If you ever find yourself in Thunder Bay -- Tomlin is absolutely a MUST. Arguably the most upscale restaurant in town, it doesn't have a pretentiousness that you encounter at some places. Rather, the friendly service, innovative cookery, and high quality, locally sourced ingredients speak for themselves. I was in town to celebrate my birthday and this place was so special. Also if you want something a little more casual, they have a pizza place a few blocks away tucked inside a brewery, which is also fantastic! read more

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I finally got to try the tasting menu with a group of 6! We opted for the cheaper option ($65 pp). We arrived on a Friday night at 8pm and dinner went until nearly 11pm! I think they originally intended to give us oysters or tartare but because it was so late into the evening, they made something else. You can tell the chefs/cooks really do make most things from scratch because the wait/gap between courses was quite long (~30-40 min). We got to try a total of 11-12 dishes: 4 appetizers, 2-3 mains (depending if you count the sausage and chicken dish as separate or one), 2 sides, and 3 desserts. I have no idea if/how the dish count fluctuates depending on group size. We were told that the tasting menu differs every night and even between parties/tables on the same night -- they change it up depending on group preferences, dietary restrictions, and ingredient inventory. Overall, I really enjoyed our meal. The portions were generous and filling, and the variety was nice. I would say the appetizers (especially the veggies & sauces) were more impressive than the mains. I was hoping for more interesting proteins in the main course, but no complaints on the cook or seasoning. They might save the nicer proteins for the more expensive tasting menu ($85 pp). The desserts were really creative and delicious. Miso in a dessert is definitely innovative! I wish I could tell you the names of every dish, but I could barely hear the server / remember what everything was. From what I know, everything except for the desserts aren't on the regular menu anyway. Overall, I had a wonderful time and would recommend trying the tasting menu for an interesting and filling culinary experience! It certainly is good value, as you wouldn't be able to find a tasting menu of this quality/price in Toronto! Note: Tomlin only accepts reservations for groups of 6 or more. read more

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Came here for dinner on a Saturday night. They open 5pm to 10pm. Walked-in, no reservation. The bar area looked really nice, some people are here just for the drinks. Others are here for food and/or drinks. Lots of seating area. Can be loud. Lively. We ordered steak tartare, it came with 4 slices of bread , rare steak and ricotta. It was delicious. The steak was a bit seared, some parts are a bit tough to chew. The tuna tataki was my favourite. Very balanced flavour with mango and radish and rice paper and coconut cream. It was an explosion of flavour in your mouth. I highly recommend this dish if you like tuna and seafood. The last dish we ordered is the lamb shank. It was on a bed of barley, deliciously flavoured. The lamb was a little bit overcooked but not too bad. The pasta looked good but didn't get to try it this time. They also have a tasting menu for table more than 4 people. All the items are not on the menu. read more

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Wow this place is amazing! Heard this place was good and boy it sure was! The food was fresh and delicious. Extremely flavourful and creative. I had ribs and they were out of this world! At the time the menu did not have many lower carb options but the Greens were delicious! I followed up with the espresso dessert it was like espresso pudding. Smooth cream texture with a great espresso flavour! I visited this restaurant once again and was extremely satisfied with my next meal as was my wife! Definitely the spot to hit if you are looking for a hip place with great food and service! read more

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I had an excellent dinner here while visiting Thunder Bay for work. It doesn't look like much from the outside (I thought it was closed!), but it is warm and inviting inside. There's a bar area with high tables, and then a proper dining room in the back. Service was thoughtful and spot on, without trying too hard. It's a fancier place, but the vibe is still laid-back. Great music selection and it's not too loud. The menu is small, inventive, and changes seasonally. Most of the dishes are designed for sharing (the menu is split into small plates and large plates). Also be sure to check out the specials. On Tuesdays, it's burger day for $15. They also had oysters. I opted for the rainbow trout with jerk spices in a coconut broth with fingerling potatoes and snap peas. It was just the right amount of spice and the fish was moist with a crispy skin. For dessert, I had to try the dark chocolate terrine... They had me at "earl gray cream and fleur de sel", which made the dish. Such a great combination. It looks small, but it's very rich. I'd suggest sharing. They have a good selection of Ontario wines and cocktails. Overall, a lovely place to dine in Thunder Bay! I will be back for sure to try the other dishes. read more

Tomlin - Canadian (New) Near Me - Thunder Bay, Ontario

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Always awesome. If you're a group of 4 or more try the tasting menu. It's always amazing and lots of food. Wait staff is terrific.

My husband took me to this restaurant and I was so impressed! We had to wait around 20 minutes for a Wednesday night, but it was so worth it! My husband and I started with the southern belle cocktail. It was so well balanced and refreshing. For food, we started with the pea shoot salad. I enjoyed the combination of textures, the crispness of those fried artichokes, the creaminess of the halloumi against the delicateness of the pea shoots. The dressing was light and full of citrus notes. For entrees, I had the short ribs and I wanted to lick the plate! The short ribs were tender and I didn't even need a knife! The feta sauce was on another level. I loved the crunch of the tabbouleh with the saltiness of the olives and sweetness of the grapes. The balance of textures was masterful and it hit every note. My husband had the sausage and it did not disappoint! The San Marzano tomatoes were flavorful and juicy. The sausage was spicy and I had to dip the homemade bread in that addicting sauce! It was like having a warm hug! It was so comforting! The service was amazing and food was even better! I would definitely come back and try new things! read more

I have no doubts that this restaurant has selectively delicious offerings (as my boyfriend really enjoyed the chef tasting menu during his last visit) but unfortunately, the tasting menu's only available for parties greater than 4 and as gluttonous as we are, there was no possible way that the two of us could pass for four! As a result, we had to order a la carte and I sadly have to admit that my personal experience coming here was quite bad. What aggravated me the most about this place was the wait time. In and out, we spent a solid 2-2.5 hours here waiting for the food to come, waiting for the waiter to bring us the bill, waiting for water to be refilled.. etc. It was fairly frustrating being in anticipation for 40mins-1hr between each dish and I was definitely starving by the time the food came! I ordered the "special set dinner" which consisted of a falafel appetizer, market sausage polenta main, and a peach cobbler dessert. My boyfriend ordered the seafood linguine for his main, and a chocolate terrine for dessert. Falafel = I can no longer tell whether this was actually good tasting or whether I was just so starved by this point that it perceptively tasted better than usual. I enjoyed the baba ghanoush spread at the bottom, which complemented the middle eastern flavours of the falafel well, and the falafel itself was a good soft texture on the inside with a crunchier outside. Market Sausage Polenta = I'm sorry, I felt nauseous after eating a little more than half of this dish. There was something about the dark, thick, smoky sauce that they used to try to complement the salty market sausages, combined with the mushy texture and tastelessness of the polenta that REALLY threw me off. I thoroughly did not enjoy this dish and did not finish it either. The brussel sprouts and carrots were the only redeeming factor, but even then, it was so deepy infused with the smoky sauce that I still had trouble trying to keep it down. Seafood linguine = After having had Caribou a few days prior, this dish was an utter disappointment. The seafood was not fresh, was a small portion, and overall the flavours just weren't special. Peach cobbler = This was just alright, a bit too sweet but it was definitely a relief to taste a different flavour profile and wash down that polenta. Much needed. Chocolate terrine = This was yummy! Not as great as the one from Caribou (I swear nothing beats that one), but still good. Probably, and sadly, the best part of this entire dinner. read more

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My husband and I recently enjoyed dinner at Tomlin Restaurant. We chose to sit at the bar as it looked more comfortable than the available high top table in the middle of the brightly lit restaurant. We received excellent service from the bartender who was very attentive, made recommendations and was working hard mixing cocktails all night. Speaking of cocktails, they have an extensive cocktail and wine list! The food was delicious! We ordered the broccoli croquettes to start - definitely recommend! We shared two mains - the Cavatelli with Sausage and the Roasted Lake Trout. Both were very good with beautiful presentation. The portion sizes were quite large. We couldn't finish the last main and we were too full to try dessert. read more

Good food, good service, good atmosphere! High ceilings, music and people...everywhere! Popular. They're a "tasting plates" type contemporary restaurant. A little pricy (around $30 a person) but the food and building are top notch! There's a good size dining room in the back, around the corner and a wine closet/room near the kitchen, which you can sort of see into. There's an eight seater bar when you walk in as well. I had a small meat board and the squid ink gnocchi. Both very good. The meat board was filled with mostly in house made treats! They looked after me well 4.5 stars easy! I would totally bring a date here! read more

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Outstanding epicurean restaurant with an exceptional culinary arts presentation. Menu changes frequently so go with an adventurous palate, and an expectation to wait, as no reservations are accepted. Meats are butchered on site, and freshness of both meats and vegetarian dishes is outstanding. Excellent wine selection available. read more

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We tried this place for dinner on a recent visit to Thunder Bay, when our initial choice turned out to be closed for a long weekend. It's a pleasant modern-ish space that feels less cramped than its small footprint suggests. Counterintuitively, people desiring a quieter meal will want to sit in the bar area, not the back dining room. I really enjoyed my "low-octane cocktail" (AKA mocktail). Although more restaurants are taking these seriously, it's still depressingly common to just get some sort of ginger beer + syrup + mint thing. This one came with a rich foam topping a complexly-flavored drink, with some fresh herbs precisely nestled in the foam to add an extra olfactory hit with each sip. Thoughtful and delicious. Spouse enjoyed her gravlax, although she thought it was mostly standard. My duck bolognese was great, particularly the spicy soft ricotta that melted into each bite. Despite being a fairly heavy dish, the brightness of the flavors and the sense of inventiveness made it feel -- I dunno, sprightly? Good stuff! read more

The Tomlin would not be one beat out of place in a big city centre. From the incredible cocktails to the tapas sized entrees, to the 19 oz ribeye I shared with my buddy, the Tomlin delivered a perfect experience. Long story short, if you're a local or just passing through, make sure you check out this spot. read more

Have done 3 trips to Tomlin. Food is outstanding! Margaritas are pretty good but not as good as mine - unfortunately you are not invited to my house. Wine selection is disappointing. Not everyone loves Merlot and Cabernet. How about some Chianti, Valpolicella, Barolo, Tempranillo? Not much in the way of atmosphere. Noisy, bright, definitely not great for a romantic evening out. Service is excellent and I love that the couple minor issues we had, the waiter/waitress took full responsibility and made it right immediately. And did I say the food was outstanding? We will continue to frequent this place. Recommended. read more

Tomlin - Pork belly BLT as served - Canadian (New) Near Me - Thunder Bay, Ontario

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Tomlins has to be the one of the best restaurants in Thunder Bay. The menu is simple and well executed. The charcuterie is done in-house, so kudos to chef steve for taking the time and effort. It is the small things that set you apart and this is definitely one. The ambiance is cool and hip, but it can get a bit loud in the room. Partly the building is to blame but some well placed acoustic tiles might help. Love it and will be back. read more

I've come here a couple times while in town for work and love it! Last time I was there, I ordered a featured fish dish for the evening - the menu did not list the dish as being topped with nuts (and I have nut allergy). Unfortunately, I totally forgot to tell the server at the beginning that I had a nut allergy - and noticed that there were nuts on the fish dish as soon as it touched the table. I had let our server know, and apologized profusely for forgetting to tell him earlier. He said that it wouldn't be a problem and they made me a new "nut free" dish right away. They didn't have to do that - but they did. That was outstanding from a customer service perspective! I will continue to tell everyone to dine here - and I will definitely be back. read more

Tomlin is an excellent place for high class dining and drinks. Every Tuesday is burger night and Wednesday is chicken burger night. 15$ for a burger and a large portion of either fries or salad ! Get there early or prepare to eat late at is a popular place. The service is also worth a visit ! read more

An incredible dining experience! Cannot say enough good things- the service is excellent, the food is exciting and absolutely delicious. Prices are reasonable and ambience is relaxing but elegant. My first meal in Canada, and I'll always remember it! read more

Tomlin - Jerk Pork Belly Jalapeño Sausage - Canadian (New) Near Me - Thunder Bay, Ontario

Just a street person wandering in looking at menus. Staff must be surveillant. Ah well,eventually sat at the bar. No reservations accepted. So prim clean crowd. Choices overthought to the point underlying ingredient almost obliterated. Cases in point:,pork with topping tasting only of nearly burned peanuts.l am an aficionado of tongue again meat just recognizable( Bob's wood stove tongue stiff competition) Odd Manhattan? dig the cherry.Too sweetness of house vanilla ice cream (prob as foil for maple tart)good. Food : avoid mud - try less hard! The staff lift this: Young Canadian smiles at their finest!( 2 to go please) A good experience read more

Showed up just before closing and Amir was happy to receive me. I sat at the bar and ordered a burger, fries and Dawson's trail Border Run Cream Ale, after he let me sample the 3 drafts from that local brewery. The burger was delicious, the hand-ground in-house beef patty was cooked medium-rare. The fries were Julien cut and similar in size to McDonald's fries but better, and they gave me burger sauce to dip them...yum! The beer was stronger than I usually drink but without much after taste it was nice. The staff was very friendly. I'd definitely recommend this place. Under $25 + tax was a fabulous deal for the food and nice ambiance. read more

What an experience, family style dining with impeccable dishes! The food was prepared and brought to our table to be shared, the dishes had great variety and were perfectly seasoned. They offered cold dishes, hot dishes, side dishes, and dessert- all of which were delicious. I can't wait to go back! read more

Hands down best food, drinks and atmosphere in Thunder Bay I love that the chef uses the whole animal to minimize waste. Unique, delicious and fun eating! Cannot wait to dine here again. read more

The best restaurant in Thunder Bay! Menu is always changing and the food keeps getting better and better every single time! Can't beat the food, the drinks, and the most reasonable price for the amazing quality of food! Highly recommend the Tomlin!!! read more

Tomlin - Canadian (New) Near Me - Thunder Bay, Ontario

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Great food and service but the back room was way too loud for our group of 6 that included 2 seniors, 2 adults and 2 kids. We all had difficulty having a conversation because of the background noise level of patrons talking, the loud music, and the terrible acoustics that amplified the sound. We requested that the music be turned down but the server wasn't able to accommodate our request. Although the food was excellent, we won't be returning because of the noise. read more

Still my favourite stop in Thunder Bay - I visit every six weeks on business and if I eat in 1 place, it's here!

Delicious food and great atmosphere. So nice to see a restaurant in Thunder Bay reflecting the decor you see in he larger centres but supporting local foods throughout the area. Every item we ordered off the menu was fabulous and enjoyed thoroughly. I will be back next time we come for our visit! read more

We went for an anniversary dinner and it was delicious Started with a kale salad that was fantastic- Karange followed by shrimp toast and a lamb and pasta dish Would definitely take out of towners here for a meal Wish I could give 1/2 stars as this was a 4 1/2 in my books read more

We had dinner here on our last night visiting Thunder Bay. It was delicious! Awesome drink list and very very tasty food (everything). All components of each dish are made in-house and sourcing local ingredients. Lovely environment and excellent service, too! Our waitress was a rockstar...so warm, inviting, personable and accommodating. Wish we would have discovered this place earlier in our visit so we could have visited more! read more

This place is amazing. The ambience is great, we sat at the bar where we were able to watch the staff perform magic for this packed evening. We were also able to watch the kitchen staff hussle to serve a large party plus a full house. The food was hands down the best meal I have ever eaten. This restaurant was strongly recommended to me by a person who travels the world. He uses Tomlin as the bar for all other restaurant experiences, which keeps him coming back to Tomlin time and again. I too, am now a new regular.Thanks to all the staff, you were like watching a well choreographed dance. Good Job! read more

Amazing! We came with a large group. Service was impeccable. Food was incredible. We did the chef tasting menu (they have $45/55/65 versions -all have generous portions, going up a price level gets you more courses) and not only was everything delicious and innovative, they are also incredibly accommodating of special diets (veg/vegan/GF) even without the guest having to bring it up first. They made me fish versions of all the chicken/beef/pork dishes that were all incredible. Drink menu also very admirable. Let's just say that I left with a very generous tip. Very highly recommended, especially for groups. read more

I visited this restaurant while I was up in the area for school over the winter. A nice small restaurant with very courteous staff. The food is a but expensive but very well plated and tasty! I would highly recommend this place to any passers through read more

One of Thunder Bays best! A pure gem . For your hard earned money and for great fresh well thought out choices with regional and local flavour you cannot go wrong...Period. Groups can be served family style which some people do not like , especially those modest about self portioning in front of others. This may be a put off. Try it you will like it! read more

Wow. That's all I can say. Everything I have had here has been amazing. Little bit pricey but you get what you pay for. Recently did a chefs tasting for my wife's birthday party and our whole group was blown away by the great food and service! read more

I've been here several times now and have never been disappointed. We popped by when they first opened with the intention of having a few drinks, and one of the amazing servers sold us on trying out some apps, and am I glad we did. I'll be honest, we didn't know what half of the ingredients were in most of the menu items, but everything was modern, delicious, and entirely unique to Thunder Bay. The drinks are fabulous and are completely different than the standard basic cocktails you get everywhere else. Super refreshing. The service is always outstanding, They explain everything that you're ordering, wait on you constantly, are super knowledgeable and very charismatic. We ended up going back for their Valentines special menu with another couple, and everyone was raving about the meal, the huge portions, and we couldn't believe how well executed the entire 5 course meal was. We will be going back for sure, it is the one place in Thunder Bay that offers a big city ambiance with a menu to match. Some may find it pricey when glancing at the menu, but it is definitely worth it! read more

Haven't been in a while so we popped in for dinner. We had a server we have never had before, and there was definitely a difference in his skill set and experience compared to the amazing servers that we normally get. He started off with "I don't know why you came in but we're out of burgers," which is fine, just the way he interacted with us throughout the experience was quite awkward. We tried the charred broccoli appetizer, it was ok, you could mostly only taste jalapeno (I adore super spicy food so I don't mind the heat) and didn't blow us away compared to other appetizers we've had there. We were going to try two mains, but this time nothing on the new menu really appealed to us, and we weren't hungry enough to go with the steak dinner for two. The new gin cocktails were delicious, but the margarita was undrinkable for both of us. It was overkill on the cinnamon, and after we each tried it, we left it there and weren't asked if anything was wrong with it or if we wanted something else. We will return, as our previous experiences were so enjoyable, and will hopefully get one of the servers we're more familiar with. This may have just been an off night. read more

Probably TB's best restaurant. Constantly changing menu that's fun and executed well. The rib steaks area delicious, and the squid ink caesar is delightful. Should be on the top of any list of TB restaurants. read more

Food was good and atmosphere was great. This was my first time at Tomlinson and the only thing that made me disappointed was that I couldn't try everything on the menu. The menu features a chef's sampling but it is for parties of 4 or more. Otherwise good experience read more