4.5 I came for my anniversary on a Saturday. Our anniversary usually is during the winterlicious period, so we got to try Sassafraz for a better fare. I was very impressed by food and atmosphere. The dishes were full size portions, which is pretty awesome for Winterlicious. Restaurant was very accommodating when we were running late due to traffic. Parking is easy to find nearby and not overly expensive. Place is cozy, modern and chic. Seats were also super comfy. I got the seasonal mocktail Winter Hibiscus, it was super tasty. For appetizers, we had duck pate and the mushroom salad. The pate portion were huge. Pate was smooth and tasted almost like foie gras. Mushroom salad tasted "meaty" and really delightful. Mains we got the lamb shank and steak. The lamb was so tender, it falls apart when you put your fork in. The steak was also beautifully done and the chimichurri-like sauce was great. It was the first time I couldn't finish a Winterlicious main. For dessert, we got the cheese plate and flour-less chocolate bar. They were ok... The chocolate bar was too dense for my liking but my other half loved it. I also didn't understand the sourness from the creme fraiche. Cheese were good too, I enjoyed the brie and jam. Overall, A+ food. Service was slightly lacking cause they seemed really understaffed. It was a shame since they were not fully packed. One server has to care for way too many tables. I also like how this restaurant has a welcoming vibe. I get nervous about restaurants at Yorkville, since they all tend have a snobby vibe. I also am really happy all the fantastic food is part of the regular offerings, I would happily pay full price to have it all again. The place is so cute and the food was so good, I would really consider having my own wedding here! read more

See all

Went here with my mom for lunch during Summerlicious this year. Service was a bit iffy - I have nut allergies and couldn't have the desserts I wanted, so our waitress said she would bring me out a nice fruit bowl. I expected a variety of fruits, maybe with some whipped cream or at least a garnish, but all I got was a bowl of strawberries. Since we were already getting such a deal on our lunch ($25 each for 3 courses) I didn't complain, but I would have been turned off if we were paying full price. My meal was otherwise good. I had a gazpacho to start that was supposed to come with a lobster garnish, but there was literally only a fleck of lobster on it. Not sure if that was a mistake or if it was supposed to be that way. If it was intentional, they might as well have just left it off since it didn't make much of a difference. I loved my main course, which was BC chinook salmon with a fennel and parsnip hash, green beans, and Bearnaise sauce. I would have paid the $25 for this dish alone! read more

Sassafraz - chinook salmon with fennel and parsnip, green beans, and bearnaise sauce - French Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

The staff and service were great. The food was bland and lack lustre.... wouldn't return tbh. read more

Don't book this restaurant for your big event! I had my birthday July 1st. We booked this restaurant in advance about 10 days. July 1 they called us, they have somebody vip,and they canceled dinning room for us!! This is happened first time in my life! Because July 1 it's Canada day,we couldn't book anything else! Manager never contacted us! Was not even apologized! So I didn't have my birthday dinner ! I was very disappointed.Very disrespectful!!! read more

Our group went on a weekend for the Summerlicious lunch menu; the atmosphere and the customer service was superb. Everyone was friendly and courteous. I ordered the gazpacho, salmon and chocolate torte. I also ordered one of their non-alcoholic drinks, which was the tealicious. Tomato Gazpacho - it has a really good texture, and the avocado mousse was very soft and balances with the flavour well. I just found the overall balance of the dish to be a bit too sour for my taste. Canadian Atlantic Salmon - the salmon was cooked perfectly and seasoned really well, I thought this was the best course of the meal. The accompanied vegetables were okay and fit with the Asian style of the dish. Chocolate torte - the desert was really sweet, it was very rich and dense which was really nice. The cranberry caviar was phenomenal. If the desert was a little bit sweeter, I would've really enjoyed it. Tealicious (drink) - I thought the drink had too much ice in it, so it watered down the flavours. Overall, I thought the restaurant's atmosphere and customer service was top-notch. I thought there were some minor flaws with the dishes I ordered, but I will definitely go back to try their other dishes. read more

See all

I would say the food was pretty good here but given the interior I would have expected more. I thought the restaurant was beautifully decorated and the live wall was gorgeous, however the food wasn't up to these standards. Don't get me wrong, the food was good, but I would definitely say I wasn't 'wowed'. In addition to this, although our server was very nice, I originally got a glass with a lip print on it and I had to ask a second time to get a plate setting for myself. So would I go again? For the possible instagramable pictures yes, but for the food? I could take it or leave it. read more

See all

We had purchased a groupon for our last night in toronto dinner. We were moving out of the city and wants to have a nice meal at a restaurant we never got a chance to check out. Ive always had sassafraz on my list of places but the opportunity never really came up. Service: very attentive service. Our server was so helpful and funny. You expect to always get a bit of snubby service when using a groupon at a posh restaurant but this was not the case. But the food took FOREVER to come out. We arrived at 7:30 and left around 10pm. My parents also had a similar experience. The kitchen was super slow to get the food out. Food: We ordered a bottle of ontario niagara wine which was reasonably priced at 30-something dollars. For the appetizers we shared the chowder with scallops and the bone marrow. The chowder was much more filling and quite tasty but the bone marrow was a lot more enjoyable with a lentil puree which seemed a little off place... and two small portions of Crostini. Thankfully there was free warm bread and butter. I wish the butter had been soft. Cold butter ia hard to spread. I regress.... For the mains we shared the lamb shank and the steak. Truthfully... these were huge disappointments. Very underwhelming... there was nothing that made hear dishes stand out or pop out. The beans with the lamb shank were just meh. Something easily made at home. The steak was just steak. Wih a few little potatoes. I expected something more. Dessert: churros and a chocolate cake with ice cream . Both were good. The chocolate lava cake I prreffered more just because there was more of it. So in conclusion. We were pretty disappointed. The food itself would have gotten 2 stars but the service of our waiter elevated it to 3. This was an opportunity to see if we would be back on a normal evening and sad to say, likely not. read more

See all

The 4 of us arrived at 7pm on Saturday and were seated promptly at a lovely table in the dining room. There is a door between the bar area and the quiet dining room which was great. Always nice to be able to have a conversation! Our server Nicole was very patient while we decided on drinks and read through the menu. We decided on a nice California Cabernet Sauvingon ($58) and ordered 4 different mains: Bison ($39), Black Cod ($39), 10oz striploin ($37) and I ordered the Cornish hen ($29). The Cornish hen was moist and flavourful and the onions that came with it were amazing as well! Definitely recommend. The bison had an interesting taste (and the chipotle mustard was incredible!). The dish was enjoyed but the sweet potato side was nothing to write home about. The black cod and the striploin are also highly recommended. We didn't order dessert but Nicole brought out a "happy birthday" plate with 4 chocolates that were delicious and a nice touch! A great place to celebrate a special occasion if you are in the yorkville area. read more

See all

On a cold and wet Easter Monday, my daughter asked to go for high tea. Of course it was too late to get a reservation so we decided to wander around Yorkville and roll the dice. I had been to Sassafraz before for drinks and it was raining and so it's warm yellow exterior drew us in. My daughter was drawn to the cozy sofas instantly and the warm sourdough loaf. It was quiet and cozy. They were excellent with my daughter's egg allergy, splitting our buffalo mozzarella salad such that the fried tomato was only on my plate. I wished my daughter had noticed the grilled cheese had her hated goat cheese on it when she ordered - but she didn't so we took it to go. It may have been the best grilled cheese that I have ever tasted. The pickerel special was outstanding. Service was very attentive. I dropped a knife and they brought me a replacement unasked instantly. read more

Sassafraz - Grilled cheese - French Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

We went to this restaurant for my wife's birthday. When you first walk into this place, you will notice that it's definitely a very classy place with a bar. It's very cozy and features a very quiet atmosphere. This place would make a great romantic date night out and you do see a lot of couples. Located in Yorkville, a super high end area located in downtown Toronto near Bloor subway station. I had the lobster bites for appetizer, it was really good and they're real lobster meat. However there is a little room for improvement if they would make it a tad more tender. I then had the strip loin steak, at a very good portion of 10oz, cooked well to what I asked for. The steak sits on top of seasonal mushroom, cream kale and horseradish butter which was the best side I've ever had for a steak. You definitely don't get that kind of sides at The Keg. I always complain about portions when it comes to these nicer places, but this place gives you great portions, extremely filling for a guy like me that eats more. If you are a visitor to Toronto, definitely explore this high end rich area. Get off at Bloor station and you can easily spend whole half day exploring this areas. Parking is greatly available within minutes of this place. Lots of public indoor parking garages near by. read more

See all

Tried the 2018 summerlicious menu, and overall quite content with the meal. For appetizer, we ordered the beef tartare and the tuna&shrimp ceviche. **Winner: beef tartare.** This was possibly the best beef tartare I've had. I would HIGHLY recommend the beef tartare, which is also found on their regular menu. For mains, we tried the 6oz tenderloin and the King Cole Duck breast. **Winner: 6oz tenderloin.** Honestly, this was a close one -- I actually really enjoyed both!! I asked for the tenderloin to be medium rare, but it definitely looked more like rare. Nonetheless, it was still very juicy and tasted superb. The duck breast was smaller in portion (although neither are large), but the best thing about the dish was that the sauce fully preserves the full and natural duck meat taste -- a must try for duck lovers. For dessert: lemon creme caramel and chocolate bar. **Winner: lemon creme caramel.** Unless you're a die hard dark chocolate lover, I would definitely recommend the lemon creme caramel. The grapefruit and the cake goes so well together! read more

The service was great, the servers were courteous and attentive. I had the kale salad, oysters, and pork belly to start. There wasn't much kale in the salad, but the greens were fresh and the poached pears were perfect. The pork belly was crispy and tender on the inside, the sauce is what won me over for this dish. The oysters were fresh and clean. For the main course, I had the Itsumo Tuna. The tuna itself was sashimi-grade cooked perfectly and and the Sriracha emulsion complimented the food quite well and did not overpower the tuna. Aside from the one random fruit fly that kept disrupting my partner while eating, the facilities were clean and well-kept. The dining room is beautiful and well lit. Nothing is gaudy and I love the wine room. The music in the cocktail lounge was great and wasn't too loud. Food: 8/10 Drink: 9/10 Service: 9/10 Value: 8/10 Hygiene: 8/10 Aesthetics: 10/10 I recommend this place and I would like to come back sometime in the near future. read more

Sassafraz - Sassafraz dining room. - French Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

The ambiance was great in the dining room where it was quieter than the cafe. The service was also excellent. However we were disappointed with our dinners. We have been to this restaurant several times but tonight we found the tortillas of the fish tacos hard but otherwise quite tasty, the supreme chicken was tough and tasteless and the healthy rice bowl was boring. Too bad as the price point is high for the quality of the food. read more

"There was no obvious signage outside, we did not even notice the restaurant name written anywhere. The standalone Victorian house is definitely a landmark of its own." "The distance to a person at the next table was actually shorter than to your own date across. On the bright side, you can always befriend someone else's date and chat with them." "An original Cheesecake with no bottom crust had a beautiful texture with dried rhubarb inside adding sour tanginess. The strawberry compote under, on the other hand, offset it with sweetness. A thin, sharp, dark chocolate piece was there to help the compote too. A well-made cheesecake is always a delight. " Just a few bites from our full review.. read more

Sassafraz - Sturgeon on Purple Quinoa - French Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Came here for dinner. Pros Service was well above par. Very quick and efficient. Very clean and upscale look. Cons Small portions Very pricey Food was ok (given its downtown there are many other places one can eat for half the price and better tasting food). read more

See all

Hi, I attended a wedding held year last night and everything was excellent. The service, quality of food, and venue were perfection. The wine was outstanding, I would love to come here for dinner next time I am in town. Seafood and steak cooked so well and tasted even better! read more

While staying at Harbour Castle, and heading up to Union Station, walking around dozens of underground shops, then heading North by subway to Yorkville (I always have to enter this area of unique little streets & shops to my list), I was getting tired. (and thirsty) It was time to find a chic place, sit in comfort, and treat myself to a nice glass o vino. [ check marks all around - this is the place!] From the moment I stepped into the entrance, I was warmly greeted by the hostess, addressed by the maître d, and was given great service by my own personal bar tender (I was mid-afternoon, so I had him to myself for a bit). It was exactly what I needed and wanted. A perfect little mini-vacation, within a vacation. Loved the way it was designed and furnished. Cute sofas at some tables. A very special & posh place to visit. read more

Sassafraz - French Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Staff was friendly, but this place is relatively pricey. We ordered the Tenderloin and Lamb. The lamb was good, however, the tenderloin was a bit overcooked. We ordered medium-rare, but it came as medium. They were happy to make another one for us, which was a plus. read more

Sassafraz - Lamb - French Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

We have been to sassafraz last year, just before the did some renovations.. at that time we really loved their setting, atmosphere, service and above all.. their food.. .it was great..all three courses... This year we went again since its been a year and we missed their food.. and we took two other friends with us... It was a complete disappointment....setting and decor is still good.. But their service and most importantly their food... took a big hit! We were four people on table and we were all tasting from each other... the food was all mediocre.. i would say would have been ok if this was your average restaurant.. but for a place were you pay $100 per person on average..the food is not at all up to this standard.. and even the service.. i would go somewhere else honestly!!! read more

Came to Sassafraz for Summerlicious a couple days ago. The dinner at $43 is decent value, based on the regular menu prices and the pricey neighbourhood. We started with bread which was good but it took an extremely long time to come to our table. Overall it seemed our server was too busy and a little bit stressed. I had the Caesar salad to start which was fine but too lemony and some of the lettuce was wilted. I had salmon as a main which came with a corn risotto and "radish salad" (I would describe this as 3 slices of radish - not a salad). Salmon was perfectly cooked and nicely seasoned, risotto was really good, too. For dessert I had the flourless chocolate cake with ice cream, which was great (but the ice cream was quite melted when it arrived). Overall a decent meal but a little disappointed in the salad and the service. read more

See all

The restaurant is in a great location so it is normally very busy and I recommend you getting reservations if you do plan to come on the weekends. The ambience is lovely. The setting is classy with comfortable seats. I like their outdoor seating when it is available in the summer. In regards to food, I think it's good but nothing impressive. It wouldn't be my top choice for French food but I like the location and ambience here. read more

See all

Excellent food and great service! I couldn't be any happier with the experience. I made reservations a week in advance, mentioned the Groupon I had purchased earlier and got a confirmation in my Email. The place wasn't crowded at all on Sunday night. My party of 4 were welcomed and were given a choice to sit where we pleased. I absolutely adored the atmosphere and decor. It's a quite classy place, certainly good for professional meetings and celebrations. I had the cauliflower soup for appetizer, which was quite creamy and rich, garnished with olive oil. My friend tried the buffalo Mozzarella and tomatoes for appetizer and he liked it, even though I didn't like the cheese when I tried it. For main course I had the Alberta bison striploin and it was perfectly cooked medium, just the way I like it. Finally, for desert I had a milk chocolate mousse, which was alright, and not too sweet. My friend who had the eclair trio didn't quite like her desert though. I would love to come back for special occasions with friends and try their regular dinner menu. read more

Sassafraz - chocolate mousse - French Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

This should be a 0 star review. We came here tonight after purchasing a Groupon last week for a 3 course meal, which we were really excited to try. I've been here before for lunch on the patio, and thought it was a great value. This time was very different from my non-groupon experience. We were seated in a lovely table in the cafe by the window and given the Groupon menus, which actually had more on it than expected. That is where the good parts of the experience ends. Our waiter, Vesley, scoffed at my boyfriend for ordering a burger from the menu, rolling his eyes and loudly announcing "The burger, reaaaaaaaallly? YOU would be getting better value if you ordered the scallops or the veal." After politely confirming, he left with our order and returned with the drinks that we had ordered. Another server dropped off the appetizers- which were actually delicious- we had the octopus and the braised beef poutine. Another server also dropped off our mains, which were the scallops (also very good) and burger. Something was off with the burger, it tasted very musky as if a little past due. So, my boyfriend opted to only eat the side salad. When Vesley returned, he made a mockery of my boyfriend for not eating the burger. "What is wrong with it?" "It's okay, I just didn't like it." "Can you tell me EXACTLY what is wrong?" I chime in, "It just tasted off, I tried it too." "But, it's okay if you could just take it." Waiter, "I would hate for YOU to leave without getting the value" while physically pushing the plate back into my boyfriends face. "It's okay can we just get our desserts", I insisted. He then still while pushing the inedible burger in his face, kept insisting in a mocking tone to get our value for the meal. Eventually, my boyfriend told him to just leave, because we were made so uncomfortable by the aggression of this waiter and he wouldn't just clear our plates and exit. We promptly asked for our bill and to leave before getting our dessert. And on our way out, the manager was very nice, but could not make up for the waiters mistreatment. We did not want to be in this establishment for another minute. Out of all of my life's dining experiences, I have never experienced such poor service and attitude from a waiter to the point of leaving a restaurant shaking and in tears. No one should be made to feel cheap for using a groupon, and to feel bad if you you don't like your meal. This is the opposite of what service should be, and I am very disappointed in paying for this discriminatory experience. read more

Great ambiance but the food was just okay. Ordered the salmon and steak for main. Not worth the price. Steak was medium rare but still kinda dry same with the salmon. read more

See all

Great restaurant located in the heart of Yorkville. The interior is quite large and spacious so it's relatively easy to get a reservation or table even on a Saturday night. The ambience definitely elevates the experience, very modern and elegant. The back wall of the main dining area has a beautiful waterfall framed by plants and open light flowing through the ceiling. The staff is very professional although I find that they do try to upsell a fair bit - tried to recommend way more food than we could possibly finish. We got the 28oz Ontario beef rib steak to share between two people. The portion is huge, I think it could comfortably be split between two or three people. The steak was very tender and flavourful although not overpowering, would definitely recommend. It came with a large side of vegetables to share which paired nicely with the steak. Overall this is a great restaurant if you're looking to celebrate a special event or just want a nice night out. read more

Sassafraz - French Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

From the outside, this pretty yellow house restaurant looked very promising... loved the ambiance, it definitely offered me a fancy and yet relaxed lazy summer European cafe experience. Located in hip and trendy Yolkville, it attracts a lot of classy customers, both old and young which makes this place an interesting people watching spot. Cappuccino was pretty good, it tasted better than I expected. However, the crepe was subpar, I was not impressed. I might go back again but I would definitely skip the crepes! read more

Sassafraz - French Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

We went on a Friday and got seated on the couch infront of the piano. Its an amazing date night restaurant. A very romantic and relaxed atmosphere. We had the burger (coz I can never say no) and the bison. Both delicious! The servers were very polite as well. All in all a wonderful experience. Tip: Bring cash to tip the performers. The guy at the piano was amazing! read more

I really wanted to love Sassafraz. The restaurant is beautiful. One wall with a waterfall and plants...one with what looks like a very old bank vault (it's actually a red wine cellar). Service is outstanding. The red oak salad was good, but dressing could have been a touch sweeter. The pumpkin spiced Duck pate was fantastic.... smooth as silk... Just needed another piece or two of bread. The venison osso buco was as tough as old boots.... Extremely disappointing.... And the meat was not seasoned at all. Salt, pepper? The sauce with it was good, but there wasn't enough of it. And meat must be seasoned, whether there's a sauce or not. The filet was good, nice butter on top. Again, meat was completely unseasoned. The mushroom side had vinegar in it, but because they were hot, it worked....it wouldn't have otherwise! The chai crème Brulee was dreadful. Not sweet enough, and some flavors don't belong in dessert. Chai is one. I was also disappointed that there was no foies gras... read more

See all

I've been here for dinner before and it was average from what I remember. I've never been here for brunch so my friend and I decided to give it a try. We both got a Cumberland detox drink - kale, cucumber and coconut water ($8). We were both sucked in by the name because we've never had any "detox" drinks before. We were also curious to try kale in our drinks. I expected the drink to be sweet and almost smoothie like. However, it was very liquid and salty, the opposite of everything I expected. It's like drinking soup with ice in it in a cup. It's possibly the worst drink I've ever had in my life. My friend ordered an omelet - mushroom, asparagus and chevre with mixed greens ($17). I thought her omelet was done very well and they were generous with the cheese. I ordered the Cumberland breakfast - scrambled eggs with chive, buttermilk pancake, lamb sausage, smoked bacon and potato chive croquettes ($19). The scrambled eggs was incredibly creamy and surprisingly, so was the potato chive croquettes. The smoked bacon was just like any other bacon you can at any restaurant. The lamb sausage was interesting because restaurants don't usually offer lamb sausage. The pancake was not the overly fluffy kind which both my friend and I prefer because we find the overly fluffy one just soaks in all the syrup and gets all mushy. This pancake had an odd sour taste to it though probably from the buttermilk. One thing nice about this restaurant is that not only do they offer complimentary bread at the start but also a nice assortment of fruits. Their portion is reasonable compared to Le Select Bistro and their food tasted great compared to La Societe. This restaurant may become my new go to spot for brunch! read more

See all

"same review as Mei. L" except cheesecake instead of beignets " Seriously. User Mei. L wrote the exact review I was going to write. Very good food for a Groupon and would go back again with another Groupon. Service was done very we by the same server. Was happy to eat here. I've been here for a few events and was always impressed and this time was no exception. Very happy with all items, all cooked well and presented nicely. The wine at $40 is a great value too. read more

See all

From all the 'Media coverage' I thought this place would blow my mind...but sadly it did not!!! First time eating here & had the opportunity to come here due to my work Christmas lunch. As we were a large group, we were separated onto three large tables (which is understandable). The group menu was standard, starters: soup or salad, mains: beef, pasta or veggie dish and lastly dessert: moose or pineapple jelly. My starters was soup which was nice but needed additional salt & pepper (which was not available)...pretty presentation but it doesn't mean anything if the soup is standard tasting. Moving onto my mains, I ordered the beef steak. Again very pretty presentation BUT the majority of our party had ordered the steak BUT had to send it back to the kitchen...the meat was so rare it looked like it just been killed (sorry for the extreme description). Another point to mention was that our group was left alone with empty wine glasses on many occasions. At times, when staff were available - I had to call them over to top-up my wine glass. I believe the general rule is not to leave your guest with empty glasses!!! Onto dessert, ordered the pineapple jelly. Again beautiful presentation and tasted good but too much of a good thing can make you sick. The pineapple jelly was a thick pineapple jelly shaving with a cheesecake tasting filling inside the shaving...not much I can say about the dessert but it was the best part of my meal. To finish up, the group was offered tea & coffee. As I am not a coffee drinker and I was offered tea....Avoid!!!! My tea tasted like dish water....AVOID at all cost! This has probably been the worst restaurant experience I have had since moving to Canada. I believe in giving any eatery a second chance to redeem themselves...only time will tell!!! read more

See all

Probably there is nothing on the menu, other than olives, which doesn't taste absolutely amazing. Portions are large, and they don't skimp on the meats either. I've been here for lunch, dinner, for summer and winterlicious. Never have been dissappointed with the food. The decor is also spectacular and provides a very comfortable place to spend some quiet time with family and friends. read more

Overall had a good experience here. Food and service were great, and ambiance was nice too. We ordered the beef tartare and lamb meatballs for starters, lamb shank and burger for mains and the chocolate bar for dessert. The starters were our favourites, the beef tartare and lamb meatballs were excellent. The mains were okay taste wise, but the portions were a good size. Would definitely come back here to try other things on the menu. read more

See all

The restaurant itself is pretty nice. You have the option of sitting in the lounge area with some live music or you can opt for the candle-lit dining room with a gorgeous waterfall. Our waiter was pretty attentive but I wasn't particularly impressed by the food. We ordered the entire selection of cheeses, the campanelle and the steak. Although we got a good selection of cheeses, I found the campanelle to be slightly undercooked and my partner wasn't impressed by his steak either. I would say it wasn't worth what we paid but if you're interested in trying this place, I would recommend going during Summerlicious. read more

See all

Very good food and great service. A bit overpriced though. I had the SUMMERLICIOUS menu which was similar to their regular one but with fewer choices. The grilled calamari was excellent, the grapefruit being an original addition and going well with the tangy green salsa, but there were only three (3) pieces of squid on the plate. The local beef sirloin was also great (I had it medium, and it was around 10oz), but nothing out of the ordinary which makes one wonder why it's almost $40 on their regular menu. The chocolate torte at the end was a disappointment. It was dry and stale and the raspberry caviar was replaced with jelly which had the consistency of the one you are buying for thanksgiving. Not cool for a $45 (top tier) summerlicious dinner selection. Overall, not bad for SUMMERLICIOUS deal, but I'd never pay their full prices for this level of quality and creativity. I guess the Bay St. vicinity has an automagical influence on inflating prices without corresponding to actual quality and creativity. read more

Sassafraz - Grilled Calamari - French Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

Came for dinner during Winterlicious 2019 and had a great experience, contrary to many of my past Winterlicious/Summerlicious experiences. Price Per Person was $45. Sassafraz has a great ambiance, very light, classic, and beautiful! They even have what looks like a wall garden in their main dining room! Overall the Winterlicious menu was what drew me to try the restaurant out. Unlike many other restaurants, Sassafraz had extensive options for their mains (also from the regular menu), which is perfect for a picky eater like me. To start, I had the Meatballs (weren't amazing but wasn't awful). For my main, I had the 10 oz. Steak - was cooked to perfection and also came with candied Brussel Sprouts which I was a huge fan of, which was shocking to me! For dessert I got the charcuterie board which was good as well. Overall very great value for the $45 price tag! My only qualm was that we were trying to book reservations and were told that only a 5:00 PM slot was available. However when we showed up, and when we left, there seemed to be a lot of open tables! read more

We arrived for our reservation at 7pm on a Friday night and took a gamble at the Groupon that we found for this place (3 course meal for two for $64.99). The first thing that I noticed was that the ambiance of this place was very classy, modern and intimate. Noise level is low to average, at a table of two, it wasn't too difficult to hear from across the table. The food wasn't anything wild. For portion size it was average... I ordered the tomato and mozzarella, mac 'n' cheese, maple beignets. The tomato and mozzarella was pretty good. It came with tomatoes and green peppers, a bit of cheese, and spinach coated in dressing. I'm not usually a fan of raw spinach, but I really liked how it was used to compliment this dish. In the dressing, which I want to say was balsamic vin., it was pretty good. I think they put a bit too much dressing on - at one point toward the end of the dish, I coughed a bit...good, but overwhelming taste. The mac 'n' cheese was fairly good as well. Portion size a little bigger than most places that serve mac 'n' cheese. The maples beignets was a mild, but sweet taste to it - good for those who don't enjoy overly sweet treats. My boyfriend ordered beef tartar (?), pumpkin gnocchi and eclairs. I tried all of them - don't really have much to say about them by comparison to my dishes. The pumpkin gnocchi, however, was a nice and original taste to it - definitely worth trying. We were completely served and billed within about an hour and a bit. I was pleasantly surprised considering the restaurant was very busy. My advice is to make a reservation, or you may be waiting for a while. read more

See all

Food: 4/5 Service: 4.5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 Came here for a professional meeting. Not sure if we had the regular menu, or a revised one which had fewer options, but there was still a variety to choose from Food: Zucchini soup: a little texture in the soup with a little kick, which I loved. Not too salty. Beef tenderloin: perfect for me. Not too chewy, not overcooked. The roasted potatoes tasted a little weird to me. I can't pinpoint exactly what it was, but it left a slight bitter after taste, but still edible. Pineapple ginger jelly with cream cheese for dessert: I was not a fan. The cream cheese was super thick and flavor was way too strong, the texture of the jelly was very dense. I think I was expecting more of a jello consistency. Service: Awesome. We had the whole room downstairs to ourselves. So we were offered wine right when we got in. Waiters came around to take our order not long after we sat down. The only thing was that when they were refilling our wine glasses, they kept spilling on the table, and on my dish. I guess that's really nothing to be complaining about. Atmosphere: Beautiful there. There was a waterfall in our room on the main floor, which would be perfect for a date. However we were there for a conference, which made it a little hard for the speakers to hear the audience. The room was very spacious. Definitely enough room to connect and mingle. I think it is usually open for regular dining too. So hopefully, you go on a night when there are no meetings, so you can enjoy the mini waterfall too. read more

See all

Sunday Brunch should be special, classy and trendy. That's exactly what brunch at sassafraz entails. The lavish resturant is located in the heart of Yorkville, if you come here around TIFF you'll for sure see celebs dining. The ambience makes you feel like you're not dining in Toronto, rather a upscale resturant where you can forget your worries and pretend to be someone else for a meal. The plant wall and bright natural light is what draws me to the dining area. The food is great, on the lighter / healthier side and as expected the portions arent huge. They were sold out of the acai yogurt bowl which was a disappointment so I opted for the sourdough egg sandwich-- it was perfectly toasted and so flavorful. My friend got egg white chive fold over which didn't appeal to me but he enjoyed it. I SO impressed with their house bottomless coffee... it was delicious and you can telex freshly brewed. The only negative aspect I have is that the service was quite slow, we were seated and had to wait 15 minutes till someone acknowledged us to give us water. This isn't s cheap brunch spot but it is somewhere everyone should experience! Bon Appetité!! read more

See all

Fantastic food! Went there for a 3 course prix-fixe menu, got the Ontario beet salad to start, the dressing was light and fresh - just perfect; the crusted chèvre croquettes complements the salad really well. My friend got the ancho braised lamb, though she said was good, said wish she'd ordered the Cornish hen. I ordered the Cornish hen, and it was the star of the show! Stuffed with squash in the middle, sitting on a bed of polenta, the flavor, the sauce and all the ingredients just works really well together. We both got the chocolate cake, similar to a lava chocolate cake, it ended our evening on a high note! Definitely be back for more! read more

See all