Mhel in Toronto

This place is a complete experience! The service is so warm and atentive. The food blow my mind, how simple and delicious is everything here. Thank you!

Mhel delivered a flawless birthday surprise with exceptional service servers were polite, accommodating, and made excellent recommendations. Portion sizes are small, which allowed us to try most of the menu, and I highly recommend booking an earlier time slot to ensure you can enjoy all the offerings. The wagyu and warm fish dishes, particularly the Kanpuchi Guyi and Sawara, were standout highlights. From the counter seating, you can truly appreciate the meticulous attention to detail in food preparation. The venue s casual and cozy vibe makes it perfect for a special yet relaxed dining experience.

A pleasure to visit this amazing restaurant, where food and service were of equally great standards! All dishes were delicious, and super tasty, especially some of the sauces. Thank you for a great evening. Food

Expensive but rly tasty

What a perfect dinner after a long week! Everything was cooked to perfection. You could taste the quality of the ingredients and the true skill and creativity of our chef in the sauces. This perfect combination resulted in some of the best dishes we ever had. Just order one of each item from the menu and you wont be disappointed!

We had a great dinner paired with a bottle of sake which they recommended which really complemented the meal. I love the concept of a constantly changing as well. I did feel like the food portion to price ratio was a bit off, as a group of 4 we got one of everything on the menu but I was still a bit hungry by the end (and it was not cheap).

Overall the food is good. Its a little bit pricey as most other reviews said.

Every dish is very well thought out with balanced flavour profiles. Staff was very attentive to my sensitivities. I asked for not too salty or oily - most restaurants are. I got what I wanted. I don t know if they usually are. Recommendations were spot on. Had the kanpachi sashimi, sawara in spinach sauce, agebitashi, mushroom, and rice to carry the sauces of the dishes at the end. You definitely want to try Mhel at least once - if it doesn t become a regular place. I will be going back. Vegetarian options: The menu has vegetarian options. Dietary restrictions: Staff is attentive on this.

I recently dined at Mhel and I was thoroughly impressed. The dishes were exceptionally well thought out, showcasing a perfect balance of flavors and creativity. The sake that was paired was a highlight, enhancing the food beautifully. Additionally, the hospitality from JC and the team was top-notch; making the experience even more enjoyable. I highly recommend Mhel for anyone looking to savor delicious food in a warm and inviting atmosphere.

OVERPRICED ,food nothing special, taste quite salty, we went with 3 people and ordered everything on the menu that day, it was really too small, we left with hungry stomachs after paying over 300$, never again, not recommended!

An amazing experience! Food was fantastic and so creative, with deep and rich and unique flavours! Staff were so nice and told us about everything we were enjoying. And the place was bustling and the music fun. What a great time!

We recently visited Mhel for our anniversary and were absolutely delighted. The space was warm and inviting, and our server was incredibly attentive, offering fantastic recommendations, including a lovely bottle of sake that paired beautifully with each dish. We were amazed by the complexity and uniqueness of the flavors, with every dish offering something distinct and memorable. We couldn t have asked for a better dining experience and will definitely be returning!

For me, Mhel hit every mark. The owners are SO gracious. The staff and service were outstanding. I always gage food by its uniqueness...have I ever tasted anything like this before, are the ingredient combinations interesting...and the quality. In this case, really spectacular. They source their ingredients from some pretty great Ontario farms, and Japan, and from anywhere else they need to go to get the best. Each dish we tried was a taste experience, with many layers of flavours and textures. The menu changes daily, with some crossover, based on what is delivered in the way of ingredients. That alone is hugely impressive. I took the time to read some of the negative reviews on here, and I feel like they resulted from a complete misunderstanding of what Mhel is. It is Japanese bar snacks, so to make a full meal, you need to order quite a few dishes. If you want to get full on the cheap, this is not your place. Yes, its expensive, but there is a reason its expensive. The labour and costs of making your meal here are not insignificant. I bet Mhel will end up with a Michelin star. Not something I can afford often, but now on my list of special places in Toronto. Love you, Mhel!

Came here for dinner on a friday night. We were excited to try a menu with a rotating menu! Was really looking forward to trying the infamous kimchi that has been shared but was told that the grandma making it had retired along with the dish itself. So that was slightly disappointing. All reviews mention that portion sizes are small but we really didn t realize how small. The food was tasty and fresh and well prepared and well thought out in terms of flavour profiles. However, the price points to the dishes were exceptionally high in my opinion. Also, when dining as two, I find it so annoying when dishes are prepared in odd numbers (we ordered the bluefin tuna sashimi and it came with exactly 5 pieces). Either make it 4 pieces or make it 6 so that it is easier to share and split. In terms of food, all the fish dishes were well made and would recommend! We also ordered the onigiri that was deep fried and came with a side order of soup. The onigiri was not our favourite as it lacked flavour entirely. All in all, would recommend to try once but perhaps on a special occasion.

Had a very nice dinner at Mhel. The food was great especially the miso eggplant, we ordered it twice before we left. We found it very expensive for what you got. 45 dollars for four small pieces of beef was a bit much. The atmosphere and the service were also quite nice. Would recommend for a date night but beware of the price

It was a very satisfying meal. I think its a very good restaurant with a nice atmosphere, a friendly owner, and reasonable prices considering the quality. Highly recommended!

Beautifully presented, unique, fresh and delicious dishes, great atmosphere and fast and friendly service. Will definitely come back to try more of the ever changing menu. On the menu: Tamagoyaki: Tamagoyaki, sugar loaf, shiitake, thick dashi Potesala: Potatoes, pickled ramps, sugar snap peas & sweet peas, soft boiled egg Kampachi & sorrel: Charcoal grilled sagohachi marinated kanpachi, Tamaracks sorrel, green garlic Sogogi: Austrailian wagyu striploin, galbi sauce, perilla ssam, barley ssamjang Umma Kimchi: Mom made classic nappa cabbage kimchi O-yi: Korean cucumber from Ontario marinated in dashi & yuzu Shima Aji: Shima aji , sesame sauce, umeboshi, shiso, myoga, scallions, mizuna

I felt like I had high hopes for this place because I saw all the hype but was extremely disappointed finally dining here. I was told their menu changes daily but every single dish was extremely basic and lack lustre. I feel like you goto certain restaurants to experience their specialty dish or what they are known for but obv you won t get that here. There wasn t a single dish that was like WOW .. I feel like they have potential to do better if they can hone in on a good dish. Anyways spent close to $300 bucks for 2. Cool spot though!

This is a cozy little spot perfect for chatting and dates. They offer many small dishes, all beautifully presented. The seasoning on the fish is excellent, and I recommend their grilled tofu its quite special.

We were really looking forward to going to Mhel based on the reviews. Great location. Ambience is simple and service was good. We sat at the counter. Unfortunately, the menu did not deliver. The care and composition of every dish was impressive, but there were not enough options on the menu. We went in hungry and after ordering almost everything on the menu we left hungry. Too many wilted cold green options which did have delicious sauces we wanted a second order of sashimi (which was the highlight of the meal!) but they were already out at 8:15pm. Perhaps our expectations were too high and despite friendly and attentive service, we will not go back. I don t recommend for large groups as the menu lacks variety and isn t great for sharing.

Great atmosphere with an open kitchen you can watch from the bar. Menu was short and concise with only good options (we ordered most of what was on it) and it changes daily, with full turn over every month or so. Highlights were both Kanpachi (fish) dishes (sashimi and grilled). Service was top notch. Highly recommend!

Had a lovely dinner at Mhel, food was tasty, fresh and well prepared. Service was great! The dishes are small for the price point, so I would recommend this place for a special occasion or if you re looking for something unique. The dessert (caramel pudding) is a must!

The food was good but not good enough to justify the criminally small portions and prices. Our group of 4 tried everything on the menu and had to double up and still weren t full. Servers were nice though but this was definitely a try once and never coming back place.

I was excited to try this after the reviews, however I was pretty disappointed. The dishes were very overpriced. We ordered a tomato dish and it was literally just a half of an uncooked tomato for $14. Other dishes were forgettable for the price point look elsewhere.

Very basic food. Overpriced.

Amazing food and service!

Good place to chill and snack. Dont come very hungry

Good service, food and atmosphere ! 100% recommend.

Cute place! Interesting that their menu changes daily. Service was friendly and attentive despite it being packed. Fish was a touch dry but otherwise food was fresh and flavourful. Would go again.

The food didn t leave me with a must-return-for-this feeling, but the sauces were intriguing enough to be interesting. However, the menu overall wasn t compelling enough to enjoy with a bottle of sake, which was a bit disappointing. The service was pleasant, especially the owner s attention to detail. However, one of the servers, She rushed to ask if we wanted to add a bottle of sake right after we just got our first highball, which felt quite unprofessional.

The flavors were exquisite, and each dish was crafted with meticulous attention to detail. However, the portion sizes were surprisingly small, leaving something to be desired in terms of portion-to-price balance. recommended items: beans, chawanmushi, tamarack s ep, Shima Aji, Kosho Dai, Sogogi Items ordered: anju - $12 - drinking snacks Footsteps organic s water eggplant & Tamaracks tomato this was the one disappointing item on the menu, it lacked flavour and found it to be rather plain. chawanmushi - $13 - egg pudding cold egg custard, organic corn cream, Trillium s summer corn an extremely unique combination of flavours and textures. very rich and creamy, the corn and egg paired so well, one of our favourites. beans - $13 - french beans snack simple yet so so good. nice crunchy bite, the sauce with notes of ginger, miso and mustard elevated every bite, the pine nuts were a great touch of smokiness. ohitashi - $13 - summer cabbage good flavour, very fresh tasting. paired well with our drinks. squash - $16 - Tamaracks romanesco squash it s as quite flavourful, nice crunchiness from the arare (rice cracker), cooked to perfection. tamarack s ep - $26 - Australian Wagyu beef was perfectly cooked, served beefy and smokey broth, paired well with the eggplant. a very intricate combination of flavours, left us wanting more. Shima Aji - $30 - sashimi about 4-5 pieces of shima aji from Ehime, in a out-of-this-world sesame sauce, it was the best dish of the evening for us. just fresh, savoury and light. Kosho Dai - $30 - sashimi and cucumber another beautiful plate, the sashimi melts in your mouth the cucumber introduces a nice crunch. very refreshing very summery plate, pairs well with the drinks! Sogogi - $47 - charcoal australian wagyu juicy, cooked perfectly, beautiful presentation, the sauce was an incredible pairing, rich and creamy. stellar plate. Oiji - $8 - mom s pickled cucumbers quite crunchy, interesting texture, good flavour. Drinks: chu hi - $14 - sochu highball niwa no uguisu tomari - $14 - umeshu

Highly recommend! We were in Toronto for a long weekend over TIFF and planned out some restaurants to check out. While we loved them all, Mhel was the highlight. Incredibly good food, best in class service, and a unique experience. There are quite a few other restaurants we want to try when we come back to Toronto, but Mhel will be one of the rare spots we make it a priority to come back to. If we lived here we would be regulars.

Extremely small portions, yet expensive prices. We left still hungry!!!

An absolute hidden gem! Food is amazing and staff is attentive and very knowledgeable of food and sake. Couldn t pick a better place for my birthday dinner! Food

Great cozy place for a late night drink. They have a wide selection of sake and also offer other drink options as well. The food is on the pricy side. However, you can tell that they put in a lot of effort on preparing the dishes. The taste also meets the expectation. Will be visiting occasionally!

Food tasted very refreshing and unique - high quality ingredients and sophisticated preparation methods were used. Highly recommend the chilled egg custard and the kanpachi sashimi. Portion sizes are very small for the price paid; we basically ordered everything off the menu for a table or 5 and ordered duplicates or two items.

Amazing food but especially amazing service!

Stepping into this place you can immediately get a sense of the intimate atmosphere and a good vibe. Every single member of the service staff was attentive, and very friendly. We barely had to ask our waitress for a thing, it was like she read our mind. We ordered at least six or seven things on the menu and every single thing blew my mind. Apparently the menu changes daily, but the wagyu seems to be a fixture and is super worth it. It s a splurge but I will definitely be back. Parking: Near Dufferin station. It is probably best to take transit to this location. If not, you may be able to find some street parking in the neighborhood.

Concept and atmosphere was good. Food was a bit salty and dishes had similar taste. Very small portions

Incredible food and service was exceptional.

the constantly changing menu causes the kitchen to have limited ability to perfect a dish. For example, the yuan yaki ($35) sounded good on paper but didn t have the taste to match. The thick slice of kanpachi needed more seasoning and something stronger than just a yuzu marinade. Its uneven thickness meant the edges were cooked through while the centre to be raw. Ultimately, I had to leave a piece uneaten given it was gross and gummy. After all, the dish wasn t meant to be eaten raw like the ishidai sashimi ($33), a fish flown in from Nagasaki. In lieu of soy sauce, Mhel created a flavourful seaweed salad providing flavour and a chewy garnish that could be wrapped in the fish to create a delicious bite. In fairness, there s many dishes that Mhel gets right. The sogogi ($46) was fantastic, a sizeable slice of Australian wagyu cooked to perfection so that it s juicy and hot. Brushed with galbi sauce, the beef s Korean flavours reminded me why it could be eaten with chopsticks. Although, I would have loved for a small slice to be put on top of the sushi rice nugget. It s what Mhel describes as a perilla ssam, so a piece of meat would make the bite complete. Mhel s portion sizes are small. Hence, we followed their advice and opted for the heartiest dish for the evening, the dak gaseumsal ($30) with a bowl of steamed Japanese rice ($5), and side of kimchi ($8). The dak gaseumsal s buttery miso sauce was great for pouring over the sticky rice and I loved the accompanying sauteed seasonal greens (garlic scape, Swiss chard, and collard greens). Yet, the chicken breast, while juicy, wasn t overly exciting perhaps because it was sous vide versus grilled. At least they were true to their word, this dish was much larger than the rest. Still, you may want to get a side of the potesala ($15), their version of a potato salad. The shallots added a slight bite to the potatoes and the pickled ramps and peas gave the dish a freshness that helped balance off the otherwise rich dish. Yet, it s the onsen egg that really made the dish, I wished there was more than a half. If anything, Mhel ensures you have room for dessert. The purin ($10) was a fantastic crème caramel, one of the best I ve had in a while. The thickened Sheldon Creek cream was rich but perfectly balanced by a maple syrup glaze that had a toasty taste, much better than your regular caramelized sugar. My husband and I immediately regretted getting one to share.

Energetic and authentic place. The Fish and Beef are perfectly cooked and super tender. Food

Delicious food, excellent sake selection. Always exciting to have awesome additions to the city. Update: Still amazing

The lovely people at Mhel have so much talent and passion to offer. The service is warm and welcoming, and the food was spectacular! Every fresh, flavorful, and tasty ingredient on the plate was cut with precision and consistency. That attention to detail is something that can be overlooked often. Im so glad they are here, and I cant wait to come back for many more meals. Thank you Hoon, Min, and the Mhel team for a fantastic dinner experience! Its always exciting to look forward to the next time! Each visit has been quite special as theyre always trying something new each day.

Everything was virtually perfect. The Kanpachi sashimi w/ black garlic and dill was without question the best I have ever had. The same can be said for the kimchi - perfectly sour, salty, and spicy. It was an emotional experience. At one point the loose sleeve of my shirt dipped into some left over sauce on a place without me noticing, and one of the staff promptly brought over a wet napkin to use to prevent staining. It is the absolute commitment to making the dining experience absolutely perfect that puts this place over the edge.The use of seasonal tomatoes and dill in multiple dishes really surprised me, but was done flawlessly. A very special evening. Thank you Mhel!

Great food. Great service. Highly recommend! Favorites for our date night include the kampachi sashimi (though the menu does change daily).

This place is the reason you go to restaurants. Amazing service, unpretentious warm atmosphere, exquisite food. Every dish surprised me, and its the kind of thing where you involuntarily close your eyes when the taste hits. 7 dishes (including dessert) shared between 3 of us, plus a drink- 85ish before tip. You leave full and happy.

We ate at Mhel as a large party of 10. This review reflects the general consensus of our group. So with a large group, Mhel dishes become a family style sharing experience which we were well aware of. Our group has definitely had this before at other fine dining restaurants. But Mhels portioning of most of their dishes was very odd and definitely what hurt our groups experience the most. Everything was portioned for 2 groups of 4 people, where as we 2 groups of 5. The salad had 2 eggs, the fish had 2 pieces, the Wagyu had 4 pieces each cut in half. It made sharing quite cumbersome and awkward. Id rather have been told ahead of time that this style of eating was best for 8 or 12 people. The food itself was overall was average. Wagyu was tougher than expected (and we had to cut try and cut pieces to accommodate 5), the clay pot rice dish was a little dry and under seasoned. The caramel pudding was the highlight of the meal, and was delicious. Maybe one of the best caramel puddings weve ever had. $70/person was totally reasonable. I have read a few reviews saying there was not enough food. I wasnt full, and neither were a few members of our group, but I think the amount of fullness is in line with similar higher end restaurants in Toronto whether it be with tasting menus or family share. My gut feeling is this was an off night for Mhel, and just not planned well for 10 people. I think I would like to try again with just my wife and I, and I could see it being a whole different experience.

Food was good but not memorable. Cool place with good atmosphere and good service.

Incredible in every sense of the word.... one amazing unique dish after the other, with wonderful service and presentation... explosion of unique flavours... cant wait to go back!

Great place, great food, amazing staff. A gem for sure

Went there on date night a couple weeks ago and my husband and I can t stop talking about it since. It was just phenomenal. The food exquisite, service super attentive without being overbearing, atmosphere just so lovely. And get this: the price of the entire meal was what we paid in tip for one of Toronto s best restaurants (and one of our all time favourites) a month ago - except the meal at Mhel was better, and way funner. Can t wait to be back.

Amazing service and every item we ordered was delicious and beautifully presented!

I brought my buddy here for a bday dinner and dang. This place was so good I went back the next weekend with my wife. It was one of those places that completely changes the way you think about food. I had this charcoal grilled fish collar that would curl your toes. Crispy, buttery and soft. Great flavour. We also order the Australian wagyu and I still just think about this fish. The experience is cool too. Sitting at the bar watching the chefs prepare your meal. It also exposed me to a wider range of Japanese cuisine besides ramen and sushi. If I had any complaints? It s minor and personal. The music was a bit loud. But I m newly over 40 so maybe I m just that way now.

Oof, I really wanted to like this place. The food was under seasoned, over priced, and just all around disappointing. I don t mind spending money on quality food in this city, we ve been to multiple restaurants on the Michelin guide, but at $80-$100 a person we left disappointed and hungry. We had the steak, sashimi, rice ball, and eggplant. Every dish was a major disappointment, and considering the high quality of the ingredients, such a wasted opportunity.

Mhel is everything I want in a dining spot thoughtful, caring, and full of love. We had our first visit last night and sat at the bar, which was a treat if you enjoy watching the chefs in action. As others have noted, the menu changes daily. We tried the dashi tomatoes, cabbage, kimchi, striped jack, ochazuke, and chicken in miso sauce with collard greens. All the vegetable dishes were served cold and had a great balance of flavors. My favorite was the tomato in dashi sauce with shisho leaf. The ochazuke, served in a dashi broth with morels and Parmesan, was cozy and comforting. The service was excellent, with polite and friendly staff. Theres a lot of heart and soul in this place, and you can taste it in the food. I love the small plates and the recommendation of 3-4 dishes per person. The beautiful ceramics add a special touch. I would recommend this place for a more intimate group of 2-4 people. I cant wait to celebrate many more occasions at Mhel.

You can tell when theres love behind a place, and Mhel has that. The food has a rare quality of feeling warm and inviting, like a home cooked meal, with the inventiveness youd expect from a world class kitchen.

Great food with a lot of diversity in flavor. Friendly staff with exceptional service. Thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance as well.

My experience at Mhel is headlined by the genuine care they have for their guests, you can see it when watching them work and in all their interactions with you. You really feel how much it means to them that you re there. The food was absolutely sensational and the service was like being at a really homey local restaurant, where the owners are also cooking, serving, and checking in on their guests. And yes, the food every single dish was a smash. I can t even pick a favourite, they were all unbelievably great. Good portion sizes and the quality is apparent, extremely high quality pastured meats, seasonal fish from Japan, and organic local vegetables. Whatever is on the always evolving menu the week or day you go, you ll be lucky to have.

Amazing food and service but pricy

amazing food and hospitality. worth multiple visits for new menu items.

Best date night restaurant. Our drinks were magnificent and while I wish we had ordered some hot plates, we still had the most delicious dinner. The kimchi was fresh and bright and the caramel puddina was to die for. Vegetarian options: Many

portion size are way to small, for price they are charging. dimishing the food they make.

Dishes were pretty good, my favourite was the sashimi and octopus. A bit cozier than expected especially at the bar seating. Service was great and attentive.

A very interesting Japanese and Korean fusion. Menu changes daily pending what the chef finds in the farmer market. Food and services are impressive. A must try.

Five stars all around.

I really, really wanted to love this place, but the portions were small, overpriced and the food was lacklustre for the price. However, I do have to shout out the caramel pudding!! SO GOOD, but also so tiny :(

A menu that changes daily, they use fresh seasonal local ingredients. Small dishes made with intention and in house. Executed with the most care! Atmosphere dim, minimal and intimate. Served by friendly staff that actually care about the food. The owners were very much apart of the whole process; behind the scenes, prepping and preparing while also serving customers. If you have an appreciation for quality and come with an open mind, I m sure you ll love it. Take a look at what s on the menu for that day, ask the staff for recommendations and just trust you ll be blown away. Prices are high due to sourcing fresh and seasonal daily but completely worth it. Oh and don t forget the sparkling sake, cheers!

Not to be dramatic, but I ll be thinking about the meal I had at Mhel tonight until the day I die.

Small portions but very unique flavours and awesome service

Excellent food, ambiance and service! You can tell that the individuals here really put the additional detail into the complimentary flavours and presentation. Only comment would be on the portion size, we were a group of two and preferred five dishes for around $100 and did not leave full. Otherwise a great experience.

Food was amazing but unfortunately the portions were too small for the price so it wasn t worth it overall

Mhel has quickly become one of my favourite restaurants in Toronto. The Japanese/Korean small plates on the menu highlight local and seasonal ingredients, and flavours feel comforting yet elevated. Anju, ochazuke, and yuanyaki are some of my favourites but most dishes Ive tried here have been great. Service is warm and welcoming from the moment you step in the door. The staff are very knowledgeable in sake and happy to chat and make recommendations. Thank you Min & Hoon for bringing this place to life and I look forward to dining and drinking here many more times in the future!

Absolutely outstanding. I have been over ten times and have never had a bad dish. One of the best restaurants in Canada.

Super tasty food. Friendly staff. Love the vibe. Maybe my favourite spot in Toronto. And the menu changes often so you can go back every week.

Top notch experience. Food is great. Service is great. Sake is great. The space is great. The owners are great. Kimchi is worth its weight in gold.

Everything is perfect. Cozy cute place. Delicious dishes with elegant plating. Servers are so nice. (Btw My friend said chef is so cute ) Food

Great food. Will definitely come back

Fantastic food, great service, and a cool cozy vibe. A unique little gem thats the answer to the mundane and pretentious options in the City. Will be back many, many times. Thank you for a wonderful evening Mhel <3

I had a lovely meal and experience at Mhel, I can t wait to go back! Each plate was uniquely flavourful and they have a wonderful sake selection. The staff was kind and attentive, the atmosphere was warm and inviting - highly recommended!!

Amazing food, amazing service, highly recommend!!

anchovie yum

Very expensive but nice place. You might see it on next year Michelin one star list

Pricey but worth it! Really warm and simple atmosphere and great service, they helped us work around dietary restrictions. We really enjoyed the onigiri and the wagyu, as well as the wrapped rice that came with the wagyu! Mapo Tofu was very flavorful (didn t stand out compared to the other dishes though imo) It s not just a yummy meal, it s an overall great dining experience ! So glad we have this gem in our neighborhood

Chic, elegant place that has a lot to offer but is very delicate. Their sake list is beyond this world, and the food items are meticulously prepared with careful consideration for harmony between the diverse, good quality ingredients. A bit too much garnish for my personal liking, perhaps. Given the delicate nature of sake flavours and with so much going on in their creative small bites, I wouldnt recommend pairing food with the drinks, but I enjoyed a delightful new experience nevertheless.

One of the best experiences I ve ever had! The food is so well made, so rich in flavours that I could go there every week to try the new menu. I m not a sake expert, but the pairing with the food was surprisingly delicious. The waitress explained the whole menu to us, it made all the difference. She was very kind and attentive. At last, the atmosphere is delightful. Will be back for sure!

One of my top favourite restaurants in the city!

Absolutely incredible new gem of a restaurant!! The food is impeccable- every dish is so flavorful and mind blowing! The chefs curate the menu with so much love and care. The menu changes every few weeks and I am so looking forward to returning!! The staff and owners make this place so warm and inviting.

We enjoyed our meal at Mhel. My favourites of the night were the grilled mushroom (so much umami with the miso), yaki onigiri (comforting and loved the crispy rice) and the caramel pudding (rich, without being too sweet). Service was quite fast, but still friendly. Portions are small and so it can get expensive if you want to order enough to be full, but I still recommend a visit.

Small cozy restaurant with great service. Daily menu with fresh ingredients. Entire menu is small plates, but recommend adding a few larger menu items. Favourite dishes of the night were the kanpachi ponzu (similar to a crudo), Australian wagyu, and caramel pudding. Ordered 8 items in total for 2 people but was still a bit hungry in the end. Overall somewhat overpriced for the portion size. Easy to find free street parking.

My girlfriend and I had a lovely time visiting Mhel last Sunday. Great atmosphere of a full room and the service was exceptional with the right balance of friendly and attentive. Of the dishes we ordered I already anticipated the Kanpachi Ponzu and Australian Wagyu would be complete hits (which they were) however it was the merit of the other dishes that put our experience over the top. The charcoal grilled mushrooms in a miso and Karashi mustard sauce I could have ordered 3 times, the kimchi is a family recipe we really enjoyed, and the broth for the Ochazuke was so brilliantly and technically done for one of my favourite comfort foods. The Sake recommendations were also on point and I really appreciated how they took the time to explain some differences to me as I am appreciating Sake as a go to libation these days however always looking to learn more about this beautiful beverage and their approach was so welcoming that I can t wait to go back and try more. Gomapsuda Mhel!

A great spot for a Canadian take on a Japanese small plates. Great selection of sake as well.

Interior is simple, cozy & Intimate.

We stopped in for to split a small plate during our walk around the area, and got the hambagu steak. It was amazing, and the flavour profile was not comparable to many, if anything Ive tried before. Truly unique. The customer service was extremely personable and friendly. Our time here felt like we were being served by close friends, not a business. The atmosphere is also really cool, allow you to sit comfortably at one of their tables like a typical restaurant, or watch the chef cook at the bar. It feels like a niche, secluded neighbourhood spot, despite being just steps away from Bloor Street. It is on the more expensive side, so expect to splurge if youre looking to have multiple plates/drinks.

Visit for drinks after dinner, variety of sake, like the homemade Korean snack to pair for sake, nice environment, good service, reasonable price

The ambience was pretty neat - can tell that they want to provide a well curated dining experience from the moment you enter. The dishes were pretty great overall as well as the drinks. However, a big downer for us was how things were served in general. It s not a casual eat out place given that there are quite some efforts behind every dish using high quality ingredients. When every dish was served, I was expecting that there was a proper pacing, plan behind which are currently lacking a lot for the price you ask consumer to pay for this place. For example, I didn t expect to see just pickles and rice first when the main wasn t ready. I really hope in the future this can improve as we liked the overall atmosphere and would like to come back in the future.

Gonna be one of the Toronto greats.

10/10 all around. Wow. What a great vibe for a meal. The sake choices were amazing. The food was perfect.

Honestly, really overpriced for what was served. Love the concept and environment, but it s just not good enough to justify $8 kimchi that is tiny or $25 for four tiny pieces of tuna. Really wanted to love this place but wouldn t really be excited to come again.

We had such a special dinner! The food was fresh, delicious and so thoughtfully prepared and presented. We were luckily seated without a reso but we will make one next time - it was quite busy!

Such an incredible dining experience, from the fresh ingredients, sauces, sake selection and dessert. Will be coming back to try different dishes on the rotating menu. Happy to have you in the neighbourhood Mhel!

Amazing foods with details and qualities.

All the dishes were beautifully done and I enjoyed the ume-peach highball! I super appreciated the small plates as we got to try a variety of things. The team was very warm and attentive and the vibes are good. My favourite things were the egg, kimchi, and purin (so good, still thinking about it!!!).

All menus are wonderful with a sip of sake or a bowl of white rice. Well prepared sweet and salty menus will not make you bored. The fried burdock marinated with sweet soy source as well as the steamed yuchoy with sesame dressing were the top picks for me today. Dont forget to order sake.

One of the best meals I ve ever had and service was wonderful! You can tell the owners are so passionate about what they do! Highly recommend!

Exquisite service coupled with a delicious and unique menu dedicated both to the cuisine and local perishables. Cant be missed dining experience in Toronto. It made us feel deeply at home given the serving of the days freshest and likely best-selected produce available locally, produced with the least harmful production methods. We also felt transported, in our case to Japan, given a new interest in sake and their fantastic selection.

Amazing food, friendly staff and great ambiance. You could tell the food was going to be delicious from the smell outside!!

Fantastic food and vibe! Every dish was delicious, flavorful and tasted very fresh. The service was amazing as well. Definitely will visit again! Food : 5/5

The most important thing about Mhel is that the food is great. The second most important thing is the people are great. The third is that the sake choices are great. And very last on the importance scale, is that from now on Im going to call this place Mhel Is Anchovy (which is their ig handle and is also painted above the door handle) because of how fun it is to say.

I really love this place. Their kimchi is a true masterpiece.

The level of commitment the Mhel team has to their food and craft is unreal. They change their menu everyday and you can tell how much thought went into every dish they serve. It was honestly the perfect summer dinner meal. The service is warm and attentive without being overbearing. I would recommend anyone in area to check Mhel out.

Perfect

Great food and vibe, liked their sake collection! My fav dish was the mhel noodles.

Amazing and creative food and impeccable/friendly service. Can t wait to go back!

I had an unforgettable experience at this hidden gem of a restaurant! From the moment I stepped in, I was greeted warmly by the friendly owners, who made me feel like a cherished guest. The food was an absolute delight! I tried their authentic Korean dishes, and they were bursting with flavors that I haven t experienced anywhere else. Each dish was meticulously prepared, showcasing the chef s true passion for their craft. The service was beyond compare. The staff was attentive, knowledgeable, and eager to make sure every aspect of my dining experience was perfect. I truly felt pampered throughout the entire meal. Moreover, the ambiance was cozy and inviting, making it the ideal spot to unwind and enjoy a delightful meal. I can t recommend this restaurant enough! If you re looking for an extraordinary culinary adventure with top-notch service, look no further. This place is a true culinary treasure that deserves all the accolades it can get. I ll definitely be coming back for more of their delectable offerings!

Hidden gem! Food is really good. Drinks are really good! Location is top notch.

Mhel is an amazing spot - delicious food made with care and intention (menu rotates seasonally), a fun sake selection, and great vibes. Highly recommend!

Foods, services, drinks, everything was amazing! You can tell they put so much care & love into their foods! One of the best dinner in Toronto!

The variety of Japanese sake is abundant, and both the chefs and servers are welcoming. The dishes are truly delicious with rich umami flavors, leaving a delightful aftertaste with every bite. If youre interested in Japanese sake, I highly recommend visiting.

They haven t done any advertising on purpose yet. Get in before it s impossible! Great sake selection, food and service. What more do you need? Owners are such sweethearts you can t help but love them. They even went out of their way to write down some sake bars for us to visit on our trip to Japan soon.

Absolutely gorgeous spot. Beautifully selected ingredients, magicked into novel, artful small dishes with delicate flavours. Impressive selection of sakes. The ambience is well appointed, with a solid wood counter and a few tables, set to vintage Japanese tunes. It s run by a husband and wife team who are very gracious and enthusiastic hosts. So happy to have such a cool spot in our neighbourhood - I m already looking forward to coming back!

We had a perfect evening at Mhel. From the moment we walked in the team was so welcoming and attentive. The ambiance is warm and the food is delicious, well balanced and beautiful. We received great advice on which sakes to try. We don t live in Toronto, but we ll definitely be back on our next visit!

Gorgeous and delicious food in a well put together setting. Can t wait to return!

Incredibly thoughtful in how Mhel comes together Locally/sustainable sourced foods that are beautifully crafted and delicious. Thanks Min and Hoon!

Every dish is great, the people are lovely, and the chefs are thoughtful. Mhel has quickly become one of our favorites in the neighborhood. Eat here!!!!

Consistently lovely.

One of the best restaurants in the city to try a little bit of Korean and Japanese together with a great selection of sake as well. A lovely couple who is very passionate about food and sake would welcome you with a big smile.

Amazing restaurant with some of the best service. Everything was delicious but some of our favourites were the homemade kimchi and maguro namero:)

I really love the atmosphere at this restaurant. The food is original and they source everything locally with an Asian style influence. 100% will be back.

Food was mediocre and were too small of quantities not at all close to fill you up, and cost did not reflect this. My cocktail was good and my server was really nice though.

Delicious food here!! So many fresh new flavours. Plus super sweet service and a great ambiance. Highly recommend!! And their menu always changes

Been here multiple times, always hits. Hoon & Min are passionate about their food and it shows through their service. Would recommend ordering multiple plates.

Lovely spot. I love that they choose to use seasonal and local products, and the menu changes accordingly. Simple, fresh, and with many layers of flavours. Thoughtful menu. Lovely staff ! Will come back again!

Hands down best ever taste in Toronto Amazing food x friendly staff x good vibes Super satisfied with all of things Very tasty, diverse menu with great options. My personal fav one was Gyutan which was a beef tongue.Beyond my immagination, it was so tastful I am def heading there again. Highly recommend it

Incredible food and service every time. New menu every day. I HIGHLY recommend!!!

Phenomenal service and incredibly tasty dishes. Great people

Cozy restaurant with very thoughtful dishes. We tried almost everything and each plate had great flavours and textures and paired perfectly with sake. Atmosphere is warm and inviting; not too loud so perfect for date night. Would definitely go back! Thank you to the team at Mhel for your amazing hospitality!

Good experience. Great care was taken to ingredient sourcing. Based on conversation after eating people who run it clearly actually care about the experience they provide. More of a written description of product. Great sake selection. Love how the dont do common soft drink but provide alternate options.. Provide more deserts than 1 even 2 would make it

I loved Mhel! The room is so cute and inviting in a cozy bar kind of way. Food was excellent. There wasn t a miss. Chicken wings and beef tongue were popular with the group. I loved the sea bream. We shared a beautiful bottle of sake.

Wonderful meal in this charming Korean restaurant. Attended the husband and wife series and it was one of my favourite meals in the city. The beef tongue and the oxtail were incredibly well done.

Excellent food and excellent vibes. Great spot for modern Japanese and Korean small dishes. Really enjoyed the beef tongue and the miso mackerel. The menu changes every day, so every time itll be a new surprise. Fast service and friendly staff too. Oh, and the music selection was great when we were there (retro Korean/Japanese tracks?). A strong recommend for sure.

A delightful counter for Korean bites and sake pairings. The hospitality and preparations are both world-class and down-to-earth. Mhel means anchovy in Jeju dialect, but vegetarians may use the reservation Notes field to communicate dietary needs. Hoon and Min are eager and proud to foreground farm-to-table selections from the GTA. Vegetarian options: Include a note with your reservation about dietary restrictions. They are so accommodating and thoughtful.

Lets get one thing straight: Min and Hoons Mhel is less of a restaurant and more of an experiential highlight of what s trending at the farmers market. This place is so cozy and charming, you might consider moving in - but good luck fitting your bed in the corner I already tried and Min didn t let me. Now, about the menu. Id tell you about the incredible dish I had, but by the time you read this, its probably as extinct as the McRib. Their menu changes almost literally daily. I will say however, the ingredients are so fresh, they probably had a morning dew on them just before being served. As for the menu, it s a sliding scale of Japanese and Korean classics that slide into each other smoother than the moist lips of Kenny G on his mouthpiece. As the name suggests, Mhel (anchovy), is a fantastic choice for pescatarians. Likely also a good choice for vegetarians. But don t do that to yourself. Just eat the fish broths it s worth it. You ll be fine. I tried being vegetarian once and it sucked. Anyway I m now on my third bottle of sake, which, by the way, they have a fantastic selection of. Min has superb knowledge, and based on how happy she seems, I suspect shes also had her fair share of sake today. Perhaps that s the best part of Mhel... the food and drink are exactly what the owners themselves crave every day, and you re just a part of it. Order Ummas kimchi. Sit at the bar if you can. It s like watching a culinary samurai at work. I once saw Hoon slice a bullet in mid-air. That s a story for another day. Vegetarian options: If you like vegetables, they have fantastic vegetables. Likely with fish in them but I digress Dietary restrictions: Pescatarian Friendly

Wonderful new addition to Toronto. Everything was absolutely delicious. Ingredients were perfect. Hoon, Min and team are so welcoming!

Solid team here, and a great addition to the neighborhood hospitality is on point, and food program is graceful and full of real skill. Constantly changing menu, knowledgeable staff and a really nice room. Yey Mhel!

The drinking snacks was one of the best things I have ever tasted, IN MY LIFE!

the ambience here is truly one of a kind and such an intimate space that matches Mhel s carefully curated menu (changes weekly & even daily at times - keep up with their menu on their instagram page!). I loved Mhel s take on Korean/Japanese flavours in their dishes. featured food: - kkori #2 | dashi simmered oxtail shichimi. mizuna. soy & chili dipping sauce - shiraae | persimmon. Tamaracks apple. chestnuts. tofu & sesame sauce. mizuna - namero | Oroshi s bluefin tuna. myoga. burigakko. rosed de roscoff onion. nori - purin | caramel pudding w/ Sheldon creeks cream. Tamaracks maple syrup

Literally could eat here every night. Min + Hoon take so much pride in everything they do and you can truly feel that. Menu is constantly changing depending on seasons and perfectly cooked every time. Sake menu is mega Min + Hoon bravo on creating such a warm space with so much interesting food that just feels good to eat. Obviously I ll see you both SOON again.

Such a nice little hidden gem for contemporary Korean/Japanese food in the Dufferin area! We got the ohitashi (yu choy), kkori #2 (oxtail), wings, and chaekkeut (striploin). Every dish was plated beautifully and tasted great. Service was very attentive and friendly and I really loved the vibe - warm yet classy and modern. It seems like the menu changes daily, will be back to try more!