ēst Restaurant in Toronto

We had our teams Christmas party here. Intimate, on point in serving and the food served were delicious! Def coming back another day.

Nice and cozy restaurant with great selection of casual French cuisine and even better drinks. Very friendly staff.

Absolutely fantastic. The beef tartare was a surprise showstopper, and would definitely recommend the crème brûlée cheesecake

Really good grilled cheese sandwich. But steak tartare is overpriced for the quantity, and lacking in flavour.

This place was on my list of places I wanted to try. The first time I visited with my friend, the food was delicious. Our service was okay given the waitress was new. We were patient and we thought she did a great job for her first night. Recently I wanted to bring my whole family to try this place out as I ve been raving about it. Sadly I had to cancel the day before because two of my family members have gotten sick. When I called to notify them that I can t make it. They told me okay thank you for letting them know in advance. Please explain to me how I m charged $125 for not showing up when I called to cancel the rvsp. The individual cancelling my reservation should ve told me there would be a cancellation fee. Or better yet make them purchase a e gift card to use on their next visit. Nope. Somehow I m paying $125 for nothing. In the rare chance I can t make a rvsp at other food establishments they are understanding and wouldn t charge me a cancellation fee.

Ive only been there for their weekend brunch but man it was fantastic! And my pooch loved the bone marrow! Thank you EST! Cant wait to try their tasting menu!!! Food

We had the wonderful experience dining at Est Restaurant, a charming find along Queen Street. An engaging atmosphere with good lighting and interesting decor. Excellent cocktail selection, a great, creative menu leaning towards French cuisine and food for the senses, Bon Appetit! Parking: A lot of reasonable municipal lots in the area

By far the best steak Ive ever had! Never expected this place to be it when I entered it.

Really phenomenal spot, great live music. I recommend the octopus and the duck. Some of the best I ve had.

Amazing service and food! I order from here all the time on uber eats and everything is always amazing. Most of the time it is hot because they use really good containers for delivery! The servers are lovely and they were able to care for our every need during our dining experience. The food is exquisite, I met Chef Jordan (head chef and owner) and he even gave us a shot on the house! I highly recommend the Truffle Burrata, Charred Octopus, Short Rib and the chocolate cake is amazingggg. It s not too sweet but it is rich and delicious. 10/10 recommend!

Great summerlicious options

Appetizers were great, main & dessert & drinks were below expectations. We had foie gras, octopus, and bone marrow for appetizers (in order of most to least favorite). Braised short rib was surprisingly extremely dry. Lamb racks had good flavor but they were not brought to room temperature when cooked and they were a bit raw. Chocolate cake for dessert was good, brownie was again extremely dry. Service was good overall, they missed the allergy notes on the first dish but fixed it relatively quickly.

One of the best restaurants in Toronto hands down! The service, food, and drinks were above and beyond, the Short Rib and chocolate cake are to DIE for! All the staff were so nice and Chef Jordan gave us a Mac n Cheese on the house! Definitely will be back and will recommend it to friends!

This place is really expensive, and I d rather spend the same amount at a Michelin-starred restaurant. While nothing was outright bad, it was not worth the price. For example, the portions were tiny. I did enjoy the wine pairing and the service. However, for the price, I expected a nicer place. The napkin was a thin piece of paper instead of cloth, and the paint in the washroom was peeling. The cheesecake was very average, and the octopus was the only dish that brought me joy. I noticed some influencers filming there, but I think the restaurant should focus on improving the food and environment rather than relying on social media hype because anyone who has been here once will not return.

Overall good experience for average value. Food was good, but didnt provide that wow effect we expected or at least some people described in the reviews. We ordered following dishes: oysters (tasty, but not well opened/prepared resulting in shell splinters when eating the oysters) truffle burrata (good burrata, nice texture and flavour. The combination of figs with the balsamic sauce and burrata was nice. Couldnt taste the honey though) charred octopus (maybe it was due to the way it had been prepared, but the texture and chewiness of the octopus, gave us the impression that the octopus was frozen one and not fresh. The combonation with the various sauces and textures however, made this dish tasty overall. Unfortunately, the octopus being the main player in this dish, was probably the most lacking, be it in terms of flavour, or texture). duck confit (was unfortunately too dry. The skin was crispy but the meat itself not juicy.) braised beef short rib (short rib was very tender and tasted good. Mashed potato was very smooth and was more on the buttery side in terms of flavours) sautéed Ontario Mushrooms (basically just pan fried mushrooms, slightly lacking in flavour) Service: Lou, our server was very welcoming, kind and helpful. She aleays came back to check on us whether everything was fine, without doing too much. She made our experience at st, a pleasent one. Overall: We werent blown away. We had a good dinner but thats it. We have been to places elsewhere (not in Toronto but Québec for example) that have blown us away for less money with exceptional value. Toronto is expensive anyway, so I think you can give this place a try, but dont expect to be impressed. The food is good, service is good, value is OK. But nothing exceptional.

Service is unmatched, Lo was so friendly and nice to chat with

Had an amazing time experiencing great food

Gem!

Made a reservation nearly 3 weeks out for a special team event and then received a cancellation notice the week of due to a private event. Really poor executed and communicated. Wont be trying this place.

Great little restaurant. Ordered the octopus and braised beef. The beef was a bit dry but still delicious. Would go again for Tuesdays buck a shuck days!

Food is very delicious and the service by their employees is amazing .hats off to Jordan

Love the tartare and escargots

We had Mother s Day brunch at st. We tried: - chicken and waffles - poutine - eggs over easy with home fries and toast Everything was delicious. The service was excellent. The atmosphere is lovely. We will definitely return to st again!

Made a reservation the day before that I was unable to make. Left them a message and let them know but they still charged me $50 because they said cancellations needed to happen 48 hours in advance. I hadn t even made the reservation 48 hours in advance.

Excellent meal, I ll come back for sure. Relatively quiet place for a date :) duck confit is one of the best in town, well I would enjoyed more if there s bit more gravy. I really liked fried brussels sprouts, potatos and bacons, absolutely the best combination for all duck confit dish I ever tried.

Worst portion ever. Ordered Tiramisu after reading the description and seeing the picture they have provided on food delivery platform, worth $15 dollar. It was too tiny, looked like they just gave a brown bread with tiramisu spread.

Amazing experience here, good service, tasty food and the ambiance was relaxed. Will definitely come again

The short rib poutine is one of the best things I have ever eaten.

The the entire meal was fantastic (especially the short rib) and the service was impeccable. Would definitely recommend

The truffle burrata is a MUST try!!!!!!!!! Also the best braised beef Ive had in a long time. We tried their four course tasting menu- beyond worth it. So impressed with the food, ambience and service every time I come out to st. Cant wait to eat here again.

Small intimate restaurant with delicious food. Went to celebrate my birthday and they were so welcoming, had a happy birthday sign waiting on the table. The majority of the restaurant was booked for a larger birthday and there was one more small table also celebrating a birthday! So festive, and the staff made sure everyone was well taken care of, we were not rushed. We ordered the tasting menu which did not disappoint! The portions were large, the food was delicious (our favourite was the octopus), and the spacing was done well. It was nice and quiet when we arrived as the large group had not arrived, but it was still a pleasant noise level even with the big crowd later. Would definitely recommend

This is unacceptable. We came at 10:30am on Saturday and the place was closed. Just in case we checked the working hours before coming, as some places open at 11am for brunch. Google, instagram and their website say 10am - 3pm on Sat and walk ins are welcomed, apparently not that welcomed in the morning

Good cocktail and crips beer, the tartare is meh, the chips beside is really good

Incredible service, amazing waitress & Jordan the chef & owner was beyond accommodating with my dietary needs! I was finally able to eat out without any concern. I cant wait to go back for dinner!

The food was great here with a wonderful atmosphere. Our server Ash was sweet, amazing and helped our group with great suggestions that made our experience memorable. Most of the girls had the truffle grilled cheese which was really tasty Thank you for hosting our group will surly come again.

Great food! Awesome service! 10/10 We will definitely be going back! Best in the city!

I celebrated my 30th birthday here and had an amazing experience from start to finish. Booking everything was very straight forward and easy. Jordan did a great job communicating with me throughout the weeks leading up to the birthday so that everything went smooth to plan. The food here was a hit, everyone that attended couldnt get over how good the braised beef short rib and the rack of lamb was, along with the desserts. I would definitely recommend this Restaurant if youd like to have a private event for up to 30 people.

Went for winterlicious lunch around 1:30 and the place was completely filled. Food was excellent and atmosphere was cozy. Servers were very pleasant but service was *really* slow. Had the Caesar salad, lasagna and brownie. Lasagna was incredible, brownie was delicious, salad was normal.

Vegetarian options: Fried cauliflower is some of the best Ive had, very saucy and sesame-y. the trofie el pesto did wonderful work with the sundried tomatoes, and the creme brulee was wide and shallow - so you got a lot of the best part. Food

Went for Winterlicious event on Sunday evening. Restaurant was not too busy so service was quick. Ordered charred octopus, braised short ribs and tiramisu. All three were amazing. Great food and service. Small venue but intimate. Cocktails were amazing. Parking: Green P parking lot around the corner. Street parking also available.

I really enjoyed my experience at Est. Its the little things that count. We had a reservation but our table was still being used. While we waited, they offered us a drink. A really nice gesture and excellent customer service! Food and service were top notch.

Waited extremely long to be served. Waitress we had was not very service oriented. Food was well prepared.

Went for a Winterlicious dinner and had a lovely time. Every dish was delicious and had something pleasantly unexpected that made it memorable. We had the octopus and burrata for our apps, beef short rib each for the main course, and creme brulee and chocolate cake for dessert. All fantastic, you wouldnt go wrong with any of them. They happened to be understaffed that night with only one server and almost the entire restaurant filled up, but you wouldnt have known it. Service was quick and the server remained attentive and engaging, checking in on us and refilling water before we had to ask. I didnt catch her name but she was a redhead with an Irish accent (dont ever let her go). One of the cooks ended up coming up to help out as well, bringing out dishes and the two of them seemed very in sync and unphased. You can tell theyre pros. Well definitely be back!

Amazing food!

Would highly recommend! Delicious food, great service, and wonderful casual atmosphere. We will definitely come back my new favourite spot in Leslieville

Everything needs work. Everything.

winterliscious dinner menu was alright! the braised short rib was amazing. The truffle burrata was great. Dessert was Tiramisu and I wasnt blown away.

Lovely service. Ample variety of yummy dishes. Nice little spot in the Riverside district.

Was looking forward to a tasty dinner in a cool restaurant. st delivered on the cool part - decor and vibes were great! The food, however, was tasteless. parmesan truffle fries with black garlic aioli - had zero truffle, garlic or parmesan flavour! The aoili tasted like plain mayo but grey in colour. I saw a couple strands of grated parmesan, but none you could taste. The only flavour detectable on the salmon dish was maple on the brussel sprouts - the pumpkin and tarragon purées were tasteless. It was also to have prosciutto but we didn t detect any. The salmon was seasoned with salt and pepper only. The rigatoni carbonara was super al dente, slightly undercooked, and at least you could taste the pancetta and black pepper. Again not a hint of truffle, though it s mentioned on the menu. We had the garlic broccolini and it was missing garlic. We even joked and wondered if we had covid because we couldn t taste anything. Lol. Chocolate cake for dessert was good. Overall, was hoping for a tasty meal and left underwhelmed.

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! The atmosphere is amazing, and so is the food(when you get it). The music selection never fails, but the service leaves something to be desired. Definitely recommend to go with friends.

Food is delicious for me. Truffle Burrata tastes fresh, a little bit sweet fresh salad sauce with fig. And milky cool taste from Burrata and put them on a slide of crispy bread. Wonderful. And rib poutine is delicious as well. They matched with each others. Staffs are friendly and know clearly about what they are having. Just the tables are a little bit too close to each others, when sometimes others talk really lordly, I can t hear what my friend said.

If you are on the fence, book the reservation! est hosted our holiday party this year and we couldnt have been happier with the experience. Their communication from the start was excellent. The night of, they provided excellent service and we never once felt rushed. The food was absolutely delicious and the menu offered something for everyone in our group, dietary restrictions included. Cannot recommend enough, thank you est!

i had a lovely birthday dinner here. Our server Aisling was so nice! she had a great understanding of the menu and we had great conversation. I had the tasting menu with wine pairing that came with a 4 courses and 4 glasses if wine which were all delicious especially the short ribs

Had a great time, staff was attentive and all kind. Very knowledgeable about their wine selection. Recommend the cauliflower, probably my favourite dish of the night

Beautiful design. Food & service are ok. A bit expensive for the quality of food

Food: Overall excellent. We had the beef short rib and the pappardelle ragu. The rapini on the beef dish were very, very slightly undercooked but overall everything tasted great and was made/presented very well. The chocolate cake dessert was also very good with a nice mix of textures and warm caramel/chocolate sauce. You can tell the kitchen staff are well-trained and care. Atmosphere: The restaurant was a little bright for dinner. The ambiance would benefit from a slightly darker decor (everything is white) or softer/warmer lighting. It felt a bit less cozy than it should have. We were also sitting in the back by the kitchen entrance which emphasized this. The music was great and a good volume. Service: The service was just okay. For those prices you often expect a bit more knowledge about the dishes and wines. I understand there was only one waiter for the whole place, maybe Est would benefit from a host + waiter or even a bartender so more attention can be given to the guests. We didnt really interact that much with the waiter outside of briefly ordering and often times its those small interactions with the staff that make a place memorable. My only other note is that the menu was a bit basic/bland. You have a standard set of dishes you see at most/french or italian restaurants. Mind you, executed very well, but nothing wowd us. The wine menu was similarly basic. You have a few standard cocktails and maybe 15 wines on the menu. I would have liked to see a special that stood out a bit more. I think the fact that there was only one waiter/lack of bartender for the whole place explained the drinks; however, I expected a bit more creativity from the kitchen based on the food quality. Overall solid, if our dinner was sub $200 I dont think we would have minded as much and would have given 4 stars, but when a restaurant prices high the customer tend to set the bar similarly high.

Cute little place in Riverside. Quite possibly the best Cornish hen I ve ever had! Nice homemade pasta, small focused menu. Will be back!

This is one of my fav hidden gem restaurants in Toronto, tucked away in the east end. It s a charming and intimate venue with a curated Italian-French inspired menu. The staff are very courteous and knowledgeable, and the service is well-paced and attentive. The menu itself is succinct and pared down to dishes they do quite well; the Burrata with figs is one of my favourites, particularly the generous showering of truffles over top! It s so decadent! I tried their soup feature which was the brown butter roasted cauliflower on this occasion; I was expecting more depth of flavour, but it was still quite tasty. The best dish on the menu in my opinion is their octopus, which is charred with a honey glaze, served with a tarragon-yuzu salad and the presentation is standout with black garlic and squid ink. Although I wish the portion were made into a larger entree vs an app which is on the smaller size (2 tentacles). They also have a small dessert menu which I ve tried, but to be honest, not their strongest selling points. They also have a unique selection of cocktails including a quite potent espresso Martini! They also make a pretty fantastic Paloma which is my fav! Thank you to the staff and chefs for your incredible hospitality!

We had a lovely dinner at Est tonight. We started with oysters and two mocktails which came out with bread and a delicious honey truffle butter. Next we had the steak tartare and octopus, both of which were amazing as well. For mains we had the tenderloin (which came with a really good sauce, rapini and a lovely sweet potato purée) and the truffle pasta which was also very nice. For dessert we had the warm brownie and affogato. Service was great and the restaurant ambience felt really nice and intimate. Overall the meal was a 10/10 and we will definitely be back. Thank you for a perfect evening

Amazing flavours, beautiful dishes, and an intimate atmosphere. Everything we tried was excellent, the octopus was one of the best dishes I ve had this year, hands down! We tried a lot but pictured below are some of my favourites. Truffle burrata, grilled octopus, beef tartare, short rib, and chocolate cake! Well worth a visit!

Easily a 10/10 meal in my books! Every single dish was so well balanced and unique! The flavour was spot on and we enjoyed absolutely everything we tried! My personal favourites would be a tie between the octopus and the short ribs - definitely try those if you re coming for dinner! Also their kentucky sour was the perfect drink and I d highly recommend! I can t wait to come back and try out their brunch!

My wife, son, and I came to Est for an evening out. Wow!!! We had a fabulous meal and a wonderful time in this restaurant. You have to try to Charred Octopus and the Truffle Burrata. The octopus was cooked to perfection and the addition of the squid ink really elevated the flavour of the sea to this dish. My wife had the Nduja Agnolotti and it was light and filling. Just the right amount of heat, was her comment. Luscious house made pasta. Our table also had the Braised Short Ribs and the Crackling Cornish Hen. Both were excellent. Wednesdays are half priced bottled wine. Great way to reach a little higher in the wine scale without breaking the bank. Service was friendly, helpful and attentive without being all over you. We all had a great time and smiled as we left. This is one place I will be recommending to all my friends and I recommend that you give it a try as well. I know I will be coming back.

My wife and two kids were there for breakfast this morning and the whole experience with our waitress was amazing. She really went above and beyond in every regard. The food was to die for too, we will be back soon. Kid-friendliness: We were there today and the waitress was absolutely amazing to my son. Very very friendly and really made him feel special.

A great evening, the restaurant is a bit small but cozy enough. The atmosphere is sophisticated and young. We went walk-in, but for better seating, I recommend making a reservation beforehand. The staff is nice and welcoming. It s a little pricey for a normal day, so might suggest going for an intimate birthday or anniversary celebration. To begin with, we were given a complimentary bread basket with black garlic and honey butter. Always appreciated. We ordered a custom veggie pasta and it was so good. The chef was more than kind to prepare it on request. The portion could have been improved. Paired with a beautiful white wine sangria with I want to say peach ( I believe it was a part of their special menu, I couldn t find it on their online menu thereafter) We also added the truffles farm fries - amazing Overall 8.5/10.

Shocked at all the high reviews. We were in on a Saturday night and there were only 3 other tables besides ours. Service was painfully slow (45 min to get bread at the table after being seated and 15-20 minutes for drinks each time we asked). Drinks were mediocre and the pasta was disappointing. I had the vegan/GF pasta and half the noodles were undercooked. The salmon main was cooked well but nothing to write home about. The octopus was the highlight and cooked perfectly but $33 for one tentacle is outrageous. Save your money and time and go somewhere else.

Celebrated our girlfriends dinner here on a Friday night! Love the vibe of this restaurant. There were two big parties there including ourselves so the service was a little slower then we were used to but the server was super nice & friendly. It happened to also be $5 off cocktails that night! Recommend ordering the BURRATA & BRAISED SHORT RIB & purple rain martini (so delicious)!

It s a very cute little restaurant that has a good vibes for date night! All the food was pretty good! We especially like the tenderloin and the octopus! Will come back in the future!

I went as a birthday treat and was blown away by the quality of the food. The presentation was breathtaking and the flavour matched that of the presentation. It is quite pricey, but definitely worth trying.

Went here on my birthday, everything was fantastic. The apps, the mains, the drinks, the desserts. Only thing that wasnt 10/10 was the brownie, the oatmilk based sorbet or whatever was hard as a rock.

Great place for a weekend brunch! Chicken and waffles were delicious and Eggs Benny are to die for. Yummy mimosas that come with a discounted refill. Great atmosphere, wonderful service and friendly attentive staff.

We came here for dinner last night prior to a concert a few doors down. Our server was friendly and accommodating. Helpful with our questions and very attentive. We had the Crispy Cauliflower, Charred Octopus, Irish Organic Salmon, and Braised Beef Short Rib. Everything was excellent! Super flavourful and beautifully plated. We will definitely be back!

Cute spot for the neighborhood. Food was a bit disappointing. Underwhelming eggs benny. For this price You can get it from One restaurant in Yorkville. Ok service.

So so delicious and our server was super attentive the entire time!

Wonderful dining experience!

SCARED TO DO BUSINESS. Walked in for brunch at 12.50 , server asked us if we had a reservation, we did not . They had 3 empty tables and empties on the bar.( place had 8 tables and 5 bar seats) Most of the seated tables were either done with their meal or waiting. No line up outside the restaurant, one server on the floor. Server after looking into her tablet for what felt like an eternity, turned around and said sorry we are serving only reservation s today. It was so silly to hear that , especially when her next reservation on her screen she showed me was for 1.30 pm. This is restaurant that is not hungry for business, and turns away customers when they are at 60% occupancy. Read good reviews for them and food looked good , but sadly they have missed the point of running a weekend brunch service when they do not respect their patrons.

If you re looking for exceptional service, don t come here. The food was delicious, except for the Caesar salad and pancakes. We got the truffle grilled cheese, truffle fries, pancakes and chicken & waffles. The service was awful. Felt like everyone was new and they just lacked basic hospitality i.e. can I get you more coffee or water? How s everything tasting so far? The welcome in the restaurant was lacklustre and we waited at least 20 minutes before anyone took our order, despite there being 4 people in the front of house and only 3 tables of two seated at the time. They finally took our order because I asked them to as a server was walking by. It felt like every time they talked to someone, they would go and hide after like they were scared to talk to the customers. They weren t attentive at all and I regrets tipping as much as I did because the service really wasn t there.

My experience was very mediocre. The food took so long we thought maybe the server was also the cook. She was gone for long periods of time. Fries were way too overcooked to the point it was just crispy and you could barely see the potato inside. The truffle dip was okay, very dark and mushroomy and not so much truffley and also slightly tart? Made in house for sure which is nice. Caesar salad had two pieces of hair in it and one that was in my friends mouth and she seemed so sad afterwards. Beef tartare was fresh but because of how long everything took and the fact the food wasnt anything extraordinary - I probably would not come back. The pasta (pasta which cooks fast) took over TWO hours to come even though we were first to order and got our food last. We were so hungry that we had no choice but to eat so much bread and the first batch was cold but second was baked fresh. Cute interior and neighborhood dining spot for something a little less casual. Id work on either staffing or being prepared in the kitchen for your guests....

This little restaurant had a cozy atmosphere and a pleasing menu. The food was so good. I want to go back! Vegetarian options: A few different options ... the cauliflower was delicious

Brunch here were pretty average nothing stood out, I had the breakfast sandwich. The vanilla latte was below average and seemed more like a cappuccino. All other dishes I saw did not seem like anything too unique from an average brunch.

We came here for Father s Day brunch, having never been but based on some recommendations from friends. We are so glad we did! The layout is small but very open - not cramped at all the way some small restaurants are. There s great patio seating on Queen but we sat inside. Beautiful decor and I love how cool the bar looks. I ordered a latte which was perfect, and our table ordered the Fench Toast and the Breakfast Sandy, along with some sides of home fries, sausage and turkey bacon. The service was friendly but not rushed, with a laid-back but attentive attitude that meshes well with the overall vibe. But the food . OUTSTANDING. The french toast comes soaked in a mixed berry flambé that was perfect. The breakfast sandwich is egg and brie on a croissant with your choice of topping. We chose turkey bacon but you can t really go wrong with any choice. The croissant was perfect and the brie was the exact right amount to complement everything without making it too cheesy, and perfectly melted. Will definitely come back again!

Weve heard many great things about this place; however, our recent experience was not quite the best. Although the food was delicious, their portions were below the standard for what youre paying for. We didnt feel satisfied after eating here and went somewhere else afterward. It was a hot day, with no AC, and the server was not as attentive.

Amazing hidden gem! I had a private event at Est restaurant and the food was incredible. I had the chicken and waffles, the french toast bites as well as the tiramisu and it was delicious. My group also had the mimosas. The servers were attentive with all of our requests! I would definitely recommend checking out this spot. We cant wait to come back again soon and enjoy the patio this summer!

A fabulous restaurant with a cozy, intimate vibe. The food was amazing and the service was on point! Can t wait to visit again!

I would highly recommend est. Their staff were attentive, the environment was vibrant & the flavours of the meal were unmatched. I will definitely be going back in the near future!

Such a cute and trendy little spot! Came here for brunch and ordered the truffle grilled cheese, was not disappointed! It was amazing. Cant wait to come back in the summer!

I cannot recommend this place enough. Ive had the pleasure of checking out the restaurant on two separate occasions - for brunch and dinner. The atmosphere was absolutely lovely. The food is delicious, definitely save room for the tiramisu!

Enjoyed the regular and vegetarian 3 course tasting menu. All delicious and well balanced plates.

I had a delicious brunch outing here on Saturday! They have many drink options, the peach mimosa and sangria were great and the food was 10/10! I will definitely be back.

Disappointing and drawn out experience. The entire team was understaffed, leading to a nearly 4 hour dinner seating. 45 minutes between courses is just too long. It is a disservice to the excellent food coming out of the kitchen. Our server Aisling was the saving grace for the evening, providing excellent service while being swamped. Despite an effort to appear upscale, there s no care given to actually maintaining the atmosphere. Between freebie branded promotional cocktail glasses and items stacked haphazardly on any available surface, the experience is diminished by the little things that even low end chains get right. Ultimately, a failure by management to staff appropriately for a large, pre-booked seating that was in the space really tainted the entire experience. It slowed the whole thing down to a snails pace, and took the focus from their great food to their failings. Dietary restrictions: Gluten restriction was treated with the utmost care. Server was knowledgeable, and gluten free options and alternatives were available.

Spent 45 minutes on a saturday night to get to this restaurant just to find out that they were overbooked and offered us a table either outside (on a rainy night) or on a tiny coffee table. They did noy even bother calling us beforehand for heads up. Asked the server to move to an actual table when someone leaves and they completely ignored us and let other people take those tables. What a waste of time! I do not recommend anyone eating at this restaurant that is ran by a bunch of incompetent people.

Went as a group for Summerlicious and everything was delicious. Good service was a little slow as the kitchen was slammed, but the staff were all very friendly and checked in with updates frequently. The chartered octopus is exceptional, followers closely by the truffle burrata. Both the beef tenderloin and braised short rib were delicious options a well

Amazing atmosphere, service and food!! Will definitely be back often

Discovered this wonderful restaurant as part of Summerlicious and so impressed. From the apps of Octopus and Steak Tartare to the Tenderloin and Braised Short Ribs to a wonderful desert. Wine list was good with great pricing, local beer was a treat to discover. Service was excellent and the atmosphere just perfect.

Went for brunch with friends. Waited over 30mins for our food. I wouldn t mind waiting, but the server should have came by to say sorry the food is taking a bit longer to come out. No one came and after I spoke up, it seemed like they were surprised I even asked. If you re not keeping track of your tables, that s just bad customer service. The food, when we did get it, seemed like it was in the kitchen waiting to be served. We ordered the eggs Benedict, side of maple bacon, and fried chicken and waffles. It was all mediocre at best. When paying the bill I wasn t even able to pay with cash because they didn t have change. I get that not a lot of people pay in cash, but still how do you not have 5s and 10s. Like clearly no one went to the bank. How do you open your restaurant without change? That s just poor planning and prep before opening on a weekend no less. Anyways it s unfortunate that it wasn t as good as we thought it would be.

First time there, perfection!

The food is delicious here and on Wednesdays they do half priced wine the pasta and burrata were by far the best dishes. I personally thought the tuna tataki was not very flavourful but my friends liked it. Service was good not great but the servers were super lovely but weren t very attentive or forgot to bring things wouldn t deter me from going back. Cute patio as well!

Had the short rib, was amazing. All the food was delicious, and the service was also great!

Went for the first time and tried their Summerlicious menu. The whole experience was wonderful, I cant wait to go back.

Very disappointing experience. We had intended to try out the summerlicious menu, however when we arrived we were advised that the summerlicious menu was not available on weekends. This was not mentioned on either site, also the hours posted on the website indicated that Est is not open for lunch during the week. Apparently multiple people had experienced the same issue, leading me to wonder why staff hadn t called to confirm what our reservation was for? The staff were friendly and apologetic, however the service was very slow. When our food finally arrived it was okay. The Benedict itself was over priced for what was provided, however the home fries were great. The truffle grilled cheese was average, I didn t find any sweetness from the honey, I did enjoy the Caesar salad that comes with it though.

Came to est for the first time for their summerlicious dinner menu and it s was delicious. Definitely a must try! Surprising standout was the burrata appetizer perfect combination of sweet and savoury and textures. The earl grey crème brûlée was also not too sweet (epitome of Asian compliments). Beef short rib was perfectly cooked - tender,served with broccolini and the smoothest mash potatoes. Atmosphere wasn t too dark and the music wasn t too loud. Only downside, was a pesky fly that kept invading our space. Great selection of alcoholic beverages. Would go again for their regular menu and pay full price.

We just came for dinner today, we had a very bad experience. Foods were bad and very slow services

Went for Dinner summerlicious, very mediocre experience. Was expecting more delicate flavor and presentation.

Food was ok, but the service was very slow, the waiter didnt stop by the table very often

One of my best evenings in Toronto! The food was impeccable and could tell chef Jordan is passionate about what he does! Thank you for a great dining experience and special attention :)

We celebrated our wedding anniversary with a dinner at st. All of our dishes were great, but I LOVED the truffle burrata (pricey for an appetizer, but I would definitely order it again). The flavour of the charred octopus was so nice and the pastas were lovely. There was only one other table on this Friday evening, but we enjoyed our quiet and cozy time.

Hidden Gem! Chef trained in northern Italy. True cullanary delight. Nothing unplanned. Taste in every bite. Dont miss it - J#

I wanted to take my cousin out for her birthday and decided to try st. I ve seen their posts on Instagram and some of the reviews on here. I was kind of weary as you need to cancel 72 hours in advance, you dont typically see that. Our reservation was for 5:30pm, the restaurant was empty and two more people arrived shortly after. We ordered the fried cauliflower and octopus to start. The cauliflower was pretty tasty, the octopus on the other hand didn t have much flavour. It was also pretty chewy. For our mains, my cousin got the pesto pasta, I ordered carbonara and we got the fries to share. I noticed my cousin wasn t enjoying her pasta, she said it didn t feel like it was cooked. So I tried it and it didn t find it good at all. The pasta had too much of a bite and the sauce wasn t flavourful. On the other hand, I felt like the carbonara was extremely dry. Although the fries and dip it came with was very delicious.. as well as the butter that was served with the bread. The drinks were ok, a bit pricey for what you get. I wanted the lychee martini but they didn t have the lychees and added raspberries instead. If I would have known, I would have just gotten the espresso martini. Overall, I wouldn t return. The restaurant is pretty expensive for what you get. My cousin barely touched her pasta and when the waitress asked what was wrong, I told her. There was no initiative to make things better. I m very disappointed with my experience here. Parking: Green P and street parking. Kid-friendliness: High chairs available

Small but fine restaurant, excellent service (waiter with great experience in wine matters), very good and tasty food, can only be recommended when visiting Toronto.

Overhyped for no reason i don t know what s with the 5 star reviews. The setup inside the restaurant is not it. Tiny little tables very close to each other. The food is bland. Chicken had very little to no seasoning and the sauce was not it. The service was bad. The server would disappear for half an hour with their tablets and phone ringing.

Truffle pasta was magical. A perfect balance

The food is under average. Every dish feels sloppy. The plating is decent but flavor is mostly overly rich, lacking balance. Some of the vegetable was not cooked enough, making it hard to chew and taste raw. There were also many flies in the restaurant which was annoying.

Solid spot

Everything was amazing! I love the menu s, the cocktail and dinner. Our server was great, very personable, and so sweet (Ashley) l. All of the food was so good! I highly recommend this place. The steak tartar, short rib, and tenderloin were all great.

Service was inattentive - the server didnt notice when we had finished our meals, needed more drinks, wanted our bills, etc. I had to physically go find her to get the bill brought to our table - she was texting in a corner out of sight. We werent even greeted promptly when we arrived - it was about 2 minutes before anyone even appeared in the dining room. The food was poor. Cauliflower was soaked in a sickly-sweet sauce; pasta was undercooked; portion size for ribs was ridiculous for the price. The atmosphere was dull and there were many flies in the room. I absolutely would not go back, nor would I recommend it to anyone. I took my boss to the restaurant because I thought it would be a nice experience. I was embarrassed that I had chosen this restaurant for his one dinner in Toronto. If you do decide to go, dont reserve ahead - its not worth the $75/72 hour cancellation policy (which in itself is ridiculous).

Stumbled upon this gem, and had to return a second time!

Great brunch spot in the east end! Will go again. Service/staff was great and the brunch menu selection was surprisingly good. Have to go back for dinner to give it a full review

Terrible food, terrible service. All around terrible.

Delicious food, friendly service and nice ambience vibe. Love the steak tartare and burrata salad. Lychee martini is sooo good.

Get the lasagna! Everything was great, but the lasagna was.the winner Food : 5/5

Great service. Overall food was delicious, personally found the duck dish a bit dry but when they provided more jus it was alot better. Short ribs were good, moist. Food

Cozy place, great vibe, great staff, had Chicken & Waffles at Brunch, will be back.

Amazing food and great service!

Had a lot of fun, staff was really nice to us and the food was great, came back for brunch and still felt the same way

Very good

I really enjoyed eating here. The food is thoughtful, great flavors, expertly prepared, and really tasty without being overly pretentious.

Was there after the reopening....great food, drinks, service and atmosphere. The evening flew by, one great dish after another...fun sophisticated vibe. Great place for a date or with friends.

I had an amazing experience at st restaurant! The food was cooked to perfection. I had the cheese & charcuterie, rigatoni alla vodka pasta and the vanilla crème brûlée! Great service...I look forward to returning very soon! You must check out st restaurant if you are in the Riverside area!

Update: my previous review stands at the time it was written. The quality of dishes and execution of taste and texture working effortlessly together was done by the previous chef Sean Macdonald. I have yet to return to st since then. From beginning to end est was able to exceed expectations. From quality service to compelling original flavours est has easily been added to my top 5 restaurants to dine in Toronto. A small group including myself ordered every single item on the menu a suggestion made by our server and we had no regrets. For a group of four, you re left satisfied not stuffed. The delivery of the food was prompted efficiently and the interaction with the sommelier was delightful. If you were looking for a reason to visit this restaurant here is your sign.

Everything was very disappointing. We ordered almost half of the menu and nothing was notable. The service was not very attentive as well. We ended up paying 150 per person for food worse than a chain restaurant. Avoid this overpriced mine field.

Overpriced, under performed. The food was good but limited selection and not equivalent to the price tag. Service was off. We received the wrong order and the wrong bill. Theyve got a ways to go.

Had a fabulous meal. Decor is amazing and staff extremely friendly and helpful. Love the fact they did not rush me. Definitely planning on going again.

Absolutely enjoyed my dinner last week . Apps mains and the cocktails are awesome. Will definitely will be back with my clients highly recommend .

Ate here recently and took some appetizers and mains as well as some cocktails. The service was good and the presentation was excellent. The food was consistently mediocre. They werent doing the tasting menu which looks quite appetizing on other reviews, maybe something has changed. Everything that we ordered was fine, but always generally lacking something, with the exception of the fried cauliflower, which was cooked perfectly and had a great punchy sauce. Given that this was the cheapest item we ordered, its fair to say the main disappointment is that the food just not worth anything close to what you pay for it. I feel like its traditional to offer pepper when you serve pasta (they didnt) but I dont think pepper would have been enough to cure the blahs our food screamed. We didnt fully explore the cocktail menu but what we did get was too sweet (and the rest all looked like they would be too sweet). I get that tonic water is sweetened, but sweet is not the first thing I think of when I order a gin and tonic. There are people out there with this kind of palate, but not us. We came here because this place recently appeared on this list of Canadas Best 100 Restaurants. However, Canadas 100 Best has a very interesting and unusual review of this place, which I quote here: By the time our poll results were tallied, [we] already knew that sts founding chef ... had departed. ... [W]e received an e-mail from them assuring us [they] would be reopening in mid-May. So, at press time ... we had little choice but to leave them in this slot that they earned hope for the best. I feel like putting a restaurant on the list without ever going there was a dumb move on the part of Canadas 100 Best, and us going there without clicking through and reading their non-review was a rather bonehead move on our part. Caveat emptor.

Excellent food. Excellent service. To start, we received toasted sourdough bread with some kind of honey-herb-butter. This was remarkably good for a freebie! We ordered the burrata, as well as the truffle pasta and steak dishes, along with a bottle of Bordeaux wine, with creme brulee and pistachio sorbet for desserts. All dishes were immaculate in presentation and taste. The burrata was the epitome of fresh - creamy, milky richness with hints of various herbs and sauces. The steak was skillfully cooked to medium rare, with an excellent crust and very tender. Quality beef. The sauces and vegetables served along with the steak were packed with simple but distinct flavors which must have required tremendous cooking skill. The pasta was perfectly al dente and with just the right amount of sauce. The kitchen was generous with truffle shavings. Delicious. The creme brulee dessert was expertly caramelized and not too sweet nor tart. The pistachio sorbet was very light and airy, a nice way to cap off the dinner. The servers were very attentive, not pushy and were very helpful in selecting a good wine to go with our meal. We will be back. This place is worth visiting if you are in Toronto. It is pricey, but if you are a foodie, this is one of the places you need to go. Bravo, st kitchen and serving staff, from someone who rarely posts reviews for anything online. Youre doing it right.

Every dish here was perfection! The salmon and beef tenderloin were flavourful and cooked perfectly. Cocktails were also fantastic and the service was great. Could not have enjoyed my meal here more!

based on the price u can do better

Unfortunately not a great first experience at est. The presentation of the dishes was beautiful, and tasty - however the portions were small for the price. We visited with a group of 8 and what left a bad taste in our mouth was the service. For such a small restaurant, we felt that we had to always wave the server down and were not serviced attentively. Finally, as we were leaving, we wanted to split the bill. They took a long time to give our separate bills, and then they got the bills wrong! It felt like it took 20 minutes just to get our bill to leave. This place has potential, but unfortunately the execution was lacking with the service.

Absolutely delicious food, beautiful atmosphere, and fantastic service. Great spot for an intimate dinner or dinner with friends. Try their chocolate espresso martini

Wonderful dining experience! From atmosphere to cocktails, service to food, everything was fantastic! Myself and a friend decided to dine here for our girls-night-out treat and we were not disappointed. We shared the truffle burrata and charred octopus to start and WOW! The octopus was cooked perfectly, super meaty and not chewy or over cooked. We then split the mushroom truffle pasta and rack of lamb which were both perfection - the lamb was some of the best I ve ever had. We finished with the dessert special, strawberry shortcake and a delicious chocolate espresso martini. I have to say that of all of the experience I ve had dining out, this place is now on the top of my list. Small menu with quality ingredients and attention to detail that is worth every penny. Can t wait to dine again!!

Has the potential to be a great restaurant but the space is not suitable. After visiting this past week I can say that the food looked delicious, however I was sadly disappointed upon arriving to the restaurant. I immediately lost my appetite due to the lingering smell of stale cigarettes... and possibly sewage? Attempting to over look this, we ordered an appetizer (truffle burrata) which was average. I could not justify spending any more time or money on an entree, while still questioning what it was that I was trying so hard not to smell, so we decided to leave. :(

I really like this restaurant which is fairly new and I definitely want to come back for a tasting menu. The server was super nice and the service is very good. The dishes are very pleasing to the eyes and portion is really good. I love the pasta is house-made and the black garlic butter is to die for. I would like all the dishes sauce taste so good. Highly recommend this place!

We were a party of 4 and tried quite a few different dishes. The menu choices were limited (and quite basic) and nothing stood out in the menu. In terms of execution, we found the food to be of average quality but nothing impressive or memorable. Dry and aseptic ambience too. We would have considered it to be an OK dinner at half the price tag, but this is way overpriced for the quality of the food.

I ve had the lamb and beef Tenderloin on separate occasions. Both very good. Haven t had the salmon but was told from others in our group it was one of the best they had. The charred octopus was also pon point along with the Cauliflower bites. Tasty cocktails and good balance of wine. Could probably carry a few more options for wines however was also told they re building the wine list as they go. Dietary restrictions: Vegan options. Wheelchair accessibility: Entrance and washrooms

Everything was so delicious! Very cozy environment too, amazing drinks!

It s been a while that I ve been to a fancy restaurant and say I d go back again. 100% would recommend. Presentation was amazing. Espresso martini is one of the best I ve had

Note that new owners took over the restaurant in 2022, so some of the pictures/reviews are outdated. There is no tasting menu and the menu is different than before. The food was good, and the service was good, but it seems a bit overpriced. While I did have a good experience, I did not find the menu offerings very unique or exciting.

Food was amazing but lights were too bright.. definitely need to dim the lights and slightly turn ip the music I think more people will feel comfortable enough to stay past the main course if the lights were dimmed.. overall great place but seriously if you want people to spend money and feel Comfortable, please, dim the lights

Visited in September. Amazing service, super attentive. Fettuccine was on the drier side. However the mashed potatoes... I can have plates of it. Took shots with the chef and team Ill be sure to come back again

The service and food were absolutely incredible. Hands down one of the best dining experiences Ive had in Toronto

I love everything about this place. The vibes, the aesthetic, the food, the service, the drinks.

Great food, everything you order will taste great! The service was excellent too!

New spot near the beaches - amazing food, great atmosphere- and the chef/owners are delightful

Its a small, cozy place (great for two or small groups). The service and food is excellent - gourmet! Portions and prices means youll have a great dinner without breaking the bank. Check out their menu online and book a reservation.

Would Return. A welcoming, defined dining experience with a strong offering of modern french inspired classics. My only grip is they disappeared without notice earlier this year, cancelling my booking days before an event. Tartare was delicious, although a small serving. The charred bread carried the dish imo, with the meat slightly discoloured and not offering the right chew. Very expensive compared to other tartares. Ragu was very unassuming, with the meat sauce flavourful but you wouldnt miss it. The pasta was perfect, however, and immediately makes you wonder why you dont ALWAYS eat fresh pasta whenever you can. Beef was perfect. Very tender, smokey char and seasoned well. The potato and jus were a perfect umami bomb for the steak. A must order. Wine by the glass is acceptable here and the ambiance is very welcoming yet refined. Perfect for a date night. Takes AMEX.

Staff was nice & service was overall quite quick (a bit too long between starter & main dish). Interior indeed may not match the price tag. I understand there has been a change of owner in Aug 2022 and there is no longer a tasting menu. - octopus starter was really good. Not chewy and very tasty (3 tentacles). - mushroom/truffle Fettuccini was very average. - beef tenderloin & mashed potatoes was decent, not sure it is worth $50. (Unfortunately the 12h beef short ribs were not available) - chocolate cake was a bit underwhelming. Enjoyed the crunchy bits below ice cream but the description made me think there would be more to it than 2 rasberries on top of a chocolate cake.

Amazing food, Really nice presentation Incredible cocktails Food : 5/5

Oysters were fresh and delightful, best Caesar salad I ve ever had. Mushroom truffle fettuccine was great, also enjoyed the roasted chicken. Menu offerings are simple yet sophisticated works of art from what I can tell. The chefs really know what they re doing, and personally delivering food to tables was a nice touch. You can tell they take pride in what comes out of their kitchen. Servers were polite and efficient, working together to ensure all tables are well attended to. Place is intimate and bright, with an unpretentious atmosphere for fine dining. This will definitely be my go-to spot for dinner before seeing shows at the Opera House next door.

Love this spot. Was gutted when it closed but they have opened again. The food is amazing and the service was great. Had buck a shuck oyster on a Tuesday night, steak tartare and the lamb chops. Everything was great.

Delicious food! The appies were a home run. Had a perfect balance with a great complexity of flavours! Definitely will dine again. Also had grapefruit sorbet for dessert which was a flavour I ve never seen before! Really refreshing and best way to end off the night.

AMAZING! The food and overall dining experience here is spectacular. The appetizers are especially incredible. The chef is obviously so thoughtful and talented. One of my favourite restaurants in Toronto.

Excellent service. A variety of seasonal items that are made with care and precision. We had a great dinner!

Everything was perfect. The octopus was especially remarkable. Lamb ragú and Cornish hen were also flawless. Good wine, good food, good atmosphere, good service! Highly recommended.

All I can say right now after getting home from dinner is WOW! I cant put into words how delicious that was. Every single dish was incredible and oh yes we tried them all. I dont like mushrooms and the shitaki mushroom dish was my favourite of the night! The service was incredible. Our waitress was top notch and the manager/sommelier/hostess/amazing person Tes went above and beyond the definition of great service. There is not one bad thing I could say. You need to go here!

One of the best meals I ve had. Went for a friend s birthday about a month ago and we are still talking about it. Every dish we had was fantastic. Service was great and our server went out of their way to make it a nice experience. Definitely a fine dining experience but not pretentious at all. Can t wait to go again soon.

Following a string quartet version of Vivaldi s Four Seasons in a metropolitan church, we found ourselves adjacent to Broadview hotel; just in time for a quick bite at a sweet spot. The heirloom tomatoes were excellent with a creamy, big-salt, whipped feta-butter. The prawns were a tasty jumble of textures and flavours followed by the deep dark and decadent Ube flan. 5 stars

Good food. Try the ube flan!

Good service, delicious food that are with good presentation

This place is top ! I the food is just amazing, I enjoyed every single dish we ordered. Highly recommended

It is disappointing that Est Restaurant has chosen to ignore the Ontario Health guidelines regarding the vaccine pass. Proof of vaccination is required for indoor dining; however, it is not required for outdoor dining or for access to the restaurant s washroom facilities by its patrons. These policies have been clearly outlined by the Provincial Government, yet the restaurant inaccurately portrays these policies on its Tock reservations page. Dear Est restaurant, if you are trying to confuse your patrons, you are succeeding. If you are interested in providing accurate and concise information to your guests regarding admittance requirements, I direct you to the Instagram account of Maison Selby - they did it brilliantly.

Adventure for the palette, with exquisite execution. Highly recommended. First visit for collab with the crew from Ile Flottante in MTL. Everything was incredible, and we now cant wait to return to experience from the resident Est. Team.

I have never been so irritated with a restaurants website as I was with Est. ZERO INFO for food options and ZERO INFO for prices. What is your website for???

We came to est for a one night only tasting menu and Imrun Texeira of Top Chef Canada was one of the guest chefs. Our waitress was lovely and attentive but the meal was a bit lacking. There were some good dishes and some not so great, and as a whole the meal had no cohesion. It felt like a menu that the chefs were still fine tuning and for $160, it missed the mark for me. There were dishes of French inspired, some that tried to play on Asian flavours, some that leaned on Canadian influence. There was no cohesion and it really did feel like a meal prepared by three different chefs. I did love Imruns trout dish. The fish was the perfect portion and the sauce and foam were amazingly delicious. There was also a green coconut curry ice cream that was very intriguing. The chicken liver mousse and the banana dessert were also fantastic. The roast carrot was a miss for me, as was the duck. There was more sauce on the plate than duck itself. There was nothing special about the scallops and corn, nor the pork dish.

I cannot say it enough, this place is a revelation. The food, the service everything was spectacular! Added bonus: they got us glasses of champs to celebrate our anniversary!

I went here for my birthday. The interior is cozy and the staff were so friendly. The appetizers were well prepared and delicious. I suggest starting off with the Treviso and Golden Beets followed by the Duck Bucatini as the main course. For dessert, I HIGHLY recommend the Pavlova because it is so good with the merengue and floral violette cream. 5/5 would come back again.

Good food environment

Food definitely worth the price - the desserts are beyond expectations

Five stars for the care and thought put into the food combined with excellent service. They even take a chance with their music selection.

Really loved this place- food was incredible and pretty affordable all things considered. My partner and I always joke about needing to go to McDonalds after visiting nice restaurants but we were both STUFFED by the end of the meal. Happy we were finally able to go. Highly recommend saving room for dessert- the ice cream we had was a work of art in your mouth. Only critical feedback: Atmosphere was okay, for such a highly acclaimed restaurant I was expecting the interior to match. Loved the concrete bench and light fixtures but the bar area seemed kind of cheap and didn t match the vibe.

What an enjoyable experience! Definitely perfect for a night of unrushed dining over good conversation. I love their shifting menu concept - at least I m someone who likes to be surprised with new dishes. Their plates are uncomplicated and fresh. My friends and I shared 10 dishes all together! Our favourites were HANDS DOWN the 72 Hour Beef Short Rib, the BBQ Secreto, and the Use Flan. I probably could have gone without the Rabbit Jamon though.

Unreal.

Eh. It was okay. The wine was the best part of the meal. There was nothing special about est that we haven t seen elsewhere. Service was mediocre. Disappointed that the menu was reduced to marginal small plates. The timing between dishes was not ideal as there were large swathes of time in between service. Did not come close to expectations.