Safari Bar and Grill in North York
1749 Avenue Rd, North York, ON M5M 3Y8, Canada
About
Safari has earned a reputation for great food in a casual atmosphere as one of North Toronto's favourite neighbourhood bar and restaurants. Fully renovated, Safari is celebrating 29 Delicious Years on Avenue Rd! Safari is comprised of a main floor restaurant, second floor billiard room and lounge, and is home to one of North Toronto's largest heated outdoor patios. Since opening in 1995, our goal has always been to offer hospitality in addition to friendly efficient service. Our strength lies in the kitchen, preparing every item on the menu daily, including all signature sauces, dressings and desserts in house, always using fresh available local ingredients. Come Celebrate with us! Groups of all sizes welcome
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Had a nice time seating outside and chatting with some beverages. The food was decent and the service at the bar and our server were fantastic. The upstairs pool hall and the bathrooms could use a renovation
Safari is our go-to place for a night of pool and ping pong with friends! The staff are super friendly and quick to serve. Music is always great (a nice blend) and not too loud. Sometimes, they let customers play their own music. The food is wonderful and they have lots of vegetarian options! The place is clean, and as a young female, I always feel safe and welcomed.
We found Safari Bar and Grill while looking for a place to have late night dinner where we could bring our dogs with us after a long day in the park. They kept the place open past their shift to make sure we are served, never rushed us and were extremely polite. The food was fresh and delicious, and the service was excellent, and extremely pet friendly. The dogs were immediately given a bowl of water and were given the room to play around while on a conveniently placed leash hook. We had an amazing time here! Would definitely recommend.
We were looking for a pet friendly place and this place was perfect. Our server as well as the kitchen staff were kind and accommodating.
Looking for a place to have dinner where we could bring our lovely dog espresso with us and safari bar and grill was the place.the food fresh , delicious,the service good, overall we had a great time.
We came for a late lunch on a Friday. The place wasn't crowded and we could choose were to sit. I had a lamb burger which was OK but not great (I like mine thicker and medium, but the waitress said they do it more towards well). The fries were tasty. We also had chicken wings which were nice. Overall everything was nice and the prices are fair, but I can't say anything was extraordinary. Update: We came again on a busy Saturday evening. Everything was fine except for the fact that it took them almost an hour to serve us the food. They were very nice and apologized, but still an hour is too long.
We love the patio, it’s great to have nice place like this in heart of the city with a big patio … However… food this last time we went was really really subpar. Most importantly, it was also very salty. Plus we waited a long time and the bill was too high in the end. I don’t know how that happened .. Fried calamari were extremely salty and there were only TWO of them on the plate!? OK, we had that as a shared appetizer, and I would survive that level of saltiness. But next dish I ordered, Mediterranean Buddha Bowl, was extremely salty.. again. Grilled calamari had enormous amount of tomato sauce on top of them.. and again salty. Steak was good, although sauce on top of it was completely unnecessary and there was too much of it. And then we waited and waited for service to come, although as you can see in the photos, it wasn’t so busy.. very surprising for this place where we had some good time before.
We are cyclists and vegetarian. On the first occasion, a year ago, we were served by Lisa and welcomed by the lady manager, both, very nice ladies. Got a sunny 🌞 table in the patio and ate: Coconut (veggie) curry & tribal salad without the chicken. All was excellent, including the service. Not a noisy area. I simply loved their Coconut curry and the salad was great as well. This time, We ordered the same main dish and the East of Eden salad & 🍺. This time, I was slightly less impressed with the taste of the Coconut (veggie) curry. This still remains a great place though. Worth your visit ...🚴♀️ 🚴♂️
Ordered a chicken wrap and there was hardly any chicken. It was almost all bread wrap. Complained and was told they weigh it. Could have only weighed a few ounces in my opinion. Terrible rip off!!!
Ordered a Cobb salad couple days ago @Safari bar and grill. It was not fresh. Very little dressing which taste was off. Quite disappointed!
My favourite place to get a good hamburger and spend a nice evening with friends or family. The beautiful patio open during spring/summer. Always recommend, probably the best in the neghbourhood.
Great vibe delicious food amazing staff
Safari Restaurant is an absolute gem! The flavors are authentic, the portions are generous, and the service is warm and welcoming. Every dish is packed with rich spices and cooked to perfection. Highly recommend the beef steak and sambusas! A must-visit for anyone craving delicious Somali cuisine!
Great experience here. Food was good, service was okay, good drink deals and a dog friendly patio. will definitely return!
Dark, expensive and service was slow. Came here and sat inside. Place was empty inside but not outside. Got seated by someone, turned out to be the bartender. Explained all the specials etc then just abandoned us. My wife and I sat patiently talking for about twenty five minutes. We then asked for some service. The woman who served us was super pleasant and very helpful. She apologized but it wasnt her fault. The food was served and was ok. I do feel they have too many menu options. The prices are way too high for a place like this. Also I love needing a server and the bartender and another server were standing watching the Olympics and commenting on the hotness of rugby players. Do that on your own at home.
We just ordered on uber eats this evening. My chicken fingers were pretty burnt and came with no sauce for $25 dollars. The tacos also were very well done. Very disappointing.
Didnt eat there but played pool, good beer, good music, great time
Staff creates a real team/family atmosphere.
Canada Day 2024, very un- welcoming, they don t acknowledge you families walked out, sad service, real Bad service, food was good, paid the bill and not even a thank you standing right at the table. Sry to say, Off our list and we live in the same hood . Servers need to be replaced.
Bar food.
Great food and service
Amazing outside to sit and enjoy a meal and some drinks. The service is a bit slow and food is just average. But I know this is not a gourmet place and you go to enjoy the outside mostly
Enjoyed the tribal salad immensely. My new favourite
Erm what the nipleman sigma Ohio rizzler alpha beta
Overpriced low qualitty food! We recently visited Safari and were unfortunately left with a bad taste in our mouths. We ordered three dishes: Grilled Calamari, Tuna Tar Tar, and Nachos with Chicken. The Grilled Calamari was chewy and lacked freshness, the Tuna Tar Tar was served with stale-tasting tortilla chips, and the Nachos with Chicken were a letdown with tasteless, processed chicken and artificial cheese. The portion was also lacking in toppings. Overall, the food was subpar and overpriced. To make matters worse, when we expressed our dissatisfaction to the server, we were still charged the full bill. The service was mediocre at best, and we left feeling disappointed and unsatisfied. We do not recommend Safari, at all!
Food was decent, even though what I got was not related to what I ordered. Service was lousy.
Great park
Had our end of tax season lunch. Ordered the Safari burger. Messy to eat but delicious.
Fast friendly service. Sunday lunch with my elderly mom. Customers ranged from toddlers to seniors and the servers were courteous and made light conversation. Food was tasty and portions a good size. Enjoyed a pint and some tacos and burgers on the patio. Lovely way to spend an afternoon with my mom. Thank you
Yuck. Looks terrible inside. Smells? Is this what is called a dive? Could definitely use some sprucing up. If so, they will need to be careful about already expensive food, grow strategically, carefully and mindfully. Sorry guys! Lovely n kind waitress!
Great service
Fantastic food, great staff and atmosphere! Would recommend! Food : 5/5
Nice place to eat with friends. The food is delicious and you can play pool at the second floor
A fine establishment
Great pool hall. Great service! Another fine meal at Safari. The days catch Red Snapper. Patio was packed and the service was great! The Safari Burger was outstanding.
service was good, food quality has deteriorated significantly while the price has gone up. Really poor value now.
Great spot in North Toronto
Great staff. Very welcoming. Decent pool tables.
Great meet up plc staff was amazing drinks are fantastic
Tuna tartar is very good. Beer is awesome and fresh. All food is good here. Ping pong and billiards upstairs, very nice place. One time visit but will be back
Meal was delicious, and the staff very friendly and helpful. All in, it was a great quick meal on Saturday noon-ish.
Did a private party on the first floor for my 50th bday and it was excellent!! Great vibe. Food was good. Cindy was the manager on duty and did a great job. She made sure we had a good time. Would definitely recommend for a private function. BC
Staff tonight was amazing I forget the bartenders name we had two dealt with our difficult drink orders and I ll be back great staff
Was here for an office event for the year end party. The atmosphere and food were great!
Cozy and great! Staff is good! It is rustic, warm and and great ambiance!
Safari is surprisingly good I have been 4 times and enjoyed the food every time.
I went there for a office party. Food was awesome and amazing vibes.
Great little pub with an intimate atmosphere. Service was great warm and welcoming. We had a few drinks and shared a dish of fried calamari. Would definitely return to have a full dining experience!
Very nice staff, great food for a pub, and a wonderful room upstairs for ping pong and billiards. Id recommend this place for young people who want to hang out and drink. Wheelchair accessibility: This place is not wheelchair accessible. The second floor is where the washrooms are, and the only way to get there is a flight of stairs
The menu isnt exhausting.. Excellent specials and service. Avenue road prices.
Good place for a quick pool game and a beer! Great personal and good price, food quality is ok but nothing fancy!
Looks like a nice place, I went in on a Tuesday afternoon at about 5. Upstairs the place was almost empty, I sat at a table with direct line of sight to the bar station, where there were a few staff congregating. Despite making eye contact with them several times, no one visited the table to greet me or deliver a menu. After about 10 minutes, the place began to fill up. I waved at the barmaid, who saw me but after another 5 minutes of being ignored I got up and left. The menu looks interesting and Id be interested in trying again but by the sound of the reviews it seems like table service is the problem at this place.
The food was delicious and the environment was friendly. Got back again the next day. Had wings, burgers and pasta.
Had a great time, Alex was so professional and accommodating! Can t wait to visit again!
Was a great experience
Fantastic restaurant and bar. Had an event there and all the staff made it amazing. Everyone enjoyed great appetizers and mains. All fresh fresh. Thank you to all !
Pool and a free ping pong table.
Great little place with really good food and vibe. Little gem
Delicious food and friendly staff, pool upstairs is fun, lots of TVs for Leafs, nice relaxing place to hang out
Good place to dinning! They have pool & ping pong on second floor, you can book for group of people. Servers were great to interact with and their service was nice!! They have vegan and vegetarian options. Washrooms are clean.
Always good food, great service and the atmosphere under the heaters was perfect.
Consistently great food.
Great service, decent selection of drinks, pretty good food - overall, a nice place to have a nice meal and / or a drink or two
Busy neighbourhood patio with billiards upstairs. The *authentic* North Toronto experience, for sure.
Nice vibes! Good food, good service,, definitely returning.
One of our favourite local places, very dog and kid friendly, the hostess always makes you feel welcome. The food is always tasty and they have a great patio for summer drinks/dining. Highly recommend Kid-friendliness: Very accommodating for children and families
Food was good! Beer was cold, service was fantastic!
We had a birthday event recently and they all knocked it out of the park! From venue ( stunning at night) to food , bartenders , servers and management ( Cindy , Brett and Dan!! ) Great band referral ( Pop Trio) kept everyone dancing. 10/10 rating !! Ideal place for a quieter bite , cocktail or event like ours!
Had a Buddha bowl entrees. Delicious and filling. Friendly service. Host recommended tuna topping which was yummy.
Great Food !! Good beer and perfect outdoor patio
Great neighborhood hangout.
Amazing atmosphere , great service . Great for group gatherings.
Excellent food and service as usual.
Slow service, small portions, BUT good vibe. Ordered the tribal salad with shrimps. Not that great to be honest. It was too small for $20+ was still hungry. Got the bruschetta pizza, stayed hungry but at least ate a delicious pizza. So yes. Get the pizza, forget the salad. But probably order more than one pizza if you re hungry.
I like this place because they accept dogs on the patio. The food is good.
We love this neighbourhood bar. Our server Michael was awesome! He was attentive and made us feel comfortable. Overall, a great place to enjoy a meal, shoot pool, have a drink or watch a game. Vegetarian options: We also got a gigantic plate of nachos which was delicious!
Great Service, the place was packed so we waited 40min to get a tasteless & over cooked/ burned pizza and burger!
This restaurant is amazing ! The food is excellent and so is the service . They are very accommodating to all your needs . I have a little dog which I was allowed to bring on the patio. They quickly brought her water and suggested next time to bring a blanket or pillow so she would be comfortable on the chair The best !! Parking: Easy on street
Great staff, food and atmosphere!
The staff were friendly and attentive, providing great service. The patio is large so you can bake in the sun. Would definitely come back for beers on the patio in the summer. The food needs some work. I ordered the grilled calamari, and it came with an odd sauce and beans, not something that needs to be added to calamari. The chicken wings were too oily and not enough sauce. Overall a great patio for beers.
Was very happy with the service and quality of food. Atmosphere was very family friendly. Cindy(Cinderella) was super friendly and made us feel like we were eating at home. Super impressed Wheelchair accessibility: Brother was in a wheelchair and why had it all organized before we showed up for our reservation
Food was incredible! Service was outstanding, we lounged and enjoyed watching the traffic on Avenue Road from the patio while we enjoyed fresh delicious food. Life is good when youre here.
Pleasant staff and welcoming, like the patio and food was delicious. Parking can be tricky.
Chicken wrap is awesome
Went to Safaris with two friends I went to university together with about 40 years ago! Great night, played some pool, good food (recommend the Safari burger), and a great server, she is in the pic with us.
It has a nice local neighborhood feel to it. The food is OK and as you would expect on a Saturday night, its busy and the servers are busy. But if the weather is nice, it is a pleasant patio to hang out on...with the wasps.
Really enjoyed my meal at Safari!! Food was good but what really made the lunch was my experience with my wonderful waitress Brooke! I have a lot of dietary restrictions and she was so accommodating and understanding which is rare in the service industry these days I find!! She was fast and efficient and had such a bright presence :) Will be coming back again next time I am visiting the city!
A little pricey but great burgers.
A great patio on Avenue with some comfort classics like a great caesar salad, wraps and delicious wings! Great service as well!
Waited 1/2 hour for appetizers
So sad for choosing this place. Sorry, cant recommend it on any front.
Very good food and service. Sat on the patio with the wasps!
The pizza was okay Tribal Salad was nice Too oily pasta Small portions Food : 3/5 |
Loved the Safari burger
Good drinks. Food not so much
Love the patio.
Great spot that I ve been going to for years! The food and atmosphere is off the charts!
We hosted a celebration of life at Safari Bar and Grill. The owner was incredible helping book it. We ended up having more people than we originally thought but the assured us it was no problem at all. The service was amazing. My husband had the Safari burger and said it was the BEST burger he has ever had!! We have been to Safari many many times...grew up there, spent lots of my young 20s there and every time it never disappoints.
I was there for a staff party and it was great. Delicious buffet and 2nd Floor with pool table, ping pong and more, ideal to enjoy with friends and spend a good time.
Nice place
This place actually isnt that nice. Pool tables are okay but its rather old and dated. But what is excellent is the wait staff. They make it a pleasure to come and they keep me coming back. Ask for Ameritas. Shes an amazing waitress who remembers names and drinks like no one I know.
Wife and I went here for a pre dinner cocktail. Very nice atmosphere, Alex the bartender made me the best Old Fashion (the Bourbon kind) Ive ever had. Simply delicious. Will swing by for dinner soon.
Great food, good service, nice atmosphere and an amazing owner....Highly recommend
Warm, comfortable, clean interiors; focused, enticing menu: attentive lovely service with special mention of Robert. Joined a few friends for lunch on Sunday. I had the burger with bacon which was fresh tasty and fairly priced. My friend had a delicious looking Cobb salad with tuna sashimi and my other friend had a chicken wrap with Caesar. Great place to meet and relax. Notably outstanding service.
Great neighborhood spot for a pizza and a pint (or other great food). Patio in the summer and a large party area with pool tables too.
Great food and service.
Our company members had a great time, great experience with awesome foods and services.
We spent the night upstairs playing pool and watching the leafs game while also enjoying food and drinks. This place is pretty good, the bar selection was decent but not too many well selections and the food was also decent. The bar maid was super friendly and did an amazing job all night. I was surprised of the amount of children inside the establishment, I would have thought they would be seated downstairs in a more suitable environment.
The staff here went out of their way to help me out on a super late catering situation. They were really kind and accommodating and stayed open late for us. And then the food the food was INCREDIBLE! My entire team raved about their respective meals and it was the best meal that we have had so far during this month-long project. Thank you all so much :)
Food was great! Place is a little run down feeling.
Can t say I d recommend this spot for the food. Nothing is really bad - it s as you would expect pub food. The atmosphere is quite nice and there s a pretty good pool setup on the second floor. (Haven t been in a while but assume it s still there). A few tables and cozy seating make for a great little hangout.
I ordered ubereats and just want to come here to say the food was amazing! The fish was perfectly seasoned and moist. Sorry I didn t take better photos for the takeout
Awesome food and atmosphere. I had chicken wings. Great place to catch sports on a large screen.
Great place wonderful food and great staff very friendly and happy
Just ok. BATHROOMS PLEASE.... clean them..... my nachos were burnt.
Nice staff, cozy place with a lot of billiards tables to play, big screens to watch games, big patio to enjoy outdoor. Food was good, but disappointed, I couldn t find any chicken in my pasta, nothing. I believe the chefs forgot to add it.
Always an amazing experience... upstairs, downstairs... patio ... the food, place and people .. never disappointed
The sangria wasnt on the menu but it was very tasty!
My experience here was great. The pizza (I think they have a wood oven) was fantastic. They have a decent selection of beers too. Service was lovely.
Food was OK - it came quick which was nice because we were in a rush but the portion sizes were small. The biggest order of food was my sons chicken fingers and fries, all of the adult servings were smaller. Atmosphere was fine but it would have been nicer to be seated under the heaters on the patio as it was chilly when we visited.
Delicious food and good service!
Great place. Mike is awsome
It was a nice experience. Food was okay. Very busy bar. Nice patio.
Superb service. The staff is wonderful, especially our server, Ryan. Really enjoyed the wings and fish tacos. Update March 5/22: Just keeps getting better. Love it! Update May 28/22: Terrible service; waited 30 minutes for drinks; part of the food (fries)arrived cold. Not the Safari were used to.
After making a reservation and ordering a lot of food for 5 people; after 45 min they tried to take away one table from us when my wife and daughter were in the bathroom. Their excuse was that they had other reservations and wanted to take one of our tables to serve more clients if we didnt order more food. Horrible experience.
One of our favorite local patios for a drink. Staff is great. Havent tried out the new menu yet - but looking forward to it.
Ok nothing special
My friends and I were celebrating a couple of birthdays so we are our way here service is all ways great servers very friendly. Lots of great choices for food .
Friendly service and overall vibe. Decent pool tables.
Servers were nice, and the food was good. You can tell ingredients are fresh, but please please PLEASE add more salt to the pastas lol 3 people at my table ordered the chicken fettucine & 1 ordered the pesto, and we all had to dash a bit of salt in there. Otherwise, it wouldve been perfect. The desserts and cappuccino after the meal were really delicious. Thank you!
Great fun at Safari with the gang. Awesome tunes and atmosphere!
Place is the best. Great burgers, friendly service, great atmosphere
Salads not luscious. Service excellent!
The food was pretty poor. I also found the French 75 to be one of the worst Ive ever had. The reason I cant forgive that is because they have it on their menu as one of their specialties, which it clearly is not. Im happy the kitchen is open pretty late and the location was pretty great. Not a place Id return, though.
Dog Friendly. Great service and food . Will surely go back
It is amazing pasta
Very friendly staff, good food, its an amazing place to go have a family dinner or casual night!
Dirty
The food here was good and filling they had a great selection of food and drinks I would definitely come here again next time I come to Toronto
I really enjoy the party to night.
We stopped by the patio the evening of Tuesday, August 16th, 2022. Weve all heard about the staffing issues and the server was clearly run off her feet, but she was still upbeat! Burgers were great, beer was cold and she even brought a big bowl of water for our thirsty Golden Retriever!
Ive been there a couple of times and I enjoyed it Ive tried calamari fritti, some of their pizzas and some other choice there and I really liked it. And the staffs are very kind and friendly. Vegetarian options: It has vegetarian option and thay kindly changed one the pizzas as per our request.
Best calamari Ive had in a long while!
Have been coming to this restaurant since it first opened. Unfortunately the food quality and service has gone downhill so much that we won t be coming back. We gave it two chances this month and both were awful. I understand that restaurants are having staffing issues but quite frankly the problem they have at Safari is that the wait and bar staff don t seem to care about their customers experience. With so many other options to consider I d suggest putting this at the bottom of your list.
Great experience every time, fantastic burger and fresh features. Delicious deserts.
Great food and service
Alex had a calm and professional manner when taking care of me. Excellent customer service, friendly and polite. Will definitely be returning, I believe Alex should be a manager or in a higher position. Thank you again Alex !
I started with a diet pepsi which was completly flat! We had chicken wings which tasted like they were cooked in a 3 weeks old smelly oil, and wings themselves had no flavour at all. The Ceasar salad was made with 4-5 days old romaine lettuce which was filled with black and rotten corner! The service was super slow, even though ot was a slow Sunday night! I would avoid this place!
Great food, excellent service, nice patio. But the washrooms are a trek up steep uncarpeted stairs...inconvenient and a challenge for an aging population
My favorite hamburger.
I had the veal special when i wasnt even that hungry..Truly one of the best meals Ive had in years. A more than filling portion that I wanted to take some home for later, but ended up finishing the entire plate without trouble. The atmosphere and service was friendly, knowledgeable and caring as always. It is rare to get a meal and experience that overdelivers in every way. Ill vouch for this anytime! Well done Safari!
Two of us went for there for lunch at my suggestion. I want to like it because It used to be good, but its so bad Ill never come back. Caesar salad was bland and partially wilted. Croutons were tiny and tasteless. Grilled shrimp lacked spice/flavor and were room temp. Coffee was served with cream (or milk?) that hadnt thawed enough, so obviously had been frozen.
Our son had a Basketball tournament today just a 2km down the street, we decided to come out for. Bite to eat before we headed back home. The staff and food were absolutely amazing, Cindy was so awesome! The back of house did an amazing job considering it was packed on the patio due to Mother Nature giving us this amazing weather! Great job to entire team!
Fantastic service, really great waitress and bartender. The appetizers were on point and delicious but the mains were kinda bland. That said the atmosphere and service still made this place Id want to visit again.
