Bar Isabel in Toronto

Second time here and it never disappoints. The best spanish food in the city. highly recommend!

I think this is the first review I am leaving without being asked/prompted to review. I work for a hospitality group in Toronto and this was an incredible experience. We celebrated our anniversary here and were extremely well taken care of by Joe at the bar. He made great recommendations and treated us to a few things which made our night. Everything was delicious and the service was amazing. Thank you!

Great place to have Spanish tapas within Toronto. It was hard to get seating but once we did - the food was amazing. A bit on the pricey side but well worth it - the bone marrow was the star of the show! Will definitely go there again.

Update: Was contacted by one of the partners who apologized for the mishap and offered to refund us on the service charge/additional gratuity. We appreciate the gesture and the offer to make amends. Feel mislead; server (older man with glasses), didnt come to quality check and then seemed surprised after we told him we didnt like one of our dishes after it sat untouched for half an hour. He took it away and later dropped off our cheque without saying anything, we paid in cash and tipped 15% (which considering his absence throughout our meal seemed appropriate if not generous) on what we thought was a 222$ bill and left, we said thank you as we left and he just looked at us without reply as we walked out- what actually happened was we ended up unknowingly tipping 70$ (almost 40%) on an 185$ bill for unsatisfactory service. A casual mention of the included gratuity would have been much appreciated and we feel taken advantage of. The croquettes, octopus and mushrooms were great - dont think well be returning.

Great place to grab lunch and enjoy fantastic tapas, everything we ordered was fantastic and worthwhile. Highly enjoyable and definitely a repeat place to try!

This place is overrated for sure. The food is quite mediocre for the price. For example, 27 dollars for 4 tiny scallops that were nothing special. The octopus had an unpleasant oily taste (I have had much better).We had thought this place would be good based on ratings but would not recommend. The staff were very nice, though. Place could also be cleaner. Overall not very impressed.

Fantastic meal in a cozy atmosphere. We got the ceviche, bone marrow, octopus and potatoes. For dessert you have to get the sherry topped cake with coffee. This is a must try if you ve never been.

Value for money, delicious food! Service is really great, staff recommends good combination based out of your preference! Would come back!

Went with no expectations and got blown away. Amy I believe was our initial server, we went tasting menu for 4, Not sure want to drink so George the sommelier a true professional came over. We asked for a paired glass with each course and George delivered! Listen folks if you want a 20$ combo don t come here if you want an amazing night with great food it s a must. Don t even look at the menu, let them do what they do best! Highly recommend for a double date tasty night out.

The food was incredible as always, however it is not only the food what we go for. We did not feel any kind or friendly energy from any server, nobody smiled at us or saying thank you when we left. In addition to this, my family brought a cake and we know there is a cake service, but I had to cut it myself. Really? I hope next time the mandatory 20% will be more fair.

Love the character inside bar Isabel. Service was lovely and food was delicious! My personal fave would be the croqueta and the basque cake for dessert! Parking: Green P, street parking

The food is pretty decent, nothing really blew me away aside from the olive oil cake; that was damn delicious. Drinks are strong! Ambience is cool but can get quite loud, had to yell at my guests to maintain a conversation. Definitely a standout spot in the city for a nice evening.

Tatsy food and good value for Saturday lunch. We went as a party of two on a Saturday. It wasnt hard to get a reservation just thirty minutes prior to seating. We got the lunch special day with the chorizo and octopus, as well as the veal bone marrow. Overall the food was quite good. The bread was consistently too charred (overpowering burnt taste) and some offerings like the chorizo were very greasy, but overall it was really good. The dessert was a highlight and the warm sherry cream was delicious. Too much ice in the drinks as well, which made them hard to drink at times. Maybe a straw would have helped offset that. The octopus was delicious to me, but my partner found it a tad fishy. The bone marrow was massive. The potatoes were nice and crispy and very tasty. Drinks overall werent bad, and we enjoyed the barragana (might have butchered the spelling) the most. Id come back for sure! We felt like the lunch was great value.

We had a lovely time for a friends birthday at Bar Isabel. The ambience was great, and our server Adrian was lovely. The food was all delish and they were able to accommodate gluten and dairy intolerance very well too. Dietary restrictions: Easily able to accommodate gluten and dairy intolerance by making some adjustments

Really good food, great service and amazing olive oil and bread

Ive been here multiple times and every single time its a treat ! We bring everyone from out of town here to experience the food and the service! keep being wonderful bar Isabel !

Great place for a group, ask about a tasting menu! And well crafted cocktails

Excellent cocktails, great food, delicious dessert! Atmosphere 10/10

Love love love everything about this place. Exceptional service, phenomenal tasting menu, i will recommend to anyone visiting Toronto!

Ideally, Id give it a 4.5/5 Bar Isabel offers a dimly lit, casual ambiance that can quickly become lively and noisy. While the regular menu is impressive, the real culinary journey lies in their undisclosed tasting menu. Starting at $75, this six-course feast (sans dessert) showcases the restaurants best dishes, with the option to customize for dietary restrictions. The tasting menu was a revelation. The sourdough bread with anchovy and olive oil was a simple yet exquisite start, the salty, umami-rich anchovy perfectly balancing the acidity of the sourdough and the richness of the olive oil. The tuna mojama, while initially dry, grew on me with each bite, offering a unique textural experience. The jamon croqueta (made with bechamel) was a standout, with a crispy exterior giving way to a gooey, cheesy interior. It was pure indulgence. The sobrasada and foie gras was another highlight, a harmonious blend of rich, savory flavors. The patatas bravas were perfectly executed, with well-cooked potatoes and a balanced sauce. The pork secreto with chorizo spice was the grand finale, the tender, melt-in-your-mouth pork complemented by a perfectly balanced sauce. To top off the meal, the Basque cheesecake was a delightful surprise. Creamy, slightly burnt on top, and perfectly sweet, it was the ideal ending to an extraordinary dining experience. The service at Bar Isabel is both efficient and attentive. While the noise level can be a bit much, the quality of the food and the overall dining experience make it a must-visit for Spanish food lovers.

With the exception of croquetas and shrimp al ajillio everything else was mediocre. The seared foie gras & pear mostarda might have been good had it not been swimming in oil. Not the right ingredient for foie gras which is already close to 100% fat! The service was very poor inciting us to order much more than we could eat. When I mentioned that in Spain tapas are order only a few at a time the server told us that we were not in Spain and they wanted us to order everything at once. It took a very long time to get any food as the server was trying to ascertain that we finished our first drink before serving food. This never happened as I try not to drink on an empty stomach and thus we had to wait for a real long time. The extremely loud noise made conversations nearly impossible spoiling the atmosphere created by the nice decor. Not recommended

Since it opened, bar Isabel has been a stand-out. Though the menu has changed a bit over the years its stayed pretty close to the original vision. Personally, Im a big fan of the ceviche and the octopus - but I dont think you can really go too far wrong. The one thing Id recommend to everyone is the Basque cake - Im not even into dessert normally - but this thing hits different. Maybe it goes without saying - but it can be a little bit pricey, especially if you plan on drinking - but its genuinely well worth it on the food-front. Its also a pretty popular spot - so if youre set on eating here, make a reso or show up very early/late, if you dont want to wait a long time for a table. It can also be a bit packed/buzzy during peak hours, but service is always on point.

For us , food is average.. The biggest surprise was when the bill came..we were just 2 people, the bill came with already 20 % tip included ..I understand if it is a big group ..not for 2.. Food

Scott was amazing in serving us along with the rest of the team! Very consistent, friendly, courteous, and professional! The food was phenomenal!!! Pork secreto is a must try!! Rich grill flavors!! It just MELTS in your mouth!! The bone marrow with the chimichurri was so flavorful and rich!! The basque cake was cooked to perfection with a rich cream poured over it! Highly HIGHLY recommend the food here!!! Thank you Scott for making our night so memorable!!!

Only one star for one waiter who was nice, but our waiter was mean and grumpy, but we still had to pay 20% service, not over tax luckily.

We go to Bar Isabell, quite often and have noticed that they dont get to creative with the menu, it is pretty much the same every season or maybe 1 or 2 new adds, food and drinks are decent but I wouldnt say outstanding anymore. I must add obligatory 20% on tips in this economy is a joke.

Terrible service

This place is consistently great. The only thing I am not a fan of is the mandatory 20% tip.

Our server was very rude to me, and then they made us leave a 20% tip whether we liked it or not I wouldn t go here ever again

I m leaving 1 star as it is mandatory. We received subpar, snappy service from George. It is apparent that the service granted was due to the fact that there is a mandatory 20% service charge added to the bill. Times have changed

My go to place when I m in the area.

First time there. Enjoyed everything from wines to food to service and vibe.

Don t waste your money. The food is nothing special and even below expectations. We tried the octopus and it was okay nothing special for the price. And the ceviche was only cucumber no fish at all so overpriced. The drinks were small for the price and it was mostly ice each drink was 20 dollars at least. They charged a 20% service fee, but it just doesn t feel worth it with some ordinary food and service. The people working there are too rude they don t care about the people. If you guys put an automatic 20% service charge on the bill, you guys really need to improve your service! the server s attitude just really disappointed me. We would never come back though. I will recommend don t go there.

I literally orders two drinks and two tiny appetizers and the bill was $130 The seviche was mostly cucumbers and barely any fish for 24 dollars the octopus was good but $34 dollars for 2 tentacle was not work it very disappointing that they charge 20% gratuities without telling you

Small spot serving shareable tappa like dishes. Atmosphere was a bit to dark for me but the vibes were still good.

I m really not one of those people, I ve written a lot of positive reviews, but my last visit to Bar Isabel had to be one of the biggest dining disappointments I ve ever had. I ve been twice before, a few years ago, and was really impressed both times. With so many incredible restaurants in Toronto these days, I just haven t had the opportunity to return for a third time until recently. I went with a few girl friends, some of whom haven t been but heard good things, so we were all really looking forward to it. We went at the end of August and I don t know if their A/C was broken or if they just don t have one, but holy cow, it felt like we walked into sauna. The heat hit you the second you walked in, like opening up your oven that s been preheating to 350. It was very noticeably warmer than it was outside, which was around 26 that particular night. All of the staff were a flustered, sweaty mess. The cocktails arrived and seemed to redeem first impressions a bit, they were good, only to then be completely let down again with the food. Everything, and I mean everything, had next to no salt and was completely bland. The octopus dish had to be one of the worst I ve ever had - mushy with zero salt. The server asked how the food was and I was respectfully honest. Well, he didn t appreciate the honesty and seemed to take offence as if he owned the place. Said he d pass it on to the chef , which I highly doubt happened. One of my girlfriends, who was dining there for the first time, was so excited she said something along the line of I can t wait to be blown away with the food and the server looked visibly annoyed with the comment, replying with something along the lines of yeah ok. Service sucked. I was recently looking through the Michelin list in Toronto and was completely shocked that they re still on there. Maybe we had a one-off experience, I truly hope so. Either way, that was my third and final visit.

Incredible time at Bar Isabel, would recommend highly!

Edit: forgot to mention I had to wait 15 minutes after my reservation for a table. The food is good. Priced quite high for its complexity/size and the flavours just don t shine through in every dish. I found the Asparagus and Ceviche particularly underwhelming - the ceviche has almost no notes of fish at all and the asparagus has a nice airy flavour, but it s it s so light I can t say it was memorable. It s all cooked exceptionally well though. I wish I did the tasting menu so maybe there would be more hits, but what we got was just alright aside from the Foie Gras. The drinks tasted great but are also quite light - I would recommend their wine over their cocktails. But my major knock on this place is the service and particularly loud/crowded space. I understand it was a busy night, but patrons were literally screaming next to us. For this level of cuisine, I d expect differently. Secondly, wow, our server was genuinely awful. So rude, couldn t answer any questions we had with a clear answer and it took so long to get anything brought to us. I mean really, I would ve brought it up if the place wasn t so crazy by the time we left and we just wanted to get out of there. Overall, I did have a decent experience but it is surprising to read the reverence other reviews have for the service when ours was sincerely poor.

Food was great as was the service. If you are a meat eater recommend the pork secreto. Very delicious. Desert was yummy - basque cake with warm cherry sauce.

May I ask why you autograt 2 tops?

We had an amazing visit to Bar Isabel to celebrate my husband s birthday. Our waiter was very attentive and made some top notch recommendations. The food was excellent and the restaurant ambience was vibrant. Definitely worth a revisit.

We have been here many times. The food is unbelievable and so is the service. Tonight was special and I requested an interesting amaro be brought to the table as a surprise. The server and bar did not disappoint. We had the octopus, shishito, steak, potatoes and cake. Loved it all.

Overall, the place is cozy but way too loud. It s not easy to have a conversation there, so don t go if you re going on a date. The food was ok. It was not bad but not mind blowing either. The croqueta was good but overpriced, the cheeseboard was not it and the pork was definitely underwhelming. I guess a decent place to go with friends for a nice out.

Amazing atmosphere, always busy but very kind waiters. We enjoyed the food very much, the cocktails are not my favourite.

There are only a few dishes in life that truly change your perspective on food. I m both surprised and impressed to have had two dishes here. The pork secreto was extremely tender and complex, yet well-executed. The balsamic honey was the perfect pair to cut into the fattiness of the pork - crazy delicious. Separately, the first bite of the basque cake was a culinary experience in and of itself. Hands down one of the top 3 desserts I ve ever had. Do yourself a favour and get these when you visit! Friendly service, great ambiance - very impressed with my visit to Bar Isabel!

Tried the tasting menu and it was some of the best food we ve had in Toronto. Pricey but worth it.

Every dish we ordered here was amazing, but the croqueta, basque cake, and steak really stood out. Just a heads-up: tipping is mandatory, as the server includes an 18% to 20% tip in the bill.

The food wasnt out of the world for the price you pay , also , for me personally taste didnt do any super great wonders , still for the price you pay there are so many amazing other options available , the service was great and outstanding and its super crowded

Absolutely outstanding. Wonderful service, delectable food and fun, authentic atmosphere.

First time to the restaurant for a nice dinner. Started with a few dishes such as the Shishito Peppers, Croqueta and the Sourdough, they were tasty!! Then came the Ceviche and the Octopus, which were also good.However, the Bone Marrow was most disappointing and told the waitress but she had no reaction. For $26 you got a bone and a puddle of oil..even my dog would probably found it ridiculous and don t want to eat it. I would highly recommend you NOT to get this dish. The atmosphere was lively but be prepared to scream at your friends across the table all night. Overall it was ok but definitely not one of those places you keep going back.

Its ok Montreal has better food tbh.

Overrated - overpriced Food was really so-so ; service was presumptuous They absolutely not deserve their rating Please avoid (PS: plus tipping is mandatory and fixed to 25% - regardless of the service quality )

Overrated and overpriced. The food wasnt as expected from tapas, also the meat and potatoes were too salty. Food

Ive been wanting to check this place out for so long and I was disappointed! We ordered the patatas bravas, bone marrow, shishito peppers and Iberian ham. The patatas were cold and pretty average, the bone marrow wasnt bad but I was expecting more flavour. The peppers were so salty. Service was good but food was not!

Was so excited to try this place out as Ive only heard good things and to be honest it was a horrible experience. The service was not very good - I couldnt tell you who our server was, no one ever checked in on our table, if you wanted to ask a question/add to the order it was impossible to know who to speak to. The restaurant was so loud it was difficult to have a conversation and there was no AC on a hot summer day with tables being very close together which did not improve the experience. Overall the food was ok, nothing stood out and it definitely did not feel worth it for the price. I would recommend checking out some of the more authentic tapas spots in the area where youll get friendly, engaging service in a less chaotic environment.

Very good wine & food, highly recommend reservations, we filled up quickly so a group of 4 would be nice to try more!

Food was good, nothing crazy. Also for a mandatory 20% tip the service was subpar. If I m forced to give 20% tip the service and food should be great. They were not. The vibe is somewhat typical of Toronto, everything is rushed and you could eat all your food before finishing a drink. Felt like they mainly care about getting people in and out asap. You cannot hear anything without yelling past 6:45pm. Legit, felt like I was at a concert the acoustics were sooo horrible. Not worth the hype.

Very expensive and trendy, which is kind of the opposite of the tapas spirit. The food is good but uncharacteristic of Spain: we had the cold cut and cheese plate (30$) : only salami (no chorizo, no Jamon?) and 4 small pieces of bland cheese (no aged Manchego?). No bread (extra $). The bread was excellent and worth the extra $$ though. But at the end : a tomatoes salad, salami and 4 slices of cheese, a basket of bread and two glasses of wine for 110$. I know its Toronto, I know its college st. But a few nights at Isabel ends up costing more than a trip to Madrid or Barcelona (ok, maybe not Barcelona)! As for the atmosphere : Beautiful place, very warm and cozy.

The best goddamm ceviche of my life

I can t think of one item on the menu I didn t love. Our server was great. The mushroom dish is one of the best mushroom dishes I ve ever had; the grilled octopus is divine, the ceviche is delicious and balanced, the bone marrow is hearty and sublime. The Picanha was tender and perfectly cooked and seared. 10/10 food, and the waiter s drink suggestions were perfectly matched to our tastes.

An experience that truly will be cherished forever. Amazing vibe, incredible food and friendly staff.

Food was okay but nothing worth it the exorbitant prices. Small portions we were informed that it was tapas style menu as if I had the slightest idea of what that means, and that we should probably order multiple dishes if hungry. The waiter who helped us was a young fine lady with dark hair and bob haircut, who had the charism of a grape and couldn t be less enthusiastic about our experience. She made sure to treat us as if she was doing us a big favour. Won t be going back.

The food was absolutely exquisite. We got the Pan con Tomate which is this beautifully seasoned piece of sourdough bread, topped with freshly grated tomato, olive oil, and salt! I was so amazed at the gluten-free bread option. It wasn t just a gluten-free bread that tasted like a store bought piece from the grocery store. I was super impressed. We also got the Patatas Bravas, Quarter Grilled Octopus, Shishito Peppers and Pork Secreto with Chorizo Spice! All gluten free. I would definitely come back! Vegetarian options: Vegetarian options Dietary restrictions: Gluten free

An absolutely wonderful evening of great service, food and atmosphere. Will definitely go again!

The food was amazing. The bone marrow, jamon jamon, and pichana were succulent

This place never fails.....Each visit has been the same, amazing! Octopus, tongue and wine....

This is the best tapas restaurant I have visited in Toronto thus far. Lets start with the service. The wait staff was friendly, efficient and personable. They were very much a major part of the wonderful evening. After taking our orders they orchestrated the sequence and timing of the delivery of these delectable dishes. The menu of Bar Isabel is extensive but not repetitive. We thoroughly enjoyed one of the three anchovies we started the dinner with, along with some amazing sour dough bread with earthy olive oil. The shishito peppers were served at the same time with veal bone marrow. What a delicious combo! We were then served an abundance of snow pea tips with lemon and garlic after two absolutely incredible jambon croquettes. It was one of those rare occasions where after eating a croquette so expertly prepared, I actually couldnt fathom having another one in the same evening in fear of ruining the experience. The grilled octopus was tender and full of flavour from a sauce that was unique both in terms of seasoning and texture. The grilled picanha steak was delicious. The well trimmed steak was expertly prepared, with the fat rendered beautifully to enhance the flavour. The cocktails were unique and delightful. Cappuccino was prepared like a proper cup of cappuccino one would expect in Europe. The miniature sorbet bars were the size of a domino but they packed such a wonderful flavour profile, they were the perfect finishing touch to an excellent evening. I think I have found a tapas restaurant that I will return to again and again.

Very loud, not the best place for talking but drinks and food are very nice.

Great place with amazing food and services. We had no reservations and ended up sitting at bar, but definitely fun experience. They have GREAT olive oil. Cheese, olive oil, romesco, and bread is one of my favorite bites here. Tuna Mojama was okay. Beef tongue was good, sauces came aside made it really something. Grilled mushrooms was okay. Lomo Ibérico (grilled peas with tomato base if I remeremember right), the tomato base was beyond! Also tried Latido Garnacha red wine, dry and light, went will with all bites. Overall a fantastic place to try.

I had very high expectations based on the reviews, specifically, for the octopus. I was a bit disappointed. It lacked flavor and the texture wasnt as Id hope for. Other dishes were average.

We had the most wonderful time. The atmosphere is just so cozy and romantic. The staff was incredibly attentative and appreciated their suggestions in selecting the dishes. The food was superb. Loved the mushrooms, the shishito pepers, mussels and the jamon croquetas. But the absolute star was the grilled octopus. Never tasted one so well prepared. With the melted butter, yumm, amazing. We will be back!

very delicious. would def recommend the bone marrow, octopus, n olives. Atmosphere and service both great as well. Our server was very knowledgeable w wines.

Took gf here on a date. Got 4 plates that came out to a $126. Pricy all together, but all of the food was fantastic and we left with full stomachs. Staff were very friendly, passionate and helpful, and the ambiance was fantastic too. Great for a nice date night.

I ve been here many times over the years but recently went back after a 4 year hiatus. The quality of food was 4/5 albeit a little over priced. Our server was good. Thoughtful recommendations and super nice but clearly had too many tables. The main issue was the manager. We were originally going to be 4, but one person had to cancel last minute. We had been seated at a table for 4. The manager came over and didn t ask us if we were ok to move (which we 100% would have been fine with) he told he we were moving and started moving our full wine glasses off the table. The smaller table for 3 was actually way better as it was incredibly loud in there but he was just super rude and seemed overly annoyed that we could have wasted 1 seat in the restaurant. That sentiment of it being kind of a factory held true as the overarching theme. Probably won t be going back.

Ive been looking forward to visiting this college street instution for a long time. It did not disappoint. That said, its a very (very) loud room. If youre going with friends and have heard all their stories before... perfect. Otherwise, there is no bouncing ball and it can be tough to follow your dinner partys thoughts. Its not fine dining and the room isnt precious, but it feels legitimate and the food is honest. Service was excellent.

Dark. Average food at ultra high costs. Unpleasant and amateur service with ZERO smiles.

Fantastic service but the food was not as great as I would have expected given the price point.

Absolutely stunning place. The food is incredible. We had the bone marrow and the foie gras and they both were life changing dishes. I would very gladly return to Toronto just for the restaurant.

I usually love Bar Isabel but my mind was blown this past week. $15 for two cut up heirloom tomatoes with a half dozen tiny pieces of onion? No salt. No balsamic. No olive oil. Come on people! I like tomatoes, but this is beyond ridiculous. Also, bartenders need to be careful breaking their ice. A piece pinged by girlfriend in the eye.

Oh, where do I start? Just another average night out, right? WRONG. Imagine this: youre at the bar, minding your business, when suddenly WHAM! an ice cube rockets straight into your eye. Courtesy of the bartender, who apparently moonlights as a demolition expert, smashing ice with a spoon with the same vigor as someone trying to crack open a safe. And the best part? Not even a *sorry* from them. The highlight of the evening? Ceviche. Yep, that s it. A few apps and a bland, overpriced tomato salad later, I got a nice parting gift temporary blindness in one eye and a $200 bill. Cheers! : (

Octopus and basque cake are so good! Really nice decor. Little loud though Food : 5/5

Extraordinary food, creative dishes, high quality ingredients, refined preparation. Everything is amazing but the cake with foie gras dessert is a work of art, highly recommended!!!

Excellent tapas.

Bar Isabel is a gem! The vibe immediately transport you in some old Spanish cantina. The place is authentic, the service is friendly and easygoing but never sloppy. The food is the star of the show, as it should be, every dish is a masterpiece of simplicity and flavor. The pan con tomate is as good as it gets. The octopus is served with an incredible sauce, the shrimps were juicy. The traditional basque dessert was fantastic too. Don t sleep on that. Overall one my favorite restaurant in Toronto.

Excellent above and beyond hospitality and customer service by bartender!

Bar Isabel is a quaint and vibey Spanish restaurant with a delectable selection of food. I love having a little bit of everything so their Tasting Menu is highly recommended! every single item on their menu sounded promising, so just giving them a price point and letting them run the show for us is such a smart option! Saw that there was a 20% service charge included. But it was well-deserved so far the best service I ve had in the city. Everyone was involved and meticulously attentive - my table napkin was always folded nicely when I came back from the washroom. We had the $80 option had 4 appetizers, 3 mains and a dessert. Everything was memorable. Highlights were the sourdough topped with tomatoes with mussels on the side, the ceviche guac mix, and the salad. (I don t even like mussels so I was mind-blown). The oyster mushroom salad (that was reminiscent of actual oysters) and the octopus (grilled, crunchy on the outside and so tenderly delicious on the inside). Everything was seasoned to perfection, flavoured yet well-balanced and overall a texture party! The succession of the meals was just right! We literally walked 3km back to our hotel because we were so full and fulfilled!

I used to love this place don t know what happened to it We waited for dessert over one hour at 10 pm when restorant was almost empty I guess this is the service you get when tip is included in your bill Food : 2/5

I cant stop thinking about the octopus. That was SO GOOD! Bar Isabel is definitely a place to visit! The service is top notch. Great for drinks and sharing food between each other. Cheers!

Best tapas Ive ever had. The bone marrow is to die for! I cant wait to come back for some more confit! Vegetarian options: Lots of veggie options Parking: Lots near by Kid-friendliness: Saw lots of kids in families loving the food Wheelchair accessibility: One floor

Insultingly small portions for 10 quadrillion dollars

Not worth the hype, better restaurants in the city. They include 20% gratuity already when paying the bill. I used to work in the industry, people should be able to choose the tip you wanna give to them, can they argued it is to maintain high standards? Sure . But what is the incentive for them to give you a good service if they already know they are getting 20 % tip. Not worth the service with my experience by any means, hostess was rude and service was not high standards whatsoever. It is understandable for a table of 6 people + because it takes a lot of attention and dedication to that table, but for a table of 2 and bad service? HM? NOPE. Wanted to ask the server about it when paying the bill cuz at the beginning I was curious. But then her reaction was kind of sketchy. She quickly left the table, she even forgot my friend needed to pay her bill as well as if she was avoiding the subject. Wondering if it s legal and if you are obligated to pay for it. Wouldn t be surprise if they don t reply to this comment. Food was okay and drinks were good.

It was our first experience in a Spanish restaurant and bar. Perfect vibe and atmosphere with delicious food and drinks, plus well behaved staff with smiles on their faces. Loved it.

Great experience, I can t wait until I m back again. I ve loved the grilled octopus and bone marrow *chef kiss* Patatas bravas also tasty. Sservice was slow but fair enough as it was busy and crowded on a weekend. Overall everything was great here.

All around best place. Service is on top on it and sassy in the best sort of ways. Ambiance is cozy and festive. Food can t be better. Seriously!

My favourite restaurant in Toronto. Hands down the best Spanish food you will have. Possibly ever! Great staff, great wine selection. I will keep going back again and again.

the vibe is so low key and cosy and nice and have to say the basque cake was delish !

Cant go wrong. Spanish small plates. Get the tasting menu.

The Spanish cuisine was excellent, served Tappas style. Very European feel to atmosphere, but I wish it wasnt so dark. Hard to see what I am eating.

This is by far one of the best restaurants in the city. Came here for my anniversary with my boyfriend and we were blown away by the food. The flavours and textures were incredible with very unique offerings. We will definitely be back. This place is so vibey and fun, perfect night out. Thanks again!

Adrián was amazing!! We were celebrating my sister in law bday and he was such a good host. Thank you for a fantastic night, see you on August 5!!!

Thank you for an outstanding service Adrian!

Good.

I had heard good things about this place and my hopes were high. But I have to say, the 20$ cocktail and 60$ octopus gives me the expectation of tasting new flavour combinations not the basic flavours that I encountered in all dishes we ordered. Service was so / so and overall I dont think Id be back nor recommend Bar Isabel to anyone

The food was delicious and different but extremely accessible. I got the tasting menu which was very accommodating to a gluten allergy. Sat at the bar and had wonderful service, great drinks and wines. Each dish was better than the last. Highly recommend and will definitely be back!

Octopus and dessert. A must-see on every visit to Toronto.

Like being in Barcelona! The octopus and Gambas are fantastic! Make sure to get the sourdough bread for all the great sauce!

Cosy spot for tapas style dishes. Went for the current lunch promo which was definitely our money s worth. The drinks were good too; got the rebujito which was refreshing. The resto has a good rep for their octopus and it did not disappoint, very tasty. For dessert we ordered the basque cake and it was superb (wish I was eating right now). Parking was easy enough to find at lunch time. We walked in but for dinner a reso is strongly advised. Will be back again for sure!

Fantastic ambiance, great place for tapas, fantastic flavors

We had an amazing time at this bustling Spanish bar/restaurant! For food, we tried the ceviche and chips and the pork secreto. The pork was definitely the highlight of the night, especially the delicious sweet dipping sauce that came with it! My friend and I also tried the rebujito and the rambla highball which were both nice cocktails. Service was really nice and helpful. The food and drinks also came out decently fast despite the restaurant being super packed and busy. The restaurant atmosphere is great (dimly lit with red lights), however it was pretty loud and difficult to hear.

Best steak I ve ever had and our server was an absolute gem. I wish I got his name so I could thank him!

This bar is my daughter s and her boyfriend s favourite! They made a reservation on a Sunday past noon. The place is full, but a good full. Our table was in the middle and it was such a good spot. One would think it would get too busy with patrons walking but surprisingly we were so engrossed with the food and beautiful ambiance that we hardly noticed. We started with the house made bread & olives, shishito peppers, cheese plate, pan con tomate and sobrasada & foie gras. Everything was scrumptious! Then it was followed by another mouth-watering plates of the Jamon and Grilled Octupus with sides of snow pea leaves and patatas bravas. Of course to end the meal beautifully, we had to try the highly popular basque cake. Just the perfect amount of sweet and cream, best served hot! (see video). This place is truly a gastronomic delight ;)

Everything we had was fantastic except, funnily enough, the octopus which was overcooked and overall bland.

Food is delicious! Very loud though.

I want to start by saying I have had positive experiences here until my last visit. Most of the food and drinks were good and the server was great, except she forgot my drink order but they comped it so I guess that makes it even. Here is where it went downhill, I ordered the foie gras and when it came out, the presentation side was completely charred black that you saw that it was black even under my cell phone light. I normally don t send items back but this was too much, and kindly asked if I could have it remade. She apologized and brought it back less than 10 minutes later with the same piece that clearly had the burnt parts attempted to be scrapped off with whole chunks missing with exposed areas. I found this to be a terrible choice by the kitchen because the outside edges were still charred black. I was planning to stay for more drinks but got the bill and left immediately. My only regret is not taking a photo to show how ridiculous this was.. $315 for 2 people to be disappointed.

Parking: Parking at grocery store nearby Food

Probably the best service ever in a restaurant! Food is amazing! Food

Superb tapas, drinks and space. Knowledgeable, friendly and professional staff. A 4.5 on atmosphere just because at around 845 it got quite a bit louder, making it a little more difficult to talk. But we d go back in a heartbeat. And we d order the surprise selection of tapas and pairings again. What a great find.

I ll preface by saying in 2023 I had this amazing grilled octopus on lake como and I ve been chasing that high ever since. I ve tried countless octopus dishes and the one at Bar Isabel is the best I ve had in Toronto. We also got the pan con tomate which tasted so fresh and our only regret is that we didn t pair it with the anchovy. The shrimp was also so big and tasty. The basque was also one of the best desserts I ve had. This place does auto gratuity of 20% so just be aware. We also feel like our service was reflective of this as we didn t order much and our server wasn t necessarily paying us too much attention, meanwhile the table beside us ordered a few more dishes and the server was much friendlier with them. However the maitre d was friendly and was able to get us a table on a busy night without a reso. Overall the food and atmosphere made for a great place to dine in the city.

Staff are friendly and helpful. Food is delicious. Cocktails are tasty too!

Unfortunately, it was raining and we booked the patio and they could not move us to the bar seating inside. Food was ok, for the price point I expected more. We ordered the plate of assorted sliced meats, really small plate for $35 (a whole meal elsewhere) also could work on the presentation - place on a wooden board with some accoutrements? We got the octopus the sauce was really yum, good flavor but could be more tender. Scallops was weird with the pesto sauce, not a successful paring. Shishito peppers great! White artichokes had this amazing lemony cream sauce . Overall some nice items but too expensive. Very ballsy move including 20% gratuity on all tables automatically, not just on parties 6+

One of the best in the city for sure

A gem!

10/10. We live in the neighbourhood and keep saving this spot for a special occasion. I am grateful we went for my birthday this week. Service from beginning to end was superb. We just got back from a holiday in Spain the decor and vibe immediately took us back to our favourite tapas spots in Barcelona & Madrid. Loved the wine selection. The ceviche is my favourite Ive had in Toronto hands down (its hard to find good ceviche here). We got the bone marrow & the shrimp, so decadent and filling. I wish we could eat this everyday. They were also very accommodating with gluten free options. It is pricey, but like I said its a special occasion restaurant so its worth the splurge!

Food was exceptional. We did the tasting menu and we were floored by the assortment of dishes we were presented. For $100 it was a very filling tasting menu compared to what youd get at other restaurants. Great bang for your buck. Youll definitely leave very satisfied. The highlight of the tasting menu for me was the grilled octupus. The place was packed so it was hard to hear one another and the service left a lot to be desired since the staff was understandably handling many tables. Overall great looking spot, busy atmosphere, great food.

Bar Isabel used to be one of my most favourite restaurants in Toronto. However, last night, my husband booked a birthday celebration dinner for me. We were so very disappointed in the food. The mussels were fishy smelling and flavourless. The Sea Bream ceviche was more like a salty saucy cucumber dish, with no evidence of Sea Bream. The tomato bread was soggy. The Octopus was hard and overcooked, and the Patatas Bravas were meh. Nothing came up to expectations. We were extremely disappointed. The servers didn t come to us to ask if everything was okay. They were just too busy with a packed restaurant. With a 20% service charge, one would expect that the waiters would pour our wine. However, the bottle was plonked on the table for us to pour it ourselves. I feel, the quality of the food has completely gone down, and the servers seem only interested in a quick turn around, to free up a table for the next diners. Plus, though my husband had mentioned that it was a birthday celebration on his reservation on Open Table, the only mention of this was, as we left the restaurant, the person who was taking reservations outside said, Happy Birthday!

We love this restaurant, we come all the time and everytime the food and service is steady. One of the best restaurants in the city

10/10

Food tasted amazing. Service was quick and attentive. Attached pictures are the rib-eye steak and the Shrimp al Ajillo. Very good portions as well. I would recommend this place for any occasion. There is no loud music where you have to scream for the person infront of you to hear you. Lighting is great and sets a nice ambiance. Loved it.

Service was good, it s a nice vibe inside, but the price was high for the quality and quantity of food. For an appetizer plate of meat and cheese, $28 for a small amount of cheese (that we didn t like) and salami. It looked like a sad plate. The salami was good though. I just found it over priced and not worth it. Again, quality and quantity were not up to the prices. We didn t end up ordering any more food because we were dissatisfied and moved on to another restaurant. Oh, and the 20% mandatory gratuity was a bit much

Usually not a tapas kinda guy but this was really good

Edible, but not enjoyable. What happened? I was very excited to come to Bar Isabel after multiple foodie friends raved about it. But after all was said and done , it was not worth the time, energy and distance. First, the good: Tasting menu is a custom, curated experience based off a conversation with the staff, not a set menu. Our server was knowledgeable and accommodated all our requests. The anchovy toast was great. Portions were appropriate. Did not skimp on quantity and we left full (almost too full) with leftovers. Variety from tasting menu (9 courses + dessert for 85) was really reasonable The Mediocre: Basically all the food... Shishito peppers - what you expect. Nothing special Potatoes - good texture though Scallops - sauce was mild on a seafood that is already mild Patatas - felt like filler Bone marrow - good chimichurri Sea Bream Civeche - civeche in any form was better at Mira (RIP) and Marked Mushroom... Thing - Good neutral green. Basque - very heavy as expected and the Sherry cream tips it to a passing grade of 5/10 Cocktails - nothing memorable Let me be clear: nothing was particularly bad, but nothing really stood out either. The bad: Octopus: salty, overcooked, boring. Vela executes this better Went in late spring/ early May so maybe the A/C wasnt active but it was so, so hit and humid. The red lighting made you feel like you were in a sauna While the service was great in terms of knowledge, everything was rather slow, especially ordering and trying to pay the bill and leave. This can be okay I guess. Every restaurant has busy nights, but it just hits different when youve been sitting for 2.5 hours in unpleasant heat and youre slapped with a 20% mandatory tip ... For what? Just knowledge I guess. Will never be returning, especially given the distance to the core and how many better places there are on King Street... and even down the street on College

Hands down, one of the best Spanish restaurants in Toronto. we got to try so many of their dishes and all of them came out great. From our drink to our food the experience was pleasant. just make sure to have a reservation.

Great place for amazing Spanish tapas and wine!

Love it here . Food

Nice place

Great service, wonderful atmosphere and fantastic food. One of my new favourite places!

My husband and I chose Bar Isabel for our anniversary dinner, and we were absolutely delighted with our experience. The atmosphere was cozy and inviting, perfect for a romantic evening. While the ambiance was on the darker side, which some might find a bit challenging for reading the menu, the overall vibe was charming. The service was mostly exceptional; the servers were attentive, constantly checking on us to ensure we were comfortable and had everything we needed. However, there was one server who seemed a bit abrupt, but that was overshadowed by the exemplary service provided by the rest of the team. The food was superb! Not only did it arrive promptly, but it also exceeded our expectations in terms of flavour. One aspect that surprised us was the 20% gratuity automatically added to the bill. While we were initially hesitant, fearing that it might lead to the servers not putting in the effort, we were proven wrong. The staff went above and beyond to ensure we had a memorable evening, despite the gratuity being included. As the cherry on top of our anniversary celebration, just before settling the bill, we were presented with two yummy chocolate pieces and marzipan, accompanied by a candle, I did mention that it was an anniversary occasion on open table but in my experience that doesnt usually do anything so when the servers arrived with the treats we were pleasantly surprised. Overall, we left Bar Isabel with full hearts and satisfied palates. Bar Isabel provided the perfect setting for our special occasion, and we look forward to returning in the future. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a memorable dining experience.

Delicious food, great service, fun vibes! The place was completely packed out, but we were able to sit at the bar and have a drink until a table was available. Our server was extremely knowledgable and recommended loads of great dishes. Our absolute favourite was the bone marrow - it was extremely rich and savoury. We absolutely loved the chocolate/coconut dessert. It was small but mighty - the perfect way to end dinner. Cant wait to come back again.

Bar Isabel has some wonderfully delicious food. Our group really loved the soppressata and shaved foie gras pinxo. This is an absolute must try. We had a round and immediately ordered another - it was that good! Other standouts were the octopus and the jamon croquette. I also ordered a glass of the Liston Blanco. Delicious dry wine with loads of minerality. A 20% auto gratuity was applied which I had no qualms about as the service was excellent. I think I ll have to come back for an upcoming anniversary!

What an amazing experience. If you are an adventurous eater, I suggest you go with the tasting menu.

All I can say is - AMAZING. We initially wanted to order a few dishes to try out, but realized there was a tasting menu that they offered. Bar Isabel doesnt tell you much of the tasting menu, and its a very interesting concept, but I can confidently say that everything about it was amazing. You basically give the waiters an estimate of how much you want to spend on the tasting menu, and if you have any food restrictions, and they will bring out the dishes off the menu that they think you will like. Everything about this experience was so memorable. The good was amazing, everything was fresh. The sea bream ceviche and chips was so refreshing, and the shishito peppers are super tasty. I could go on and on about how incredible everything was (the food, the server was INCREDIBLE by accommodating all of the dishes we wanted to try), but I think the best way to experience everything is just go and try. We went here for our anniversary, and they even brought us a little dessert with the sign. WE WILL DEFINITELY BE COMING BACK SOON.

Shrimp and bone marrow were the standouts. Mockails very good as well. Service was v. good as well. 20% auto gratuity worth it

Service was stellar from the minute I walked in to walking out. Food was perfect and tasty! Reservations are definitely recommended and be prepared for louder environment as it s lively and cozy! Staff couldn t have treated me any better.

Outstanding will definitely return

Its the best.

Food was alright for the price! But not mind blowing. it got extremely loud around 6-7pm to an extent we couldn t hear each other anymore. There were a group of men speaking loudly which made everyone trying to talk louder which exacerbated the problem

One of the best restaurants in the city! We started off with the sourdough bread with olive oil - it was super soft! Then we moved on to the bone marrow, which was very decadent - it came with bread and chimichurri. The grilled octopus was great, as usual. Something we tried different was the mushroom dish - which was meaty and delicious. Service and cocktails were amazing! Vibes were immaculate.

The service was great, appetizer were good but the main dish ( octopus) was overcooked and that was disappointing. The lighting at the back of the restaurant was a little intense on the eyes but overall it was ok. Having going to Spain almost every year, some things were missing. The pan con tomate missed salt and oil, the jamon was not as tender so maybe not de bellota, the patatas bravas did not taste like they should : the red sauce was overpowering the aioli and the potatoes were dry.

Overall rating: 3.5/5. Standout items: basque cake with sherry cream, razor clams. grilled quarter octopus ($32): 3.5/5. A bit rubbery, but not bad. In a cream/butter sauce. basque cake ($16): 5/5. Delicious! Buttery, crumbly shortcake with a hot sherry cream. Not overly sweet. sea bream ceviche ($22): 3.3/5. The ceviche itself was a 4/5, refreshing and citrusy. The fried chips were a bit too hard and not the best vehicle to deliver the ceviche on. veal bone marrow ($18): 3/5. The chimichurri was delicious and could be eaten alone with the bread. We had to salt the bone marrow ourselves. Fatty, thats it. razor clams: 4/5. Butter, parsley. Simple. But delicious. scallops ($12/2 pcs): 3.3/5. Had a thin slice of pork cheek on top of the scallop, which gave the one-biter a fatty taste that Im not sure I like. Some sort of very herbaceous chimichurri at the bottom of the scallop. Seared and cooked well. Good, but nothing special. 20% tip charged automatically, clearly stated on the menu. About $100/pp total, including a cocktail & cider. Cozy, low-lit interior, wooden accents - a bit squished, but theres a charm to that too. Water refill was pretty attentive, sitting at the bar. Courteous service throughout.

Excellent place, very warm, romantic. Good level of wines and dishes, highly recommended.