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

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 visited Sassafraz last night as part of their Summerlicious promotion. After reading a couple of other Summerlicious @ Sassafraz reviews below, I was a bit skeptical so I admit that I went to the restaurant with low expectations. Perhaps it was because I wasn't expecting much that I was pleasantly surprised at the experience and the food. The hostesses were extremely friendly and our waiter was both attentive and polite. Contrary to what a few other commenters have said, I actually found the portions to be generous. I had the creole shrimp and grit cake to start, and there were at least five huge shrimp on the plate. With an extra side, this could have been a meal in itself! For my entrée I had the pork chop with mashed potatoes and collard greens. The pork chop was HUGE and I found myself unable to finish it. (This is shocking because I have a talent for eating.) As something of a mashed potato fiend, I was a little disappointed with their offering but the collard greens were well-cooked and tasty. I ended the meal with the cheese plate with flatbreads and fruit. Though the cheese was delicious (and award-winning according to the menu!) I found myself wishing I had gotten a "real" dessert instead. I had a bite of each of the other desserts: the blueberry tartlet, and the cherry "soup" with chocolate mousse. I would highly recommend the cherry soup and mousse. It had some kind of crunchy bits on top that were so tasty! All in all, I enjoyed the experience. The food was delicious and I liked the décor and ambiance at the restaurant. I would definitely recommend the Licious experience at Sassafraz to others. read more

I didn't find the food to be anything special... I absolutely loved the atmosphere of the restaurant, my friend booked a table right by the manmade water fall they have in doors, it was beautiful! read more

My fiancé and I came to Sassafraz for our 10 year dating anniversary and couldn't have been happier with the experience. The location is fantastic and the atmosphere is so welcoming and effortlessly alluring, with the water running down the back wall, big ceiling windows and plants. It made a bitter cold and grey day, seem so much warmer and bright, once inside. I went with a early reservation as we had tickets to Second City that night and we didn't want to rush dinner. I was quite literally the first person in the dining room for dinner and the staff was great. They came over to talk to me without hovering and made sure I had a glass of wine while I waited. Dinner was amazing! We had the Brown Sugar Pork Belly to start which were great, nothing too crazy, but a decent pick. My fiancé had the Ontario Crab & Corn Chowder, which he said was one of the best soups he had ever had and still talks about it, weeks later. We both had wine to start and then moved to cocktails - I had the French 75, one of my favorite cocktails and he had the Southern Gentleman, both were wonderfully made. For dinner, I had the beef tenderloin and he had the veal chop. My meal was out of this world good. I literally ate every last drop of food on my plate, it was to die for. I got it cooked Med Rare and it was literal perfection on a plate. My fiancés food was delicious as well and he absolutely loved it. He did try mine and he said mine was better than his, since mine was out of this world and his was just really good (like that's a bad thing- its not). We actually enjoyed our steaks so much, we told all of our steak loving friends and family this was worthy of a visit. We ended the meal with a flourless chocolate cake with chocolate house made ice cream. Neither of us care for dessert and we finished it all, it was that good. So what I'm saying here is, make yourself a reservation at Sassafraz and go enjoy some really good food, atmosphere and service. I highly recommend taking your time there and trying something from every course since they have so many great offerings. I will definitely be back! read more

We took over Sassafraz for our rehearsal dinner in August. We were 150 out of towners and everything was perfect. Food was excellent, service was outstanding and location was absolutely perfect. We planned this entire evening from 2000 miles away and the restaurant was so accommodating I highly recommend read more

One of my favourite restaurants in Yorkville. Great food and drinks. Patio is great for people watching. read more

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My main appeal for this place is the location and ambiance. Truly in the heart of Yorkville, Sassafraz is surrounded by trendy shops and restaurants in Toronto's most posh neighbourhood. We stopped in for some drinks and small bites on a Thursday night, taking a table up on the sidewalk patio. It was cozy and not busy - which was great. I assume that the happy hour / Thursday crowd likely had thinned out from earlier in the afternoon/evening already. Service was a bit sparse at times, but the waiter was polite and attentive (when present). I had a couple of the barrel aged vodka Manhattan (martinis) while she had the gimlet. We munched on an order of frites and baby kale and honeydew salad. Both tasted great. All in all - a trendy place to hang out, people watch, and have a good time. read more

Sassafraz is my favourite brunch spot in Yorkville. The dining room is bright and airy. Service is top notch and the brunch menu is reasonably priced. You can usually get a reservation day of which is great because most other brunch spots are lined up to the door on weekends. read more

Very classy and upscale, given that it is situated in Yorkville. The food was absolutely delicious and the staff were very professional and accommodating. Will go there again when I can afford it. read more

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I was here for Brunch on Valentine's Day. My boyfriend ordered roses from a 3rd party, and the hostess delivered it to our table. I'm happy they offered that service, but I am a bit disappointed because my boyfriend had requested to have them delivered to our table at the end. Brunch menu was a bit limited in my opinion. The blue cheese was delicious, the fresh bread was to die for! (Mouth watering as I type). The main course was okay. Ambience is nice. My only other complaint is that we were next to the corner booth - thank goodness we weren't stuck there because the tables were jam packed so tightly. I had higher expectations of this place but I left with a content restaurant experience, but a great overall Valentine's Day. read more

I came here for Summerlicious. The restaurant was very cute; painted a soft yellow, the building really stood out amongst the neighbouring brick walls. Inside, the decor was minimalist and clean. At night, the restaurant feels very cozy and intimate because of the dim candle lighting. The restaurant is separated into 2 sides; the side where the entrance is houses the bar, so this section is a bit noisier with the increased foot traffic and louder music. The other side however, is much more calm. I had the grilled calamari to start. There were 4 or 5 pieces on my plate, so I thought it was a pretty decent portion. The calamari was tender, and seasoned very well; I was almost embarrassed at how fast it flew off my plate (and into my tummy). For my entree, I had the seared diver scallops. The scallops (3) were seared perfectly; they had great colour and weren't rubbery at all. I also really enjoyed the other elements in the dish despite not knowing what the hell I was eating (the online Summerlicious menu doesn't seem to match what I had last night). The mystery broth was delicious, the lentil/rice/grains in it was equally delicious, and the tiny, crunchy baby asparagus-like things added some texture and colour. Dessert was alright; I had the chocolate torte. It was dense and rich. Nothing to write home about. The service was A++. My boyfriend reserved a table online and made a request for the "most romantic table in the restaurant" and they definitely delivered; they gave us one of two corner booths at the back of the restaurant under the garden wall/waterfall. Definitely romantic. The wait staff were efficient and courteous and provided excellent service. I will most likely come back for their regular menu. read more

Used a Groupon for two for a 3 coarse meal. The service was excellent and I really enjoyed the food. I ordered the steak and lobster bites. Both dishes were delicious except I ordered my steak medium rare but it was more medium. It still tasted really good as they placed a melted butter on it and the outside was charred. For dessert I got the chocolate mouse which came with a passion fruit sauce, a custard sauce and placed on top of a butter like cookie. It was tastey especially with the hint of lemon and basil. My husband got the escargots, it was so creamy and filled with meaty bits. It was alot of filling. He ordered the Cornish hen which I didn't taste but said was bland in comparison to my steak. He got the maple beignets, filled with custard and a sauce around it. Yummm. My husband also got a whiskey drink with ginger beer and grapefruit juice. I actually took it for myself after a sip. The service was really great. I've had experience with Groupon and the service being really bad because of it. But they were all helpful. I actually ordered a shrimp dish and changed my ordered to the steak and the waiter said it was no problem. I'd go back again. Their charcuterie board looked good with a glass of wine after work one day. The decor is beautiful. Love the green wall and water feature. read more

Sassafraz - Lobster bite - groupon menu - French Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Such a yummy place to eat in yorkville ! They have the best risotto in Toronto hands downnn !

Great summer patio. I like going for brunch in the winter sometimes, but really it's all about the summer patio. This is where you go for people watching 100%. The service is pretty good and as far as the swank value, it's pretty affordable. I like the nicoise, but that's kinda a standard for me. This is a great place for an after work drink. read more

Service: A server came to give us bread 10 mins after we sat down but we had to wait another 10 mins before our server asked us which water we wanted. I felt so ignored, generally the service level was disappointing especially for a restaurant of this class. Food: the pasta, couscous and steak were all average. Salmon was nicely cooked but crust was slightly too salty. Interior: very nice, French style with a waterfall. The best part was the environment; food was average and service was a letdown. read more

Tried this place for the first time on Monday, pretty fancy. Large couches, nice tables. Pretty much exactly what you'd expect from a French restaurant in Yorkville. I met a friend for tea here, it was nice, but nothing special. They had a grand piano in the main dining room, unfortunately no one was playing it, maybe it was just for show. I'm generally a huge fan of places that have live music (especially piano), but maybe I'd have to come back another night. If you're looking for a place to grab a tea/coffee like I was, I wouldn't recommend it, but perhaps the food is good enough to justify it for dinner! read more

Sassafraz used to be my favourite brunch place, I got the eggs Benedict with spinach instead of ham. I went back recently for my usual and it was a COMPLETELY different experience! The spinach was just tossed onto the bun, it had bland dry roasted potatoes and barely any hollandaise sauce. Very disappointed, and definitely not coming back! Went for lunch also, very bland and expensive. All the food is things you could make at home for half the price, nothing special. read more

The first time I came here I was walking by and I thought the restaurant looked really cute so I wanted to try it. I was pleasantly surprised at how good the food was. Was it as good as some of the higher end restaurants I've tried in France? No, but it was an interesting mix of French/Canadian cuisine that delivered consistently delicious food. Service is always excellent here. The servers are always so nice and helpful, not at all pretentious. Atmosphere is relaxed and the space is really lovely. I usually get seated in the back near the waterfall which I think is really pretty. I've never been here for Summerlicious so I can't speak to that menu but I highly recommend going any other time so its not as crowded. I've never had a bad experience here and I recommend it to friends all the time. It's a nice place to take a date or a bunch of girls for lunch. read more

It's a nice place to go to for a special occasion! Their plates were fairly portioned and I love their menu selection. I tried this place for summer Lucius the first time and they've made a positive impression for me to return again for my birthday. read more

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Great ambience and amazing food ! Went with my friend for summerlicious lunch. Ordered scallops, beef short ribs and chocolate torte. The scallops were perfectly cooked with chorizo. There is a slight kick to this appetizer. The beef was so tender and flavorful. I would highly recommend trying this restaurant for summerlicious. Our sever was very attentive and friendly. read more

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Great ambiance. Great service. Great food!! It all comes with a price that I'm not always willing to pay. It would say I'm a fan and would definitely return, but maybe not on a weekly basis =P Worth checking it out! Live music on the wknds... Ah, that was nice!! read more

Got a Groupon for a 3 course meal for 2. Overall, good food, drinks and service. Good value for getting the Groupon compared to regular price. read more

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It was our friend's birthday dinner. She decided summerlicious & it was wonderful. Service was superb and food tasted amazing. Definitely will return. read more

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Surprisingly, I lucked into an outstanding piece of fish on a bed of black quinoa for lunch. Grilled to perfection, with a lovely Sauvignon to go with it, I have no complaints about the food or the service. Yea! I did sit outside however, and with a lot of construction going on nearby, I decided not to linger for dessert. Never mind: I'll definitely be back! read more

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

This is and has always been our go-to place when visiting Toronto. Food is great, service is always topnotch and the location is perfect. In the summer you can enjoy the patio and in the winter it's a cozy place to watch the world go by. Also love that fact that they allow you to dine on the patio with your puppy! read more

Sassafraz - Dude loves the patio!!! - French Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

First time here, and very impressed. Ambience is comfortable and food was amazing! Props to our server, Marissa, for recommendations on mains and desserts! Definitely will repeat and most certainly do recommend. read more

The environment is perfect, with a very romantic glasses roof. And the drink is fantastic read more

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I've dined here a number of times and it's the location and ambience that sells plus it's history . It's restaurant week so I ordered the special (tuna tartare and the duck which was fine) Only let down was the wine selection was weak and I opted for the cheese platter for dessert which was a total disappointment. Two pieces of cheese that looked identical that has been sitting out for a while . Wait staff looked stretched but were fine and friendly. would probably suggest you look at other places nearby ... read more

Sassafraz is one of the most well known restaurants in Toronto and not even a devastating fire back in 2006 could shut this place down. The restaurant has been home to some of the most lavish parties and is a huge hangout place for many celebrities when they come to visit Toronto from out of town. Their top of line menu and first class chefs make sure that all of their guests are well fed and that only amazing quality food is served at all times. Prior to eating, the usual complimentary finger foods were being served by the waiters and waitresses. There were so many of them that it was actually difficult to keep track of them all. Needless to say, the food was exceptionally good and it sure did not disappoint. In retrospect, it was actually good that they had served us a good handful of appetizers because the dinner meals, albeit good, took a while to arrive. It was almost over an hour after the first soup had arrived before the entrees had begun rolling out. Once we sat down, the first appetizer I decided to go with was their Ontario Asparagus and Potato Soup ($9.00). I apologize again for the not so great looking pictures. The room was very dimly lit and so taking pictures was extra hard that evening. The soup was made to perfection where it was not too watery and not too thick. Sometimes potato soups can come out extra thick and can be difficult to make and consume as a result. However, the chef was spot on for this soup. There were also some pancettas and cheddar added in the middle of the soup which added that extra bit of flavor that made this soup stand out. After a long while, the entrees began to roll out. The first of two was the Soy Glazed Digby Scallops ($21.00). Two rather large pieces of scallops, which were perfectly seared were added with some mini cauliflowers and immersed into a bowl of forbidden rice and dashi broth. Personally, I found the rice part to be just a tad bit salty. I'm not too sure why that was. The presentation however was very good with the dark rice contrasting very well with the scallops and the cauliflower. There were also a couple pieces of samphire which were added to give some extra color as well. The scallops were perfect in taste and in texture as it had that perfect bounce to them. My other main course that I had chosen that evening was the Ontario Beef Artisan Tenderloin ($37.00). Two pieces of 6 ounce striploin beef were carefully placed and surrounded with potatoes, asparagus and spicy collards. Truthfully one could not taste the spiciness at all of the collards. The beef was nicely marinated and had a nice flavor to it. The only thing I found disappointing was that the meat was just a little bit overdone. My colleague sitting next to me had a perfect medium rare piece of meat while mine was actually closer to being well done. Unfortunately that made the meat a little bit more chewier than I would have really liked. Otherwise the tenderloin was not bad at all. Last to arrive was the Milk Chocolate Mousse with some roasted candied almonds. This was a perfect way to end off the evening. The milk chocolate was actually not overly sweet. It was soft, light, creamy and delicious and mixed with the almonds it really tasted pretty good. There was also a touch of olive oil ganache added on the bottom of the plate but overall it was not a very thick or heavy dessert despite the amount of mousse that was presented on the plate. Overall, it was a good evening spent with great people at Sassafraz. I understand that when there are about 50 people at this dinner, that making the food all at once would take time so hence the one hour wait from the soup to the entrees. If the beef tenderloin was just made to my liking, it probably would have scored a pretty close to perfect score. Oddly, none of the waiters despite being there all evening, ever asked whether my tenderloin was good or not. Oh well, what can one do. If one is in the downtown area, do visit one of Toronto's best. The atmosphere is great and who knows, you might run into a celebrity or two. read more

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I went there for lunch for summerlicious. The restaurant looked nice. My friend was there before us & they didn't know where they seated her, kinda weird. Fresh bread was served first which was great since we were hungry!! I got the cesar salad for appetizer & it was not the typical Cesar salad, it had a vinegarette dressing. For main course I ordered the salmon with soba noodles. My friend & I felt weird combination, should have had rice or vegetables with salmon. The salmon was great though. Again the noodles had a vinegarette taste to it. I think the chef has a thing for vinegarette preference...not my cup of tea. For dessert I chose the chocolate cake. It was good & rich. I think two scoops of vanilla ice cream would be better. I liked the fact they wiped the table down before dessert was served, nice touch. I think all restaurants should do that. read more

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nice ambient, liked the waterfall/green space at the back, makes it a nice place to have brunch in the winter. Food is so so, the winterlicious/summerlicious menu are good value, but i would probably not go for regular priced menu. read more

Love love love love love this place! Now we were a bit spoiled because it was a large travel industry event but the food they served is from their regular menu. That zucchini lentil soup is the best soup I have ever had. I can't believe how good that was! All the other food was great too. Also, the wine list is impressive. I can't wait to go back sometime! Great service, lovely ambiance, delicious food. What more do you need?? read more

I've been wanting to try Sassafraz for ages and I've been won over! To begin, the dining room is beautiful with the exposed high glass ceilings and waterfall wall. We ordered the duck pâté and lamb meatballs to start. I thought both appetizers were delicious but the lamb meatballs would be my pick out of the two. As a pasta lover, I really wanted to try the bison parpadelle (maybe next time for lunch,,,) However, I decided to try something new and I am happy to say that it worked out for the better! For the entree, I had the duck breast which was cooked perfectly and worked very well with the brussel sprouts and cauliflower in a delicious sauce. Everything was also plated beautifully which really adds to the experience. For dessert, we opted for the crowd favourite (banana tart) along with the chocolate cake. Honestly, after trying both the desserts, my boyfriend and I agreed that we should have each gotten a banana tart instead because it was that good! Overall, I had a great date night here and am thoroughly impressed that the dinner met all the expectations I had about Sassafraz. read more

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They have a great patio for dining in the summer. It can be considered a place to see or be seen! I came here for lunch and I ate the sablefish. I also had a B52 coffee. Both were made to perfection! I was impressed with the service and the accomodation of the staff. Please be aware that the portion sizes are small to moderate. If you are really hungry, have a snack before you come here. read more

I held my wedding reception here - the food was amazing, the service 1st class and the decorations were beautiful. The staff really made my day run smoothly. I highly recommend sassafraz! read more

This place is continually a great place to dine. While the service is a little quiet and aloof, I actually prefer that so I can enjoy the food and the company. Happy to report that after several years, this is still my preferred date venue. read more

Excellent service from the moment we entered to the time we finished eating. Food portions are perfect and the taste is heavenly. Staff is super accommodating. Loved every second of it. Classy decor and classy selection of food. Good job team Sassafraz! read more

Sassafraz - Cornish hen!! A must have at this place!! - French Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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I went here last summer with my mom she was visiting Toronto from Italy, we set outside and enjoyed the Saturday crowd passing by and showing off cars and dresses on a nice summery early afternoon. We enjoyed our visit, the food was good and not expensive has I thought it would be. Definitely a must try in Yorkville. read more

We've been to Sassafraz a couple of times and both experiences have been great. They have lots of healthy options for brunch and for lunch. Although a little bit expensive, the food is really good. The decor was lovely. The "waterfalls" and plant walls gave it a natural and calm atmosphere. Didn't feel overly cramped and the service was fast and friendly. Another bonus is that they do take reservations which I know is becoming less and less common for more popular spots. read more