our group of 4. Stuffed chicken wings, Pork belly, Black Cod, Truffle Crullers and the Yellow tail sashimi. I don't really make big deal about portions as long as I could justify it with great flavours, however, I can only really say the dish that stood out was only the Yellowtail. Pork Belly was okay but quite dry and low fat content. Black Cod was nothing special, could not justify price point for it. Otherwise I did not care for the stuffed wings or the truffle cruller. Cocktails was the biggest disappointment, especially since we were bar hopping around the area for cocktails. Drinks were heavily iced and water down to the point that it taste basically like watered down orange juice or something. Maybe should have opted for a classic cocktail instead, but why wouldn't I order something that they crafted? Now I know. Service: Mies en Plas is on point with knowledgeable staff however it became a point of contention when our server tried to double our portions without our consent. I applaud for the careful wording of things, however, it wasn't something we appreciated. Ambiance: Beautifully designed and great size for parties. Washrooms are also very impressive. Recommendation: Such a amazing venue with great concept overall, but it's hard for me to say I would recommend this place. Price point is steep considering the fact that I don't see much value. It's a pass for me. read more

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

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An incredible dinner at Sara recently. If you haven't heard of this place, or haven't been to it yet, put this on your list! It's such a charming and unique restaurant with a focused menu that has been carefully curated, with drink pairings to match. I really enjoyed the Bandolier martini which has smokey and spicy notes. Delicious! They do have a tasting menu option, and they cater to most dietary restrictions, which is very impressive. We opted to choose our own meal components, and these are some of the highlights in my favorites. The tuna tartare is probably one of the best in Toronto and is adorned with truffle ! It's indulgent yet still light and fresh at the same time. I always enjoy an great octopus dish, and this definitely fits the bill! The smoked beets are so delicious and I love the flavour profiles. It's no surprise that they have received Michelin recognition! Congrats! Thank you for the wonderful service and hospitality! read more

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

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Great food and unbelievable service! Burger amazing..... squash latka delicate and beautifully balanced. Salads at lunch are excellent and amazing value. Add salmon or chicken for 5$ ???? Don't even know how that's possible In Toronto. Fooddudes hit it out of the park again. read more

After being a huge Rasa fan, I knew Sara would not disappoint. Sara is a similar concept to Rasa with a tapas style menu. The restaurant is beautiful - crisp white and clean. There is a little box in the centre of the table to store your phone that says "Airplane Mode" which I loved because I hate when my fellow diners spends to much time on their phones ... The service is amazing (no surprise given so many enjoyable dinners at Rasa). Our waiter worked with us to ensure the dishes we wanted to try could be modified to accommodate our dietary restrictions. They can also do a half order if only one person wants to try something (with that said, the portions are really small so one person could easily eat most things alone). Here is my ranking of the items I tried: 1) Squash Latkes - without the cream and salmon (I got cucumber and avocado). It is the perfect combo of sweet and salty with the syrup on the latkes. Great spin on a traditional Jewish dish. 2) Chopped Salad - similar concept to the salad at Rasa but this one is vegan. There is a vegan cheese on the side of the plate with wasabi peas to give it a little kick. 3) Bincho Broccoli - I loved the toasted almonds and potato crisps in the dish 4) Snap Pea Slaw 5) Fries - had potential but way too much mayo 6) Duck - Just wasn't for me (not a huge duck fan so this one is my fault). It was my husband's bday and they gave us a complimentary carrot cake, which was delicious and not too sweet. We also got a complimentary chocolate tahini cookie to go (looking forward to trying today!) I also loved the heated toilet seats in the washrooms ;) read more

SARA - Reuben - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Overall: 2.5 Gorgeous décor however food was overpriced and portions were tiny. Food: 2 Ambiance/Decor: 5 Service: 5 I went with a few girlfriends for dinner and we ordered quite a dishes. Ones I liked included the "French Fries", Wagyu Reuben, and Strawberry Rhubarb. The wagyu sandwich and fries in particular was really unique and well done, however as the portions were so small we really only got one bite of it each. Dishes we didn't really enjoy or just found to be very average were the Snap Pea Slaw, Squash Latkes,Yellowtail Sashimi, and Pork Belly. While the place is beautifully designed, I would perhaps only come back for drinks and a few bites. I love their other restaurant Rasa, so had high hopes for this, but found it to be rather disappointing. One cute touch was the slot in the middle of the table to put away phones during dinner. read more

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We went here for my birthday celebration. The menu had few options for larger meals and is more of a fusion place. When we first arrived, we thought we were the only ones there as no one was out front, but they have a mini patio area out back where they seat everyone. Another thing to note is that their bathrooms are really cool, the mirror lighting can change and there is a bidet (did not try it, but it is there is you want it). We had Tocino Octopus, Wagyu Ruben, and Albacore Tuna along with the Lychee Soju Sangria. Their sangria is very tasty with minimal alcohol taste. For the food, my favourite was the octopus as it also had pork belly, it was hard to distinguish between the two as their flavours blended together, but they were so tender and delicious. The tuna was a melt in your mouth one, packed full of flavour that I marveled at while eating. The ruben was quite tasty as well, and I don't even like the taste of beef! Overall, really great, just wished the portions were a tiny bit larger (so I could enjoy it more!) read more

SARA is one of the newer restaurants behind the food dudes team. Along with a popular catering business, they are also the brains and Braun behind the restaurants Rasa and pizza spot blondies. Sara is a sleek restaurant tucked into a restored house in the bustling King West neighbourhood. This restaurant is known for unique takes on classical international dishes. The restaurant does not have a specific genre as it offers small plates from a multitude of food cultures. We decided to share multiple dishes for the evening. We started the meal with the turnip cakes. This dish was absolutely delicious and offered a North American spin on the traditional dim sum turnip cake. The turnip cakes were soft pillows with a slightly crispy exterior. Next we had the salad and the falafel dishes. The salad was a combination of roasted broccoli and greens and dressed with a magical green goddess sauce. It was topped with wasabi peas that added the perfect spicy crunch. Although we agreed that the falafel was not the best we have had, the carmelized eggplant that accompanied the fried legume balls was out of this world. It was cooked perfectly; tender without a mushy texture. We finished the meal with the halibut and octopus. The octopus was served with roasted pork belly. This dish was tasty but we found that the rich pork took away from the tender octopus. Finally the halibut was brought to the table accompanied by a simple greens salad. Although it was not a fancy dish, the fish was flaky and moist and proved that this restaurant knows how to execute all of its dishes well. The food dudes have once again proven that they know how to create a sexy dining atmosphere with delicious food. Check this place out if you are looking for a romantic evening with unique tastes. read more

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Sara is a knife twister and back stabber. 5/5 would do it again

Sat on the front patio, they also have a rear patio but it was booked out. The tables are well spaced and I noticed how well they sanitized the tables and chairs (even got in the cracks!) KUDOS. Super cute place!! We ordered the salad, miso burrata, tocino octopus and the ribs. To drink we got a pitcher of the Soju sangria - YUM!! They were out of falafel when we went :(. Everything was amazing right down to our very attentive server Linda. Definitely can't wait to come back, this may be my new favourite spot. read more

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Truly one of the best meals of my life. Everything about this experience was amazing from the delicious drinks, to the heated toilet seat in the bathroom (!) to some of the most delicious food I have ever tasted. Cannot recommend this place enough! read more

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I was super excited to come here for dinner but I have to say that I was quite disappointed. The restaurant is beautiful and the service is AMAZING but this place is seriously overpriced. Before the meal began our waitress recommended about 5-6 dishes per person. UM, have you looked at your menu prices? I get it though. You will need at least 5 dishes to be full because the portions are SO small. The Kim chi fries are $7 each for a finger size of a potato. The wagyu reuben for $18 is 2 mini sandwiches - the same size as the finger sandwiches you get from high tea (granted though this was delicious). On to the mains. The pork belly was actually DELICIOUS and if I ever had to come again (which I wouldn't) I would just get myself 2 servings of this as my meal. I also tried their king salmon. While this was perfectly cooked and the presentation was on point, it was $26 for a piece of salmon that was probably half the size of my palm. WAY too small. If you come here, just know that you are paying for the ambiance! read more

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Sara is a beautifully decorated house just off of King Street on Portland. The interior is simplistic, yet clean with carefully chosen soothing colours.... but all that said, let's get to the meal. *please note that the service was impeccable, so I have nothing but high regard for the gentleman that guided us through this journey. I must say that look at the pictures that other people people and eat with your eyes first, I think that your visual senses will guide you to the best dishes. 1. SQUASH LATKES - with salmon roe, chive cream, kombu syrup... flavours were good, the roe added juices and bold flavours and it was a good start. 2. HAMACHI BITES - with jalapeño, cucumber, atop chicharron: this was probably our favourite dish, the hamachi was fresh, and this is similar to a tartare bite... I could've eaten more of these! 3. SNAP PEA SLAW - asian pear, umeboshi, shio kombu... this is the one dish I felt did not live up to the hype.. we were told that there were so many flavours and one that we must get. Sadly, I didn't find any of these flavour profiles, and rather very one dimensional. Not to compare, but Lee's Singapore Slaw is the definition of crazy flavours elevated to the next level... do not confuse with this because it will let you down. The slaw was still fresh, but definitely missed the mark. 4. BLACK COD - bagna cauda, hakurei turnip, mostarda: great flavours, it was very soft and melt in your mouth. The combinations of textures and flavours really elevated this dish and thankfully met my expectations 5. TRUFFLE CRULLERS - parmesan, fermented tomato, honey: this looks like a donut, a mini cruller you find at Tim Horton's.... luckily, this was a step above. I found the texture to be a little tough and while tasty, it's not something I would order again. If I were to go back (which won't be any time soon), I would've definitely wanted to try the French Fries and the Bincho Broccoli... these dishes seemed like they were getting a lot of good hype. We were recommended to order approx 8 dishes to feel fully satisfied. At 5 dishes, I felt OKAY. The bill was little on the high side, especially because I didn't leave full and while the dishes we beautifully presented, tasty, and well thought out, I thought that it was overall overpriced. I'm glad I tried it, but won't be running back soon. read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants! They recently changed their menu a bit and now it's even better. My favorite dish is branzino. It is the tasted one I have ever tried! Their coconut tequila negroni is great as well! My favorite cocktail at Sara read more

Small plates that are shared. Pricey but fair given the gastronomy. Of the 8 ordered, 7 were spectacular. One was okay, though by that point we were full. They recommend ordering 8 for 2 people, but we also shared a bottle of wine and 6 would have been enough for us. YMMV Service is excellent and the room itself is lovely. Not loud, not hushed. Great for a special occasion for couples. read more

First time visiting Canada and had a wedding engagement party...as being in the service industry it has been awful for my wife and I traveling but this restaurant went above and beyond. We had 20+ people and everyone had a great time. The weather was rainy and chilly but they had the cabanas and heaters all ready. The servers we had is who you would want everywhere you go. Sylivan and Ali were on top of everyone's needs. We had guest with allergies and they made a separate menu for them to enjoy without hesitation. The food was fresh and amazing...would highly recommend the Ahi tuna!! Thank you guys!!!! Cheers!!! read more

My aunt is visiting us from France. My sister and I took her out for the evening. After our excursion, we walked in Sara for dinner without a reservation. The host was friendly and very accommodating. We got a table in a corner, but it is pretty good for a walk-in. We were surprised by the friendly service and excellent dishes. We ordered Squash Latkes, Chopped Salad, Sourdough Gnudi, Grilled Octopus, and Tofu Branzino. Each dish was carefully made and well presented. Although the portions were small, but they were good enough for us to share and enjoy the freshness of the food and the creativities of the chef. The ambience is elegant and we love the built in cell phones keeper in the middle of the table. What's a neat idea for guests to put away their phones and connect with each other personally. Great work guys. We will come back for sure! read more

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Dined at SARA last night and have to say, overall, I am a bit disappointed. While the service was excellent and the setting was unique, I came in starving and left starving. I definitely do not consider myself a foodie in any capacity but have tried many tasting menus across the city. I have to say that I do agree with some of my fellow reviewers when they mention that these portions were insufficient. While the server and owner did encourage us to order a minimum of 6-8 dishes between the three of us (we ordered 6), I think even if we ordered twice the amount of food that we ended up with, we would've still left the place hungry. I understand that there are different types of dining experiences so perhaps this is not for me. That is not to say that the quality and taste of the food was not good. Each item we ordered (the fries, squash cakes, salmon, wonton soup, and a couple of salads) were very tasty. I cannot stomach paying $65 for a few bites of food and a glass of wine. I would consider coming back here for a cocktail or two as the setting is intimate and unique for a restaurant nestled in downtown Toronto. I know this is a new concept for these guys and perhaps they are still finding a happy medium or perhaps this really is the type of place you need to come to with steep pockets. if we ordered maybe 10-15 dishes, I think I had the potential to leave satisfied...still not full...and would've been looking at a bill closer to $100 per person. *Also want to mention that there needs to be some kind of entrance barrier between the front door and main restaurant. It was freezing last night and every time someone entered, a gust of wind blasted the entire place and it took a while to get back to a comfortable temp. read more

Venue: Nice, clean, and minimal. Heating is definitely an issue as they had little heaters laced throughout the restaurant. Our table close to the front door was cold. Tables came with build in storage for your phone, seemed like a tacky and confused gimmick for a restaurant striving for some degree of prestige. Service: Recommended that we ordered 8 to 10 items for our group of 4. We ignored and ordered 4 items before proceeding further. Also another heads up, server would sneak in on doubling or adding to the original portion sizes to fit the table without asking. I can understand the undying urge to milk your table, but our entire party was very unimpressed by this attempted sleight of hand. Table maintenance and water tops were good, mostly thanks to the hostess. Cocktails: no. There was a pineapple skin garnish in one of our cocktails... please refer to the picture below. Completely uninspired. Go to chubbys next door for bomb cocktails. Food: -Yellowtail sashimi, good texture and flavour. Great dish. -Truffle fried... no. Just dont get their truffle fried whatever. It's boring and all sorts of nonsensical incoherence at a steep price. Just trying to get truffle on the menu. -Pork belly, good idea. Very acidic slaw only works if your pork belly is fatty. Ours was dry and stringy. -Black cod, everyone and their dog can cook black cod, nothing special. -Chicken wing dumpling... I believe the manager dropped this plate off to us with the fun expression that no one has ever stuffed a chicken wing before. Funny enough, it was a dish that was on the George brown culinary curriculum. Strange nostalgia struck me on this dish, 4/5. Highlights: Washrooms were phenomenal. Worth going for washroom guaranteed. read more

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

We Walked in excited to eat here as it was a restaurant we've never been to. SARA's website promotes a colorful culinary experience with sophisticated cocktails and a well rounded menu. Unfortunately We were unable to stomach the service enough to eat the food...Our server could have cared less that we were paying customers, let alone his only ones in the restaurant. Yes were the only people in the restaurant for at least an hour, after being told 6pm was the earliest they could fit us in.If you want to feel special or have a decent cocktail do not go here. Let's just say the drinks description read better than they tasted.There are plenty places in king west that will offer you a great cocktail with a smile for the same price. This restaurant offers good food yet it's missing all those other elements you look for in a dining experience. Most unfortunate thing is we were really looking forward to going here, it was marked on our calendars and bottom line was we were let down. I hope it improves. read more

Holy sweet potato latka with creme fraiche and salmon roe on top. THIS. PLACE. IS. NEXT LEVEL. Easily one of the best meals of life. The menu is sublime. Get the tasting menu -- you'll try most of the menu that way. read more

Awesome new restaurant. Great service and restaurant atmosphere. Cocktails were simple but delicious. We had a variety of different things: - YELLOWTAIL SASHIMI (must have) - WAGYU REUBEN (must have) - SNAP PEA SLAW - LAKSA NOODLES - WONTON SOUP DUMPLING - SCALLOP & CRAB DUMPLING (must have) Overall, great new spot on Portland. read more

The food was incredible. 5 stars for the chef. Have a few words about the experience. We came here to celebrate our first anniversary and half way through the chef tasting menu the manager came to our table and told we have to leave and gave us a 30 dollar gift card. We had yet to receive our main course and desert and still had wine left in our bottle (which he offered to cork for us). After he left our waiter came back and we asked him what was going on. And he assured us that we would be getting the rest of our food. Apparently, there was a mix up between tables. However, they did end up rushing us through the rest of our courses and promptly serving us the bill before asking if we want anything else (which we did want). It obviously killed the mood. read more

Very creative and delicious dishes served tapas style and meant for sharing. The interior design and decor is also beautifully done, making for a unique experience. Despite enjoying my experience here, I did find find it expensive relative to the quantity of food you get. We had a party of four and the cost per person was about $80, and I wasnt full after the meal. I also thought that the cocktails were too watered down because of the amount of ice placed in them. Overall I'm really glad I came here but I dont think I'll be a repeat customer. read more

SARA - Front: the French fries Back: Chicken Wings - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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