To be fair, I am writing this review several years after visiting with my then-fiancee, prior to the fire that burnt the place down. I have not been since. We stopped in or an afternoon bite on the patio while waiting for an appointment nearby. Our impression quickly soured when, in the middle of taking our drinks order, our waiter left us to fuss over a table of regulars, greet and chat with them, and take their order instead. I was in mid-sentence when he left. Shocked, when he finally returned I finished our order and asked to speak to a manager. Instead of politely saying yes of course, the waiter asked me why and then proceeded to argue with me over the issue of his abandoning us during our order. Perhaps soured by the experience, we did not enjoy our food, which was overpriced and boring anyway. When the manager finally elected to grace us with his presence some time later, he defended his waiter's behaviour and offered a free dessert. We said no thanks and also left no tip. I will never return here again, and couldn't help that Karma had made an intervention when the place was reduced to ashed some months later. I take great pains to tell anyone I know who spends time in Yorkville - lawyers, colleagues, business people, etc. - to avoid this place for its arrogant service and overpriced pish-posh vittles. If you appreciate being treated like a valued customer, head to Harry Rosen. They may not feed you, but they will treat you like you are the most important person in the store. read more

I ate here for Summerlicious 2014 and had a decent experience. First and foremost, the restaurant is beautiful--and this is rarely something I pay a lot of attention to. Personally, the typeface used on the signs outside could use an update (sorry...), but the exterior of restaurant looks quaint and warm, and its interior is light, spacious, airy, and elegant. As for the food--overall, it was good. The complimentary bread was carby and delicious. I wasn't a fan of the gazpacho, but it was my first time trying it, so maybe it's just not a dish for me (no biggie--the bread basket made up for it). My Chinook salmon entree, however, was rich, flavorful and well-cooked, and I secretly resented having to share it with my friends when I couldn't eat their dishes, as I don't eat red meat :(. My chocolate mousse dessert was heavenly and a perfect way to end the meal. Oh, and lastly, the service was great too. I was wearing a cheap black dress (I'm a broke grad student, okay, I'm allowed to buy $15 dresses from Forever 21), but the waiter was kind enough to ignore that and still swap out my standard white napkin for a black one to avoid white lint. OMG, like, I get that this is probably standard at upscale restaurants to make patrons feel important but... yeah. It made me feel important, and I'm writing about it now... So it worked? Hahaha. read more

Summerliciousy Sassafraz serves up a meaty fine dining experience despite pesky proletariats a.k.a. moi. Quick Notes: 1) Summerlicious - A time to pretend to be much classier and well-monied than you are. Hint: likely fooled nobody. 2) Sassafraz - A resto in Yorkville that promises classy French cuisine and fancy decor at astronomical prices. Expectation: Tiny servings of tasty food I can't pronounce. Yelp homework indicated mixed reviews but generally positive. Verdict: Wallet-pains truncate future visitation; however, fine quality food and an extremely thrifty Summerlicious deal make this resto a Summerlicious contender for the ages! Atmosphere: Modern, vaguely rustic chic. This once-Victorian home now comes outfitted with clean white tablecloths, mood lighting and a coutured rock wall featuring an appropriately minimal waterfall. Shh, don't disturb the diners! The classic location, right in the heart of Yorkville, gives superb opportunity to peoplewatch while enjoying your meal. Definitely come dressed to impress, but at least at Summerlicious, cocktail dresses are not recommended. Little black dress, ahoy! Food: Prix Fix $45.00 plus a $65 Bordeaux (read: a $20 LCBO Bordeaux with resto markup). I curse Paris for ruining me forever. The bread was a disappointment. Butter couldn't save it. Made me want to go to the bakery section at Longo's. I went upscale on my meats this Summerlicious, having regrets from a previous Summerlicious adventure. Hint: When there is lamb, why order chicken? Appetizer scallops were tender and the knife went through them like butter. Lonely in the centre of the huge plate on a decorative shrivel of spinach, the scallop duo was nonetheless delicious. I went to third base on the entree with a medium rare steak that tended towards the medium but was extremely delicious. And big! I was expecting tiny proportions but the steak was 6 oz! The meat quality was excellent, with no cartilage, no inner marbling or sinew, and an appropriate layering of outside fat for added flavour. The simple, skin-in mashed potatoes tasted good because they were loaded with fine butter or buttercream. Hard to screw that up, but it was nice. The tablespoon of peas and the artsy drizzle of peas puree were there to add colour, c'est tout. Banana creme tarte with 1.5 tbsp of mango sorbet was a hit all across our table and for good reason. The banana cream was perfection - it tasted like pureed bananas and My Little Ponies. The mango sorbet was similarly magic. My only gripe was the thickness and sweetness of the cookie in the tart crust, which threatened to overpower the My Little Bananas. Service: Good, nothing special. I didn't see much of our servers, but Summerlicious is an odd time and no doubt a hectic experience. Still, nothing standout here. They did, however, serve our food at the same time, which we appreciated. Location: Suburbanites, you can get off at Museum if you want a nice walk down Bloor and the Holt Renfrew. If you are wearing painful shoes, transfer subway lines and go to Bay - Cumberland exit. Walk two uberslow, Michael Kors minutes of hip-sashay and you'll be at the front door. Overall: Sassafraz impressed with surprisingly simple food and ample entree portions that left our sassy group of seven quite satisfied. Recommended for Summerlicious only, or if you don't mind forking over your monthly car insurance payment to impress someone with a classic fine dining Toronto experience. read more

Three words: "Chili Rubbed Bison." Wow. I still dream of it, and smile. Sassafraz has considerably stepped up their kitchen practises since the 2006 fire that saw the Yorkville mainstay destroyed. Everything food-wise -appetizers, mains, desserts -is top-notch, though their service, when busy, can be scattershot and distracted. I've had many delicious meals there, including pastas, salads, meats, fish, foie gras and yes, one chili-rubbed bison, and have been most impressed with the range and skill of the Sassafraz kitchen. Aside from dinner, the locale is also a wonderful late-night stop, where two can enjoy their lovely cheese plate and a half-bottle of good wine for a decent price; it beats paying a lot more at trendier, louder spots, for a lot less. Sassafraz is a nice choice for those of us who prefer the people-parade of a warm summer evening, with good wine and food, over the noisy, sub-par environs of a trendy club. It's especially nice if you can get a spot on their street-side patio, particularly the one that faces out onto Cumberland Avenue + park. Solid, reliable, and a lovely atmosphere. And the bison kicks butt. Dear Sassafraz, I'll always find a place on your patio in the summer; you'll always have a place in my heart any season. read more

So I had a groupon voucher that was expiring soon, so I decided to make good use of it. This place is known for their yellow victorian home and is split between a cafe on the right and the fine dine on the left. We sat inside the dining area for this occasion. We sat by where the running little falls were against the tree wall. You hear the nice pleasant flow of water pouring down. One thing about fine dine I DO NOT like is the darkness! Its hard to see the menu and also the dish that is presented to you. We presented the voucher to our server Walter and he handed us a pre-fixed groupon selection. For starters we got the beet salad and roasted bone marrow. Ontario beets walnut crusted chèvre croquettes / field lettuce / pickled fennel /maple tarragon vinaigrette - I thought the size for this is quite small, but then again it is a salad. - I enjoyed the oven cooked cheese round balls. - Not a big fan of arugula. Beets are new to me and I hear its healthy. Wild mushrooms and Marrow garbanzo purée / roast garlic / lemon frisée / house crostini - First time trying bone marrow and it was a hit n miss for most ppl. For us, its a 'HIT'. Its like consuming melted fat. You pick it in between the bone and the flavour is really there. Two bones to enjoy the slitter meat fat in between. Mains we got the Ontario Lamb Shank and ltsumo Tuna. Ontario lamb shank ancho braised / northern bean tomato ragout / lamb sausage / garlic chips - This was a good size drum stick meat. It was very tender and a bit fatty at the same time. My gf enjoyed it very much. I enjoyed it. - Didn't like the bean tomato ragout. Itsumo Tuna purple potatoes / edamame / kumato tomatoes / Sriracha emulsion / soy glaze - Cooked right at medium rare tuna. Really enjoyable but only two rectangular pieces. - Noticed the purple potatoes and the kumato tomatoes. - Didn't really taste the sriracha, but did taste the soy glaze. - edamame beans were a few. Desserts we got the churros and dark warm chocolate cake. chocolate dark warm chocolate cake / vanilla ice cream / lime marshmallow white chocolate pistachio lollipop / raspberry sauce - hockey puck size of gooey chocolate flowing out as you cut it in the middle. Goes well with vanilla ice cream. Didn't really like the lollipop marshmallow. churros Spanish donuts finished in cinnamon and sugar /chocolate chili / cajeta - Its alright. Not that impressive. I also got a mixed non-alcoholic beverage that had grapefruit, orange juice, pineapple and ginger beer. It was quite tasty. Overall this place gets a solid 4/5. Service was attentive and good. Food was good. Atmosphere was good. Just a little too dark for me. Only has one stall in the bathroom for men in the cafe area which is kind of sad. =( After the groupon discount with tax and tip, I still shelled out an additional $35 for the dining experience. read more

We got this Groupon for a set 3 course meal so we gave it a try. There were other tables around us enjoying the same deal so we were not the only ones. They had quite a selection of dishes between the appetizer, main and desserts - similar to Winterlicious but extended version. For appetizer, I picked the chowder - bay scallop / conch / celeriac / vintage cheddar crouton / Sriracha oil. I was expecting a creamy soup like the clam chowder but it was not, not as creamy, not that many pieces of seafood and not that much flavour. I like the cheddar crouton, it was very cheesy. I think I should have gone with the mushroom and marrow instead. For the main, I had the Cornish hen stuffed with winter squash - topped with polenta / vintage cheddar / wild mushrooms / golden pearl onions / sauce Périgueux. This was amazingly delicious. The chicken was tender and moist with the squash stuffing and the skin was full of different spices that makes it more tasty. And the polenta was a good side - mellow taste + the crispy chicken. I licked the plate clean! I was pretty full by then but there is always room for dessert! I got the churros - Spanish donuts finished in cinnamon and sugar /chocolate chili / cajeta. It was good because it wasn't too heavy. I like the cajeta sauce which is a sweeten caramelized milk. I prefer that over the chocolate sauce. Overall, it was a pretty good meal and good price. Hope they will have this deal again later. read more

Everything was quite average. We were there for Winterlicious 2014 and expected a lot since this restaurant is well known and in the heart of Yorkville. The staff seemed novice; like they all had part-time jobs. This was clearly not a place where professional waitstaff were employed. Our waitress was friendly but her knowledge of the menu was lacking. I was served an appetizer with an ingredient I did not like (which she knew) and both her and the manager were unaware the ingredient existed in it. I even specifically asked both of them. I unfortunately had to send it back. Our appetizers were almost thrown at us by the wait staff. I had to move my food back to where it originally sat on the plate. Our desserts took forever to come and we were not asked about tea or coffee. It was a lackluster night with very average service and food. I would not recommend Sassafraz. read more

My first winterlicious review! What can I say, this place is real amazing. The four of us came ten minutes before the reservation time, and we were seated right away. Our waitress was nice and attentive, but she made a mistake in one of our orders. Nevertheless, we were quickly given the right dish so it was pretty decent service we got. I got the smoked salmon and farro, bison short rib papparadelle and the banana custard tartlet. All these dishes were done very well! For the appetizer, the salmon was so fresh and had a lot of flavours. It complemented the farro really well, along with the nuts, I think it added an earthier taste into the dish. I could eat this all day. The bison papparadelle was really rich and savoury. I personally prefer less heavy dishes but it was definitely delicious anyways. The slight acidity in the cherry tomatoes gave the entree a good balance. I like the bison too, it was soft and tender, and paired well with the pasta. Finally, the banana custard tartlet was such an experience! I loved it, because it tasted so light yet had great contrast in textures. The tart shell was hard but not dense, it was delicate and had a nice crunch to it. I liked how the banana filling didn't taste artificial at all, in fact the natural sweetness of the fruit really shined through the dessert. The plating of the tartlet was beautiful as well. Probably my favourite part of the meal, but I do have a major sweet tooth so... I enjoyed this restaurant a lot! I'm thinking I should come back here soon! Glad I got to try it out with the winterlicious event. read more

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My mom was in town visiting for the week and I had planned a mixture of meals out - Toronto restaurants that I love and ones I had been waiting to try. I work in Yorkville and had dined often at Le Societe, Cafe Nervosa and Ciao but had not yet tried Sassafraz. I will not be returning. It was Wednesday evening after work and not terribly busy yet. We were seated at the end table on the patio....and then forgotten for 20 minutes. The table next to us had their order taken, the table behind us (that arrived at the same time as we did) had their order taken. We were ignored. No water, no bread, no beverages offered. Was it how we were dressed? The couple being fauned over next to us were obviously wealthy (you know the type - bombastic alpha male with the "woman of a certain age" that has obviously been remade). But then..I was in a well made suit accompanied by a casually dressed person obviously my mother. Anyway..after our drink and food orders were taken: Food: Shared the Tomato salad. Avocado puree, fresh tomatoes, goat cheese mousse - DELICIOUS and couldn't wait for our mains Capellini pasta that was described with so much flavour in the menu (roasted garlic, fresh basil, fresh tomato, burrata). Bland bland BLAND. It tasted like mashed tomatoes with no hint of seasoning let alone roasted garlic or fresh basil. Cornish Hen - flavourless, bland corn puree (reminiscent of canned creamed corn) (which could be forgiven because it was served with "grilled pepper & scallion salad" - but NO, it was mushy, unappealing peppers) and burned potato & chorizo rosti. Did we want dessert? Forget it - we'd been there almost two hours already and had enough. We went over to the next avenue for homemade icecream. Will I return for work or pleasure given my close proximity? Not a chance. I'd rather pay the same prices for the restaurants mentioned at the outset. read more

Me and my mom went to Sassafraz for lunch when she was in town. It was a beautiful day, and we sat on the cafe side, with all of the windows open. It felt like we were sitting outside, without having to sit on the street! We had great service the entire time, and didn't feel rushed at all. On top of the atmosphere being perfect for a ladies lunch, we both really enjoyed our food. I had the fish tacos, which were super fresh. I loved how the fish was pan fried rather than deep fried. My mom had the red Thai curry. She really enjoyed it, and it looked like it had tons of fresh veggies. We also ordered a side of fries, which was exactly what we needed. The fries could have been a bit more crisp for my liking, but we're still good. We will definitely be back for our next lunch! read more

We had dinner at the Cafe/Bistro. Great cozy ambience; much more welcoming than the main dining room which seemed really stuffy We shared a few dishes: - Mussels: Great flavor and juicy mussels. Generous portions - Mac & Cheese: small portion, not very tasty. Lacking in crust (breadcrumbs). $18 for it? Crazy - Fries: Tasty and well-seasoned I also got the French Onion Soup which was very tasty, but at $13, way too pricy, eh? It was more like a $8 onion soup...definitely over-priced Overall, great ambience and tasty food, but many items were completely overpriced and not worth it read more

Absolutely perfect! What a great way to spend the first night of my first visit to Toronto. Talked to some locals. Server was a perfectionist. He made the experience fantabulous. Apparently Howie Mandel walked by a couple times. I saw the back of his head both times. Perfect location, great vibe. We sat outside, but when I used the perfectly decorated restroom, I discovered the piano bar inside! We ordered the trio creme brulee, red wine and a latte. It was amazing. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

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I came here for dinner on the last day of Summerlicious. Although this restaurant is in Yorkville, I did not get any judgmental and pretentious vibe from waiters. The service was actually quite friendly for our large group of young adults. The grilled octopus starter I would not bother trying again, but the pate was not only delicious but there was an entire bowl of it, enough to go around. Lamb meatballs were also cooked nicely. Mains we tried were the tenderloin, duck breast and hen. All were equally excellent in terms of taste and presentation. The only qualm I had with the meal was the dessert. None of the frozen yogurt, chocolate cake, or cheese plate were a satisfying end to the meal. There were also 2 summerlicious drinks - sangria and iced tea. The sangria consisted of rose (i think), malibu rum, watermelon lemonade, and fruits - I thought the watermelon lemonade sounded refreshing but it just ended up tasting like a normal light sangria, although I wouldn't mind having a pitcher of it anyway. read more

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Had an early Sunday diner here a few weeks ago. Food/Drinks (4/5) - dozen oysters (small japanese) - Risotto - Scallops - Mojito - gewurz zinck wine Service (3.5/5) Price (3/5) Ambiance (4/5) read more

Everything from the food, the service and the atmosphere at Sassafraz is impressive. They indoor decor is very nice and they have a great patio as well. I've dined here a few times and attended a Christmas party once. On all occasions, I left very impressed. Definitely recommend Sassafraz. read more

If you're into overpriced food and poor service during winter/summerlicious this is the spot. They are overplayed and need a refresh. Food quality and portion is fair, needs update to be more welcoming. 3.25/5* read more

This is a limited review-I was here for an event and not for a meal. Suppose I'll have to go back to eat. The things I put myself through for Yelp! My friend Susan and I were going to a work party that started at 7.30pm. I'm not sure exactly what time we eventually tottered up to the door-maybe 8.30pm. It had taken me way too long to do my hair and she had a wardrobe emergency. I also still have a tendency to work on "Irish time" where 7.30pm means 9pm at the earliest. Anyway, we entered and asked the maitre d where to go. He beamed and started to lead us in the right direction-but also managed to tell us we were late in a semi-scolding manner. I think he may have been joking? The function room upstairs is medium-sized and airy. Smiling staff came through offering hors d'oeuvres. I wasn't that hungry but they were so friendly that it seemed rude to refuse. They were very tasty! I particularly liked the duck and pear. Mmmm. The bar staff were similarly lovely and incredibly patient with a crowd that rapidly became rather tipsy thanks to drinks vouchers. They managed to keep beaming. I maintain that they were generous with their pours too. I need to explain my dancing later in the night somehow! . A nice plus was the huge TV on the wall which was set up for presentations-we got to see a movie that had been put together for the occasion. The bathrooms were spotless and seemed to be only for the room. There were no lines! Based on this experience I will definitely be back to have a sit-down meal. I'll be on time though! read more

I only went to Sassafraz once, that was during Winterlicious of this year (yikes- I am a little late?) There was 7 in our group and we decided as a work outting to go to sassafraz as our Winterlicious choice. Location: Great, very cozy feel and the restaurant itself was nicely decorated and had an intimate feel to it. Service: I've experienced better. As a previous server, I expect a lot as I know what good service is and I felt rushed more than anything. The waiters were extremely nice but our main waiter got the bills all mixed up (drinks and food not matching the correct person) and often times I noticed staff was hovering over us to remove our plates. At one point, a waiter grabbed someones plate and they weren't even done and they had to tell them "I'm not finished yet". The worst part of our experience? The Manager told us (only 5 minutes after we paid) that we had to go as it was extremely busy due to winterlicious and another group was waiting for our table. I understand it is a very busy time for them, but you do not rush people out the door literally 5 minutes after they paid. We weren't planning on staying there that long after we paid anyway (just trying to finish our drinks, is that okay sir?) Not to mention, our table alone spent over $600.00. We didn't just order off the winterlicious menu, we had bottles of wine, drinks, etc. For this very reason, I will never return. Food: Presentation was fantastic, portion size was reasonable. I had the Quebec Brie to start, great starter size and it was delicious. It had the right amount of of flake to cheese ratio. It was a great salty/sweet treat. I had the cornish hen and polenta as my entree, the polenta was delicious and the cornish hen was not so bad. And finally to finish I had a chocolate lava cake for dessert with a candied lolipop with ice cream. Ice cream and candied lolipop was ok- the cake was awful. Not even sure if it was cooked properly- something was missing. Huge disappointment. Overall, would not go back- if the food tickled my taste buds more- I would perhaps give it a second try, but it didn't. read more

The Sassafraz Burger and Fries were delicious, even according to my picky wife (she's tough to please in a resturant). Great service which included accomodating my 11 month old son with a high chair, stashing his stroller, and warming up his bottle. We will be back! --Chris read more

Came here with my family for Summerlicious. Good menu. Fast service for Summerlicious... I got the gazpacho as an appetizer, tasted kind of like eating cold salsa from a bowl. My Mom had the tomato salad, which was okay, could have made that at home quite easily but I do understand that the Summerlicious menu is often easier than a regular one. I got the asiago mushroom penne, very cheesy, good portion of mushrooms; which I liked. I had the panacotta for dessert which was delicious. Overall it was alright. Wouldn't return to pay full prices for it. Maybe Summerlicious isnt the best time to try the place, but I came here in the Fall 2013 and it was better then. read more

Sassafraz - pineapple panacotta - French Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Came here on a Friday for summerlicious dinner Order a pitcher of rose sangria, by far the worst drink I've ever had. Had grilled octopus - which was previously boiled until soft and then placed back on the grill, and by soft I mean like you barley had to chew, kinda like baby food. Duck breast was nicely cook but you get two tiny little piece maybe half of a duck breast. Protein is small or course everything else on the plate is tiny as well lol. The sauce was really good as well. I pretty much got full from eating bread and water. Got the dark chocolate cake was extreme sweet probably due to the ganache. I have a sweet tooth and I did not finish cake. I noticed that all 3 of my plates was pretty dirty with water and grease mark. Service was pretty slow as well. read more

Been here about a dozen times. Fell in LOVE with the Cornish hen and cheesy polenta & not to mention the live music and wine! The food is nicely presented, portions are well sized. This place is better enjoyed with a group over aps and cocktails. One of the main issues is with the service: Incredibly long wait at times in between courses, dinner completion might take up to two hours. Personally, I'd stick to the dinner menu as breakfast and lunch items are quite limited; also the cheese plate isn't anything special. Average price around $75 per person. read more

It's surprising sometimes how hyped up restaurants get. I would not recommend Sassafraz; been here once at the bar for drinks which was fine, but went here for dinner the other week and certainly will not return. The food is mediocre at best. Girlfriend and I ordered several appetizers to share (the ceviche was not really good - would recommend the Ceviche at Mira instead, the fries came out burnt - how could you screw up fries, beef tartare had too much vinegar or some dressing on it so the taste was not ideal, the fish tacos are made with salmon which tasted mediocre at best - first time I had fish tacos with salmon by the way so I wish they would have mentioned on the menu that the fish tacos are with salmon, and the cavatelli pasta tasted like I could have cooked it and by no means can I cook). To top it off, I ordered the bottle of Caymus 2015. When our waiter brought it out I noticed it was 2016. I politely mentioned it before he uncorked it and his response was "sometimes we run out of a vintage". Okay....could you not have mentioned that first? Why did you wait for the customer to point that out? So no, I would not recommend Sassafraz. read more

You can probably get better food elsewhere for less money. What Sassafraz has going for it is location. It's located in Yorkville. The crowd is slightly older (because most 20 something year olds just can't drop $300 on a meal). The decor is like upscale Rainforest Café with a wall of cascading water and some greenery. The rest of the restaurant is mostly white and beige. A clean look. If you stay until 9PM they usually have a live pianist on weekends. Like most Yorkville restaurants on a Friday it is LOUDDDDDDDDDDDDD in here. So if you want to have a private conversation about that married man you just started seeing, this is not the restaurant to have that discussion. THE FOOD: I started with a Wild Boar and Red Currant Terrine which was served with house flat bread, pearl onion confit and pickled grapes. I loved the acidity of the pickled grapes. And it was more like a one-onion confit. My sister had the Tempura (calamari + octopus) which had a nice and light batter. For our mains I opted for the Pan-Seared Scallops which had the potential of being good were the scallops not overcooked and drowned out in a purée of dessert-like sweetness that was butternut squash AND apricots. This dish definitely lacked balance. My sister opted for the 10oz Striploin which came with fingerling potatoes and sautéed kale. The steak was good but nothing special. Desserts were disappointing. I dared to order churros (they call it donuts on the menu) which came with a duo of dulce de leche and chocolate chili sauce. If you've ever been to Pancho's Bakery in Kensington, you will know why ordering a churros anywhere else will leave you disappointed. And yes, I was disappointed in the 3 large, giant sticks of hardness that were presented before me. The only thing I finished were the spoonfuls of dulce de leche. My sister's Trio of Creme Brulees consisted of: Maple + Ginger Crisp, Bailey's with Peppermint Crunch and Oreo Crumble. These came in mini "condiment dishes." Texture was bang on but the only one that really had identifiable flavour was the maple + ginger crisp. The two things that I will remember most about coming to Sassafraz are the good service and great wine. read more

Great service and TINY portions !! Their food was overpriced and their drink menu was nothing fancy. Just the usual. For such a large bill, we barely got any food. Which we came in for a celebration and still left the restaurant pretty disappointed. read more

The best thing about Sassafraz is that it's close to the office. I can't think of other reasons why I keep coming back. The food is OK but not great. The decor is impressive but borderline ostentatious. And since I seem to have spontaneously lost the ability to write in paragraphs - or form proper sentences for that matter, here is the rest of the review in point form: 1. I find Sea scallops to be a great litmus test. The first time I tried them here, they were overcooked and chewy. The second time I ordered them, they tasted like balls of butter - the seasoning completely overpowered any of the delicate taste of fresh sea scallops. 2. On one particular visit, I couldn't help but ask myself: what is up with all the parsley garnish. Really. Where is all this parsley coming from? Why is it on all the dishes? I think this was an isolated incident, an experiment gone terribly, terribly wrong, as it hasn't happened on other visits. 3. Molecular foam. Am I the only one that's ready for this fad to blow over? 4. For better or worse, you're gonna get the Yorkville crowd in here. 5. The bad ass mojito has a nice kick. Reservations: Day of. Short, if any, wait for walk-ins. The Damage: ~$60pp, pre-tax,tip,drinks. Extra tid-bit: the dining room has a stunning 2-storey waterfall as the backdrop read more

Service was great from start to finish. We made reservations going here with a Groupon my mom purchased for a party of 4 which included a 3 course meal (starter, entree, dessert). Our waiter (I think his name was Mufasa) was excellent attentive and funny at the same time. Very interactive and made our dinner enjoyable. Atmosphere was relaxing .. our reso was for 5pm and we were there till 7ish. It started to get really packed around this time towards the end of our meal. I don't have anything else to say but keep up the good work with the attentive service. We had a great experience here and would come back again to try then regular menu. read more

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Not a lot of curb appeal despite being in Yorkville. But the interior is quite beautiful, complete with an indoor wall waterfall under a skylight. Actually visited this place during Summerlicious (sorry for super late review). Was anticipating great things but was quite disappointed. The menu was very Asian inspired, I thought it was a French restaurant. Not sure if the regular menu is usually more French? Just everything seemed mediocre to me. The salmon and with noodle dish was too salty. And the dessert just didn't cut it for me at all. read more

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Attended a private party of 75 people.Great vibe,Great space. Not a fan of the food. Restaurant lives by its location and decor. read more

Came with a large group, and had a private upstairs room. The decor downstairs is awesome, and the upstairs is a little bit of a let down after walking through the downstairs. It's still nice though, and you get a good view of two side streets, which is fun for people watching. The food was pretty good, though for the price I was expecting something a little more memorable, but that's probably because we had a fixed menu. I bet ordering off the real menu would make a big difference. The wine list is great. The service was the best I've had in ages. It was service the way I wish all service was. Bottom line, go here, and for a group of 8-10, ask for the little balcony over looking the waterfall. So fun! read more

We use to come here a lot, but sadly the quality of the food seems to be getting worse. Ordered the Tenderloin and it was over cooked, sent it back and it came back pretty much the same. The meat was very tough, which was odd for a tenderloin. The potatoes were so hard it was almost impossible to chew. Usually when a restaurant messes up your meal (I pretty much ate my meal after everyone at my table had finished theirs) they try to make it up. This restaurant or management didn't do a thing about it - very poor service! It gets 2 stars for its ambience and it's relatively easy to get reservations (but that should say something in and of itself...) read more

Went there on a date on a Saturday night - service level - excellent - ambience - excellent - they had piano playing and it was very romantic - a good place to chat, relax, and enjoy your meal - food - very good in my opinion - i think they taste even better with the soft piano music in the background, which i really loved... - price point - ok for the portion, quality, and ambience I really liked the color scheme, and decor in there - very stylish! I find it modern and calming. I would certainly recommend this place for special occasions or a get together with friends to splurge and relax for a meal out. I would go back there for sure. read more

Came here tonight with a Groupon deal for a small pre-birthday dinner with my boyfriend. I've always wanted to try Sassafraz since it is a Toronto icon known for being a celebrity hotspot when TIFF used to take place in Yorkville. I made the reservation on OpenTable. No one phoned to confirm the reservation beforehand. When we arrived, the hostess quickly found our reservation and asked if we were using Groupon and seated us without any problems. For the whole evening, service from the hostess to the server to the busboys were very courteous and non-intrusive. I've read on Yelp lots of rave reviews about the ambiance -- the two story waterfall, etc -- but I found the restaurant to be just OK. I did not think the setting was particularly beautiful nor the atmosphere very romantic. I would have preferred dimmer lighting for dinner. The furnishing was modern-ish and minimalist-ish. I find it similar to the inside of Nota Bene. The dining room was large with no nooks or crannies so it did not have an intimate feel. The boyfriend found it a bit on the noisy side. For appetizer, we had wild mushroom and marrow and chowder. I loved the mushrooms which were very tasty on a crostini. The marrow that came with the dish was ok. The mains were beef flank steak and tuna. The steak was tender and nicely cooked. Unfortunately the outer seared part of the tuna was a bit hard and lukewarm. We had chocolate cake and some kind of pineapple dessert. They tasted like standard banquet hall fare, nothing special. Overall I felt the quality of the food and the overall dining experience was worth the Groupon value I paid but no more. I can see myself going back to Sassafraz perhaps in the summer for a drink on the patio (just because it's so nice to relax and hang out in Yorkville on a weekend afternoon in the summer) but I would not return for dinner. The food is simply too average and there are too many other great restaurants in the city. read more

Went during a corporate event. Food could have been better but then again they had to cook for the masses. Not memorable. read more

My wife and I visited this restaurant this past week via a Groupon gift. We were seated promptly on arrival (surprised how busy it was for a Monday at 5:00pm) and were immediately looked after by our server Anthony. Upon Anthony's suggestion we went with the French Martini for cocktails and decided on an extra order of the herb frites to go with it. Very nice. We followed with an enjoyable watercress salad each and then went to our mains. My Ontario lamb shank in beans was most enjoyable - my wife went with the flank steak medium-well done and she let me have a taste. As much as I enjoyed the lamb, if I had to do it over again, I'd go flank steak. A bottle of French Pinot Noir went well with each. For desert we went with the pineapple treat (refreshing) and coffee (tasty and rich), with a cognac as a digestive for moi. From the moment we entered to the moment we left (exactly two hours) we had one of the most enjoyable experiences we have ever had in a Toronto fine dining establishment. The entire staff behaved in a most efficient and professional manner, with special kudos to Anthony. The setting was elegant, with an inviting ambience. Even though some may think of this as one of those elitist/snobbish Yorkville spots, we noted a wide array of people of different ages and backgrounds, all being given the same first class treatment by the entire staff and management. Needless to say, highly recommended. read more

Fine dining at a landmark restaurant. Very good service as expected. We had the lamb shank and OX. Absolutely finger licking good.

I went to Sassafraz for Summerliscious with my wife. We had a lovely seat by the open windows looking out onto the street. On a hot day this was a prime place to sit with the breeze coming through. I ordered the Gazpacho soup to start. The danger with any gazpacho is that it can taste like cold marinara sauce. This wasn't the case. I was suitably impressed with the balance of flavours. I could taste everything - the tomato, the basil, the lemon, the hint of garlic and onion - all without being overpowered by any one flavour. It came with an avocado mousse that really was more of a garnish, but was delicious in and of itself. My wife ordered the scallops with chorizo, fingerling potatoes and cauliflower. The textures were what made this dish. Plump scallops, and juicy chorizo contrasted the crisp potatoes, and firm cauliflower. For entree I had the braised beef short ribs with parsnip puree. I could have eaten this dish with a spoon they were so tender and the slightly bitter rappini raised the complexity of the dish. My wife had the salmon with ginger broth. The salmon had a delicious soy/honey glaze that had crisped the outside, and was still pink inside. The broth was surprisingly delicate. I was worried that the ginger would be overpowering but this wasn't the case. I kept dipping my spoon in to see what flavours I could taste. The only thing that stops me giving a five star, were the desserts. I don;t know what was going on in the kitchen for when they came out my chocolate torte looked like it had been left out uncovered in the fridge all night and my wife's cheesecake had a shard of un-tempered chocolate drooping sadly from the middle of the driest cheesecake I had seen for a while. I have had better frozen from the supermarket. I can only conclude that they had left the apprentice to make these. Despite the standard dropping at the end it was, on the whole, a delightful meal. Highly recommended. read more

Such an amazing experience even with a groupon deal! My sever was so knowledgeable with wine pairing and suggestions. Overall a phenomenal date with my mum. read more

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This is a great place to dine at to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or any special occasion. For a Yorkville restaurant, it is one of the most spacious and the service here is usually quite impeccable. Of the few times I have been here, everything has been smooth sailing but on my latest meal here, the waiter and waitresses knocked over my glass of water TWICE. Luckily I caught the glass before it was completely knocked over. I just take this as an odd occurrence. As for the food, it has always been savoury and full of flavour. The butternut squash soup was made quite well but could have just used a touch more flavour. The steak was cooked perfectly to order and spilling with juices. The salmon was cooked well with a slight crisp side. The dessert was nothing spectacular but I have to say that it wasn't too heavy as some places tend to have. Overall, this is a good place for a dinner date, especially with larger groups. Food: 8/10 Service: 8/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 read more

I love love this place! Everything on the menu is fresh and tastes so great! Even just their frites, their so delicious and to die for! Their patio is cute too, it's nice to just have your lunch/dinner or just afternoon drinks with your friends. And right now, their glasses of wine are half price with any appetizer or main course. The prices there are reasonable as well especially with the amount of food you get. read more

Sassafraz - French Near Me - Toronto, Ontario