My party of four visited during Taste of Oakville, and in hindsight, the evening foreshadowed…read moreitself early -- the restaurant's website was down with a 404 error, and we kept finding two different addresses (one apparently their old location). We eventually found it. Upon arrival, the door swung open and struck a seated guest -- a sign of just how small the space is. The restaurant was full except for one four-top (clearly ours), and we stood awkwardly in the entrance -- which is essentially inside the dining room -- waiting to be acknowledged. When greeted, we were asked if we had a reservation. We said yes. "Table for eight?" we were asked, which felt impossible given the size of the room. We clarified four, and were pointed to the only open table. No name was requested; we realistically could have just walked in and taken it. The space is starkly lit with aggressive bright white lighting that feels more clinical than cozy. The artwork is interesting and gives a gallery-like feel -- it seems the restaurant is aiming for a downtown Toronto wine bar aesthetic, but it doesn't quite land. Our table was missing water glasses, and the stemware was mismatched -- not in an intentional, charming way, but more in a "we ran out" way. Once seated, we weren't acknowledged or offered water for nearly 20 minutes. Not rushing guests is one thing; leaving them feeling forgotten is another. When our server finally arrived, the service set the tone for the evening. One glass of water was poured before he realized another was missing. He disappeared, returned with a glass, inspected it mid-pour, then walked away again (dirty glass). After several more trips and long gaps, everyone eventually received water -- about 15 minutes later. He was polite and friendly, just clearly untrained. He shared that the owner is also the sommelier, cook, and server, and that he liked working there because he wasn't expected to know much about wine -- an interesting admission for a wine bar. The owner greeted us warmly but asked only one guest about wine preferences -- ironically the only non-wine drinker at the table. The concept appeared to be sommelier-led, though this was never explained. If that is the intention, engaging the entire table is essential. That said, the wines themselves were enjoyable; the service surrounding them was not. The Taste of Oakville menu promised three curated 3-oz pours paired with a charcuterie board for two. The pours arrived unevenly and slowly, with little explanation of the pairings. The charcuterie boards were plain and inconsistent between tables despite containing similar items -- basic fruit, crostini, simple cured meats, small portions of brie, and two slices of truffle cheese. No crackers, spreads, or thoughtful touches elevated the experience, and presentation varied noticeably. Our second wine pour didn't arrive until our mains, and service moved so slowly we requested a wine list to order a bottle. We were told there is no wine list -- "we're not that kind of restaurant." Instead, all reds are $80 and all whites $70, and the owner selects the bottle for you after asking only red or white. The concept might work if explained upfront; without context, it was confusing. At one point, noticing my empty glass, our server poured me a random red -- which turned out to be the same wine as our first pour -- and then left without serving anyone else. We had to remind staff we were still waiting for our second curated pour. Nothing about the experience felt curated. The most surprising moment of the night came when our mains arrived. As we lifted our appetizer plates -- still holding olive pits, fruit rinds, and crumbs -- the servers told us not to worry about clearing them and proceeded to place our main dishes directly on top of the used plates. I'm still shocked. I wouldn't do that at home, let alone expect it at a Lakeshore, or quite frankly, any restaurant. Two of us ordered the tagliatelle, which was tasty but contained only two small pieces of short rib -- and was difficult to enjoy while staring at discarded rinds beneath the plate. The other two ordered brisket sliders: two sliders, no sides. They tasted good but left diners hungry. One guest joked they kept thinking the fruit rinds were fries -- unfortunately accurate. We tried to make the best of the evening, but it never delivered the cozy wine-and-charcuterie experience we had anticipated -- dim lighting, thoughtful pairings, something special. After finishing our meal, we requested our bills and reminded staff we were still waiting for the third curated pour. We were told "five minutes." Those five minutes never came. Eventually, wanting simply to leave, we paid a single combined bill and sorted it out ourselves. Dinner for four totaled $460. This was not the boutique Lakeshore dining experience we expected, and ultimately, it was deeply disappointing.

As an Oenophile, I was excited to check out The Wine Bar in my neighbourhood. The door was open, In…read morewalked in at 4:55 to be "Greeted" by the Owner, "We don't open till 5 o'clock".......Attitude from the get go. I looked at the menu, interesting but very pricey for the offering. I looked at a row of wine bottle partially open and simply corked, no nitrogen or air extraction.....no telling how long the wine had been "Breathing"....Days? I am puzzled by the discrepancy 5 Star vs 1 Star reviews. I have no confidence in the 5 star reviews....Friends?...Self reviewed? No serious wine enthusiast would visit this establishment...bad attitude, poor value, insufficient wine care and presentation.

I really enjoyed this restaurant. Service and food were excellent…read more Cozy local spot that made you feel welcome. Looking forward to coming back!

First visit to The Wood Owl. The savoury dishes were well-presented and flavourful. I thought the…read moremenu had a good balance of options. The service was friendly, and the space had a relaxed, cozy atmosphere. Overall, we enjoyed the experience, the desserts & braised short rib could use some improvement imo but not bad.

Me and my family went to this restaurant Saturday March 21, 2026 some of us for first time some of…read moreus for the second time and the food was amazing! service was amazing we had ASH as our server. She was so kind and patient with us, showing us images of the food so we can properly decide. Ash was so attentive and noticed my sister had a headache and gave her a glass of hot water with lemon without us asking. That was so sweet and thoughtful. as we were leaving she also asked how she was feeling. its the little things like this that make people want to come back :) Me and my family order alot of food and enjoy the service with ASH! CHIANG MAI thank you guys for that amazing experience! we will be back :)

Foods and service were top notch. Ambiance was beautiful - modern yet classy…read more Couldn't be happier that we ate here on New Year's Eve! What a great meal to wrap up and welcome a new year! Kids meal portion was ginormous.

The Daughter is a gem! When you step down from Bayview you feel like you've found a secret…read more Candlelight illuminates fresh blooms and vintages on display. A few tables, the buzz of fellow diners, knowledgeable staff. A focussed menu with breadth of choices as well as creative daily specials. We ordered from both menus. Everything was fresh and flavourful. The presentation was lovely. Hayden offered wine pairings perfectly suited to our food choices and personal tastes. (One of us went red and the other white!) I can't wait to come back. * PS. If you are looking for a fresh spot with great ambience and no pretension - ask about The Daughter about their lounge space.

Service was abysmal and rude. The owner should really reevaluate their staffing choices…read more Unknowledgeable about the wines they serve or either too rude to provide any detail also incredibly slow when not even busy! Bartender was also flat out rude. Pretty embarrassing, can't believe this place is rated so highly.

Food 4.5/5 Service…read more4/5: Ambiance: 4:5 The short ribs were tender,it's sweet-savory glaze with a bit of crispy garlic chips on top! As a garlic lover, i love it. The pizza is good as well! I picked the arugula-and-burrata. It is fresh and creamy. It's more of 4.5 because the seating is a bit cramped for large parties

Such a lovely place with a cute vibe. Just went as a starter to our night so got an app and couple…read moredrinks. The Margaritas were strong and will worth the price! The sour dough was surprisingly really good, would definitely order again. Warm bread with balsamic just hit the spot! Service was friendly and very quick. I'll be back for sure.

This must be the place!…read more Our first trip to Toronto and boy did we have fun. From delicious food to sipping wine, and everything in between, Toronto was a city to explore. Ladybug Wine Bar is a cute but also sophisticated wine bar located on King Street, steps away from shopping and restaurants. We stopped in here on a snowy Sunday before our flight home. They also serve Sunday Brunch. We grabbed a few open seats at the comfy bar. They do not offer wine flights, which made this experience pretty darn expensive but SOOOO worth it. We had such a fun time and the people working were so nice, we honeslty did not want to leave. They were willing to help with our selections. We actually ordered all their Reds by the glass. I know, but there were only about 6 and we had to try them all. I like to say "go big or go home" LOL! We loved almost all except for maybe a few. We ended up also ordering a charcuterie while we sip. And of course I brought a bottle home with me. If you are ever in Toronto, please check out Ladybug wine bar, it is fantastic, you won't want to leave. Cheers!

A Hidden Gem for Brunch!!…read more I came here with 3 of my girlies that love brunch. Everything we ordered was fresh, light, and absolutely delicious. We started with some drinks which were super affordable compared to other brunch places. The espresso martinis weren't too sweet and had the perfect balance. As for the dishes the standout for me was the smoked salmon toast. The combination of the eggs, fresh dill, and sliced salmon on top of toast was so yummy. Service was nice and the place was cozy/bright. Highly recommend this spot for a girls' brunch or casual date.

Same Same serves contemporary, modern, and fusion Thai and Lao dishes in Toronto's entertainment…read moredistrict (on King West). The location was ideal for theatre-goers, as it was right across from the TIFF building and a stone's throw away from a lot of theatres in the area. The interior was spacious and modern, with a lot of tables and seatings extending to the back of the restaurant. It was quite empty when we went on a weekend afternoon, so service was prompt. The food was excellent!! They put creative spins on classic Thai dishes that turned out very well. Review of the dishes: 1) Raw Oysters (fresh raw BC oysters with roasted chili jam, fried shallots, and house nam jim seafood sauce) - They were like raw oysters in typical Western seafood restaurants, but with a Thai twist. "House Nam Jim Seafood" is a Thai dipping sauce commonly used for steamed or grilled seafood, made of garlic, chilies, lime juice, fish sauce, and cilantro. This sauce, in addition to the roasted chili jam, created a mouthful burst of flavour when the oyster was eaten in one go. The roasted chili jam created a heat effect in the throat, which made it warming. The fried shallots added a nice crunch, in contrast to the smooth raw oyster. This was definitely a unique spin to the plain raw oysters. 2) Larb Crispy Brussels Sprouts (fried Brussels sprouts with lemongrass, cilantro, lime juice, chili flakes, toasted rice powder, fried shallots, and coriander) - I was excited to see a vegetarian version of larb on the menu! Larb is a Lao dish typically made with minced meat, fresh herbs, lime juice, fish sauce, and toasted ground rice. Instead of using meat, they subbed it with crispy Brussels sprouts. I liked the crunch of the Brussels sprouts, but found the dish to be too salty. 3) Eggplant Salad (fried eggplant with black tiger prawns, mint, shallots, Thai chili-garlic lime dressing, and sliced medium soft-boiled egg) - This reminded me of the Filipino dish of tortang talong, except the egg was served on the side instead of being pan-fried and coating the eggplant. The eggplant in this dish was fried and quite sweet & spicy, which I didn't really like. I liked the pieces of black tiger prawns, shallots, and sliced medium soft-boiled egg surrounding it though. The egg especially was perfectly soft with a bit of a gooey egg yolk. What surprised me was the presence of pomegranates in the Eggplant Salad. I always see pomegranates as a common ingredient in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines, but never in Thai dishes. It was a pleasant surprise, and it showed that the creative fusion of Thai, Filipino, and Middle Eastern / Mediterranean elements and ingredients worked well here. 4) SS Egg Fried Rice (jasmine riceberry stir-fried with eggs, green onion, and garlic) + jumbo lump crab meat add-on - This was the dish that made me come to Same Same, and it did not disappoint! I thought the fried rice tasted unique compared to the fried rice I've had at other Thai and Chinese restaurants. It had a strong wok-char look and flavour, and they used jasmine riceberry, which made it taste more chewy and nutty. They did not skimp on the jumbo lump crab meat, and there were "jumbo" pieces of real crab. It seems rare to get real crab (and a lot of it) in fried rice in Thai and Chinese restaurants, so this fried rice was a winner for me. 5) SS Pad Thai (fresh rice noodles, tofu, eggs, peanuts, tamarind, chives, bean sprouts, banana blossom, lime) + black tiger prawns add-on - The tofu and bean sprouts were the stars in this dish. Although the black tiger prawns that we chose as an add-on were really big, for some reason I really liked the tofu in this pad thai more (more flavourful). They used fresh instead of dry rice noodles, which we could tell because the noodles clumped together quickly as soon as it cooled down. 6) Wok Vegetables (stir-fried yu choy sum and green beans) - As simple as this "side dish" was, this was my favourite. We asked for it to be cooked without any sauce because that's how I like my veggies (not a fan of vegetables doused in so much oyster sauce / any thick sauce). They were able to accommodate our customization request, and the dish came out perfect. The green veggies (yu choy sum and green beans) were also still quite crisp and not overcooked, which earned them extra points.

Was so excited to try Same Same and their Samemer-delicious menu for July!…read more Came today with my plus one and we ordered: Appetizers: - deep fried wingette with ma kwen jeaw sauce: I felt the sauce was a bit too sour and salty yet addicting! I kept coming back to it. It came with 10 wings and it was deep fried really nicely, didn't feel too oily. - shrimp toast: house made brioche with cucumber relish and added the peanut sauce espuma. I love bread at baseline and this brioche was so nice and crispy. The cucumber relish was refreshing and slightly sweet. Mains - same same pad thai (vegetarian): now that I'm reading the menu it looks like they use fresh rice noodle but I found that the noodles were SUPER chewy, more chewy than other thai places I had. I appreciate the freshness of the noodles but would also liked if it were a bit easier to chew. Would also have liked if there was more veg in the meal. - ngowpochana chicken cashew: this came with crispy chicken thigh stir fried with (really SPICY) dried chilis and cashew nuts with a side of mixed purple? rice. The rice was tasty and the chicken was really crispy! Came out in small pieces and it was good but was not blown away. Desserts - mango sticky rice: so so good, love how they put butterfly pea in the sticky rice. Mango was ripe and soft, coconut cream was strong, and the jasmine riceberry puff added a great crunch to the dessert. - pandanas kaya toasted brioche: I would return for this dessert. My partner and I LOVED this dessert and how carmelized the toast was, it was divine. Final thoughts We loved the desserts and appetizers but felt the mains weren't super special. Staff were friendly. It did take us a while to get our food- appetizers came quick but took more than half an hour for our mains to come and waited more for our dessert. It was pretty busy but maybe they're still getting their groove as the Samemer delicious promotion brought in an influx of customers.

My favourite local spot on Main Street to hangout. This gem is truly one of a kind - I love the…read moreself serve wine concept. It gives you the opportunity to be introduced to new, different wines. They have happy hour menu during the week - their charcuterie boards are phenomenal. I'll try their sandwiches next! Owners are welcoming and friendly.

Not so much a wine bar as basecamp for a journey…read more The highlight of this hidden gem is its unique self-serve system, where you can try a variety of wines by the glass, portion or sip. This allows you to experiment and discover new favourites without committing to a full bottle. You may not like everything you try, but it's always INTERESTING. The selection of wines at Wine on Main is always rotating and expertly curated, offering a range of styles and regions that wonderfully move you out of your comfort zone. The owners, a knowledgeable and curious couple, are passionate about exploring different wines and sharing their discoveries with their guests. Their passion is contagious and you can't help but be swept up in their excitement. The best shop of it's kind in York Region.

This place is my absolute favourite. So coffee costs 6$ but isnt it the same at starbucks? They…read moremake the coffeeeee SO good here, and until recently and now when you ask they will do shaken iced coffees and therefore you dont have chunks of ice taking over the whole cup. Its divine. This almond crossiant cost like 7$ which was especially expensive, was it worth it? Absolutely not. But not everything can be a 5/5. However the service is good, they also have a bar to spicd things up. They have cookies and other treats. Theres a cute patio, and many sitting areas upstairs and downstairs and lots of privacy. I think its worth checking out!

Last Saturday a friend and I decided to visit this venue. We'd both previously been to their…read moreFinancial District location and I'd also visited their Harbourfront venue a couple of times as I live close by. We arrived around 3:30 pm when it was fairly occupied; they feature 'Happy Sour Hour' from 4 to 7 pm, during which all of their sour beers are reduced in price to $7.00. We ordered and shared two beers, the first a lager, the second a sour beer in order to take advantage of the discounted price. The venue is long and narrow, with two floors and a distinctive looking back patio. Our service was fairly prompt and they are located in a quite convenient location, literally across the street from the subway and the historic, flagship LCBO location. So I can recommend a visit if you're in the area and desire a drink and/or snack.

Friends I know have been raving about this place and I figured I was in the neighbourhood so why…read morenot? It's a small little pizza joint. There were some seating outside but it was only the one table for two people. Extremely friendly and helpful staff. The only downfall was that they ran out of meat sauce so the lasagna was out of the question but they made up for it in the pizza flavours. The menu is pretty straightforward; they offer multiple types of pizza ranging from classic meat lovers to unique ones like smoked salmon or tandoori chicken. I ended up ordering the four cheese because I was in a cheesy mood. The pizza was amazing. The crust had a nice puff up but was not so crunch that it would cut the roof of your mouth. The sauce-to-dough ratio was perfect, and neither ingredient overpowered the other. The cheeses they used (Ricotta, Feta, Bocconcini and cream cheese) didn't clash with each other, and it just seemed to be a slice of cheesy goodness with every bite. The pizza was not greasy, so no mountain of napkins was needed. A must-try if your into pizza and like my nannu says in Sicilian "Veni e pigghiati 'u divertimentu" (Come and enjoy it already).

I've been drooling over the pictures of their pizza for too long and I decided to give them a try…read moreone night when I just did not have it in me to cook after a super long day. We probably made a mistake when ordering 2 large half and half pizzas as this turned out to be a very pricey pizza dinner (over $80!!) but that's not the restaurant's fault. We'll just be more mindful next time. The pizzas were good and I loved the freshness of the toppings. Unfortunately, I did not love their crust as it was too chewy for my liking. The chicken wings we got was pretty heavily breaded which is also not my favorite way to eat them. We may come back to try their more adventurous offerings.