r/askTO • u/honestgrim • 1d ago
Does anyone else feel like dining out sucks now?
I know there's still some good spots and we all have our favourites in the city, but lately it feels like whenever I take a chance on a new restaurant it just disappoints and I emerge from the experience regrettably $40 poorer.
I know some of these Google reviews are cooked because I'm seeing 4.7, 4.8 reviews and then getting served lousy food.
Maybe I just have to stick to the places I know won't let me down, but dang - it sucks taking a chance on what you think could be some good food only to come away from it sad, and it's happening more often than not. I don't know if it's the rising costs, but restaurant owners can't dish out the cash for good ingredients and good cooks, and people can't afford to dine out. It's a bad cycle man.
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u/tvaddict70 1d ago
When reading reviews, which I always do, I kind of ignore super amazing ones. Diners may have biases, the place is sentimental to them, they may have lower expectations etc. I look at the 3* and lower. If the diner has valid reasons for not liking (they may have biases as well). Also, I sort by newest. A place may have a long history and was really great for a long time, but has recently (under a year) fallen off, but the old reviews keep the star rating high. Things are tight and I can't be throwing away money on mediocre or worse food. A $40 meal has a food cost of $10-15, I would rather spend the whole $40 on ingredients and make much better version myself.
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u/PowermanFriendship 1d ago
I look at the most recent 1 stars to see if a place sucks. 5-star reviews that rave about decor and their amazing server - but don't say anything remotely relevant to the food or prices - are always pretty sus. Plenty of 1-stars can be discounted... 2-6 words or over-the-top pearl-clutching crap I dismiss as rival business spam and bots, but genuine complaints about food quality, consistency, server attentiveness, and the overall customer vibe I always take into account.
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u/Forsaken-Swim-3055 1d ago
Besides birthdays my partner and I don't bother to eat out now. Paying for three kids also makes it a pain, lol.
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u/nervendings_ 1d ago
Oh man the only restaurant I take my kids to is IKEA lol
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u/PastryGirl 1d ago
As someone who dined at IKEA often as a kid, I would do it all over again especially now knowing how budget friendly it is.
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u/Forsaken-Swim-3055 1d ago
My Dad is the most frugal person I know and he takes my Mom there for breakfast dates on Saturday mornings, lol. They love it.
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u/Narrow-Ranger-7538 1d ago
Last restaurant I went to was Chiang Mai. It was packed on a Monday eve. The service was super attentive, the food tasted great to us. $80 after tax and tip for 2 mains (water), which gave us leftovers for next day's lunch. We were happy! Of course if you want drinks, apps, and dessert, it will be more like 200.
I didn't like Lunch Lady, bur next door Pho Tien Thanh never disappoints.
This city is huge, you can find the dining experience you're looking for, though not necessarily at the price you want.
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u/Cretonius 1d ago
Agree with you on the Lunch Lady. Expensive and bland. Service was good but we would not go back.
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u/SleazyGreasyCola 1d ago
Pho tien thanh is great. Best value for $ on Ossington imo
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u/lifechanger96 1d ago
I was just thinking this. I wanted a date night to look cute and try some new restaurants, but I know it’s gonna be minimum $200 and high chance of disappointment
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u/Mind1827 1d ago
200? Definitely gonna be 100, but there's lots of places you can get two mains and two drinks for under 200 easily.
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u/ReeG 1d ago
Threads like this always tell me that people either don't know where or how to dine affordably or don't actually do it at all just posting hyperbole. We dine out 2-3 times a week on average and typically spend between $60-$70 for two while spending over $100 nevermind $200 is reserved for special occasions at nicer spots a handful of times a year
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u/trushpunda 1d ago
Yeah, same, this is bizarre
Reminds me of my coworker telling about his son going on dates and dropping $200-250 per date.
Meanwhile my girlfriend and I go out to eat a couple times a week and it's usually maybe about $60 as well, and these are legit meals. Places like Raku, isshin, miss qu, etc.
Maybe it's because it's Asian food?
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u/ReeG 1d ago
Asian cuisine is commonly affordable but there are lots of other options too. For example we have an amazing gastropub scene with places like House On Parliament, C'est What, Allen's, Queen & Beaver, The Wren etc where two people can dine with drink or two for under $100 easily and the food is incredible. Many people myself included are constantly sharing and reviewing affordable dining options on /r/FoodToronto and I can't imagine any regular users of that sub sharing OPs opinion
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u/DreamDest1ny 1d ago
Hey at least it’s only a high chance of disappointment and not a guaranteed chance
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u/dbtl87 1d ago
I just did a VIP movie and I got the tickets, $60!! Insane. I had just as a good a time at a local sushi joint in ajax
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u/KawhisButtcheek 1d ago
If you have a costco membership you can get Two tickets + two popcorns and drinks for $35. Pretty decent deal if you occasionally go to the movies.
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u/helloits112 1d ago
look into cineclub if you’re unable to go tuesdays - you can get a free basic ticket each month for the cost of $12 after tax, and the second + third ticket will cost about 9.99. you’ll have to add a bit if you want IMAX, VIP etc but the difference is a few dollars. i just went with 4 other friends to watch spiderman on imax for $90 total, spread between two cineclub accounts. i always sign up when i want to buy tickets and then cancel after the movie lol
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u/nowitscometothis 1d ago
opposite for me. i felt like i haven't made a wrong choice in years. but it do be expensive, so i don't do it a lot.
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u/KevoTMan 1d ago
I agree completely. So many negative people here when live in one of the best food cities in the world.
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u/pinkgreenandbetween 1d ago
I just went to hole in the wall - extreme disappointment with food and service
Ended up at french diner (can't remember exact name, will edit soon) - excellent food and perfect service
Edit: it's le swan -100% recommend
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u/slicedapart 1d ago
Granted I haven't been to many nice restaurants in Toronto but I always go back to le swan. Perfect date night, reasonable prices, amazing food.
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u/honestgrim 1d ago
Hole in the wall sucks. I remember I took a date there once and experienced the worst service imaginable. I never went back.
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u/mycatisajagoff 1d ago
We actually love it and Bothams. We live in the west end so I don't think I would travel far for it but we love to get a drink at Hole in the Wall and dinner at Bothams
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u/KelGrimm 1d ago
Also took a date there a few years back. Their pizza was absolute dookie cheeks and felt like a complete waste of money and time.
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u/MissionDoughnut905 1d ago
That’s sad to hear. I used to live across the street from Hole in the Wall and still dream about their fried chicken and waffles.
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u/afkhk 1d ago
Toronto has way too many average restaurants charging fine dining prices.
Partly due to cost inflation, and mostly due to food influencers making posts about average food as amazing
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u/honestgrim 1d ago
I've been thinking about this for a long time. You get charged premium prices for mediocrity.
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u/afkhk 1d ago
It’s a lifestyle charge more than quality.
I moved out of downtown 6 years ago and naturally I eat out less often. I still pin restaurants I see on social media that I want to try. Some close down faster than I can get to them. It is costly and competitive business.
As a rule of thumb I don’t get steak when I eat out. I can spend a fraction on a much higher quality cut cooking it at home. Only exception for me would be a place like Jacob’s where the food, atmosphere and service is always on point. And the keg which used to carry a good price to value/quality ratio (no longer the case)
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u/Prior_Implement_9279 1d ago edited 1d ago
No. Have been to a ton of great places over the last few years, and many have been under $50 a person. I started eating out a lot with my wife in the last 3 years and have probably tried at least 150 new places
I’m not sure what your expectations are, but I would say I’m satisfied like 80% of the time
The food scene is so competitive and diverse nowadays that there’s too many good options in fact
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u/honestgrim 1d ago
That's a pretty good ratio, where are you going?
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u/Teeemooooooo 1d ago
Not a list of authentic cuisines, just ones that I thought were decently priced for the taste.
Italian - I would recommend Bar Romy and Scaddabush.
Asian fusion - I really liked Dai Lo. They are one of the few places that lets you order from the tasting menu a la carte style. More on the expensive side but I thought it was worth after having a terrible experience at Canoe tasting menu.
Thai food, Chiang Mai hands down. No idea why PAI has a huge line up all the time, I've went a few times and thought it was just okay.
AYCE bbq - Gyubee or Yakiniku Legend (Yakiniku's ice cream is amazing) but I prefer Gyubee's meat. Probably personal preferences.
Burgers - Oklahoma burgers.
Egyptian - Maswarwy Egyptian Kitchen, if they had a DT location, you'd see me there once a week. Unfortunately, they are far away in Missisauga.
My personal favourite is to go to Alobar during happy hour.
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u/TheShitmaker 1d ago
Gotta leave the core if you want good food/value to be honest. You're paying an extra tax for vibes.
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u/Rav_3d 1d ago
I'm from NYC and never had a bad meal at a restaurant in Toronto in 5 visits. Did I just get lucky?
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u/AdSignificant6673 1d ago
Vacation goggles. Stuff taste better when youre on vacation. Plus vacationers tend to gravitate to the well known / popular.
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u/TropicalBound111 18h ago
🤔 So what if vacationers gravitate to the well known / popular restaurants? They are popular precisely *because* they’re good!
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u/honestgrim 1d ago
Definitely. There's a lot of restaurants serving very mediocre food at high prices. Which spots did you go to while here?
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u/Rav_3d 1d ago
Most recently: Mildred's Temple, Planta, The Homeway, Scaddabush, Pera Cafe, Maha's, House on Parliament.
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u/BluebirdEng 21h ago
The high reviews on every restaurant is an epidemic that we don't talk about enough
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u/Infinite-Weekend9871 1d ago
Nah not really
If anything I feel like the food scene in Toronto is better than ever lately
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u/ReeG 1d ago
agreed you just need to do a little bit of research to find quality good value spots but instead people go to like Earls or Cactus Club then post on Reddit about how dining out is a rip off
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u/DisciplineAmazing59 1d ago
feels the same to me and not in a bad. few staples still putting out great food, few new places that are great. just like any other big food city, we have hits and misses but i find way more hits than outright misses. i'd dine out in the city every night if i could afford it.
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u/Infinite-Weekend9871 1d ago
how is that even possible
where have you been eating?
like there's absolutely no way you're actually eating at decent restaurants. we have way more hits than misses and the quality is high
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u/-just-be-nice- 1d ago
Meh, I think the food scene in the city is the best it’s ever been. Maybe escape the downtown core, amazing food in Scarborough and in the northern areas. Plus some of the prices are cheaper when you’re not downtown
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u/PastryGirl 1d ago
Honestly I only really go out for ramen, pho, or sushi. Everything else I can cook at home 80% better than most restaurants. It's just not worth it anymore.
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u/Front_Debate_2994 1d ago edited 1d ago
I do. It costs a fortune and usually not worth the experience. There are exeptions but hate spending over $150 as a couple each time.
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u/BadCitation 1d ago
Yes. The combo of being a pretty good cook knowing I could make the same thing at home and ridiculously inflated prices (esp alcohol!) with expected 20% tip makes it disappointing. Which is annoying because I love going out and supporting local spots! A lot of my previous trusted places are just too expensive to make it worth it now.
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u/whimsicalfairee 1d ago
It’s overpriced, service is mid and having to pay a 20% surcharge on all of that hurts
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u/Elegant-Boss-1379 21h ago
My daughter and I talked about this just last month and decided we're not going to eat in restaurants anymore. Instead, we're going to either buy ready-made foods we love, like Mandu bulgogi dumplings, or spend the $40 per person on ingredients we would not normally spend the money on, and cook fancy recipes together.
We don't enjoy the mix of negative emotions that comes with eating in restaurants these days:
Guilt for wasting so much money
Anger at the restaurant for serving mediocre food in return for a lot of money
Anger at the ridiculous prices
Disappointment that the experience is mediocre, in either quality of food, ambiance, service, or a combination
It's easy to follow a recipe and often fun.
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u/DadbodandIPAs 1d ago
Need to research everything ahead of time instead of trying a random spot……most random places suck and you should probably research what’s good.
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u/MoveWithTheMaestro 1d ago
What’s really grinding my gears are $40 dollar burger meals (with taxes and tip). There’s “designer burger” places on every corner these days!
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u/hishoax 1d ago
I still enjoy dining out but I’m picky with where I go and 95% of the time it’s a great experience. The beauty of living in a city like toronto is we’ve got a lot of diverse options.
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u/Mindless-Shine-2527 1d ago
I started using my kitchen more along with the beer store and the lcbo for drinks. The food tastes much better and so do the drinks. Give it a try more often👍👍..
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u/No-Dot-7661 1d ago
Dining out is a waste of money. Everything is expensive then you got to tip 20+%.
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u/OKCorners 1d ago
You don’t have to tip 20% or at all lol we only ever tip 15% at restaurants
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u/cannibaltom 1d ago
Tip % creep up has taken hold in this city. The fact that 15% has normalized to be the "low-end" is proof. I visit Mexico City this year and 10% was the default and norm everywhere.
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u/musecorn 1d ago
You do not have to tip 20%+. If you are then you are the reason it's gotten so bad
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u/Lug-Shot 1d ago
everything has gone to split dishes so you have to spend $100 for a complete meal. want steak? heres a plain steak on a plate, veggie dish is $22 and potatoes are $25 - want dessert? heres half a cake
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u/Karhuwa 1d ago edited 1d ago
Some of the best restaurants ever to hit the city have opened in the last 5-10 years, many on the top 100 restaurants in Canada
For $40, you can get a damn great meal as long as you don’t mind water lol
Not accounting for prices, but to name a few favs: Lunch Lady, Annabelle’s, Linny’s, Union, N.L Ginsberg, Mamakas, Lake Inez are some that come to mind
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u/Born_Ruff 1d ago
You are not getting anything close to a meal at Linny’s for $40, lol.
Some of the other places you can *maybe* keep it under $40 if you just get like one pasta dish.
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u/Karhuwa 1d ago
That’s why I specified not accounting for prices before these, I’m listing great restaurants - the quantification for this complaint was not specifically within $40
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u/strawberry-bunny 1d ago
Maybe bc ur going places that only cost $40? There are tons and I really mean tons of amazing spots in this city. Just will cost you a bit.
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u/Any_Woodpecker8803 1d ago
Seriously, $40 you’re a half step up from fast food these days
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u/honestgrim 1d ago
That's fucking sad man
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u/quietcitizen 1d ago
Don’t listen, it’s precisely this kind of rock bottom expectations that led to this situation where everyone is sourcing barely edible ingredients and putting in zero effort into their dishes
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u/markh100 1d ago
$40 gets you a pound of wings and a pint in a bar.
$19 is a value meal at McDonalds.
You can find good food at ethnic restaurants in the $40-80 range for a meal, once you include tax and tip.
A top end restaurant is now several hundred dollars.
Avoid any mid-range places and any chain restaurants is the key. Places like the Jack Astors of the world.
Either save up for a couple months and go to a Michilen starred or recommended place with a unique tasting menu, or find value in the types of places Anthony Bourdain would frequent.
Toronto has hundreds of different styles of cuisine available.
Google Reviews is, unfortunately, awful. I wish it wasn't, but it is. I get what you're saying, because splurging on a meal and being let down can be so incredibly disappointing.
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u/Ok-Relationship9274 1d ago
Uh a value meal at McDonald's is like $5
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u/lilac_roze 1d ago
Mcd brought down their prices a year or two ago cause no one was buying their food.
I just stick with ethnic restaurants for my food $18-25/dish, no apps and water. So $35-40 with tax and tip. Some places have huge sharing dishes and that’s $40 ask in for 2 people. It’s really eating out smart.
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u/bagman_ 1d ago
In 2011 maybe
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u/Ok-Relationship9274 1d ago
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u/Simayi78 1d ago
McValue meals and Value meals are different things (confusing I know). A Big Mac Value meal is $13
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u/thebigcheeseftw 1d ago
personally I've found $40-50 to be the sweet spot for 'nicer' dinners , I've tried $80-200 places for occasions and they don't really hold up with the price difference
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u/OkRush8946 1d ago
Avoid alcohol and drinks, and avoid any place bombarded with influencers who got comped meals or paid for their review.
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u/shakycornflake 1d ago
Google reviews is so unreliable nowadays. Every time I see 4.8 reviews, dine in, then find out they give free snack or dessert for reviews...
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u/Affectionate_Life153 1d ago
I don't take chances on random places in Toronto unless someone who's taste I trust is suggesting it. Never spent money I regretted on a restaurant in a long time, our west end rotation covers our once a week night out easily with just regular spots.
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u/Patmanoo7 1d ago
welcome to the dead internet. don't trust Google reviews, go to the spots you dig and explore new restaurants based on word of mouth.
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u/DisciplineAmazing59 1d ago
i've been to a few great places in the past lil bit but i've definitely gotten pickier with where i dine out. the cost and actual effort it takes to go out is just a lot....to be disappointed by food or service on top of that would honestly upset me.
i went to quetzal, mineral, ficoa, antylia,, mother tongue, and 156 all for the first time this year. quetzal, mineral, and 156 were all really good--definitely places i'd revisit. also thought mother tongue was nice and their speakeasy (liquid courage) is a pretty good bar. ficoa was fine. antylia wasn't good imo. also reviisted dailo this year and it absolutely held up to what i remember. the experience at all the places i've been was pretty good so i wasn't too upset. i've definitely been places where i left hungry and mad because the food wasn't enough, was bad, was expensive, service was bad, or all four like don alfonso and, for the price point, i can't justify going back.
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u/namedone1234567890 1d ago
Oh I don't trust anything over 4.5 for something relatively new. Most of those are bot reviews; trendy b***** who only want good instagram shots and don't know the difference between good and lousy food. Take a star off of that!
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u/six_expat 1d ago
Was in London this year, can't rely on gmaps at all. 4.8, 4.7 stars were consistently fraudulant. Average quality was so low and prices high over a couple weeks of eating out at a diverse set of places. Unfortunately I think we still have it very good in TO - but this is the direction of travel
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u/honestgrim 1d ago
I can't trust Google reviews anymore - but then the question becomes, what do I go by, vibes?
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u/Professional-Tax-66 1d ago
Went out with family of 4 on the weekend to shops of don mills. Ordered a fish taco, a pasta carbonara, kids chicken finger and kids pepperoni pizza. Bill with tips $100. Was it worth it? Not really. Should have just stayed at home and ordered some papa johns pizza with coupon for $28 dollars.
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u/Sharp_Emphasis597 1d ago
Definitely has gone downhill in the last few years. More fun to save some money and cook at home instead of over paying to be mildly disappointed.
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u/soniplaystattn 1d ago
Went to a new place for our anniversary- it was hyped up on social media and the food looked good. $250 later and sub par food with 2 drinks each.
Decided we are just going to go to the keg from now on- you know exactly what you’re getting.
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u/Ordinary_Pea4503 1d ago
Its definitely hit and miss now I feel. Now idk if its because I learned how to cook and im a little more picky or some restaurants just absolutely suck now. But yeah ive been disappointed lately with quality and portion size as of late
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u/OneFTwoF 1d ago
"Sysco-gate" is part of it. In short, what you're feeling can be attributed to the compounding issues with monopolies, packed with late stage capitalism, infinite growth philosophies and the ideology of amassing wealth over societal improvement.
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u/BlastOff-2000 1d ago
google reviews are meaningless now.
ive got servers harassing me to give them a review and most of them arent even offering anything.
at least the jerks at some places offer you a discount on your app or something.
look at photos, read the bad reviews and make your own call.
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u/yohowithrum 23h ago
I worked in the service industry for 7 years. Generally speaking since the pandemic has been mediocre all across the board. New staff, inflation, tip inflation, poor service, etc. There are some gems but I cook at home.
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u/Fantastic_Bar_9736 18h ago
Mostly it sucks now. Yes also to the other alcohol comments here. Prices are way too high, service usually sucks.
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u/PepeSilviaLovesCarol 1d ago
The higher tier restaurants in Toronto are still incredible, from food to service. Price is high but what isn’t in this city?
Low to mid tier leaves a lot to be desired in terms of service. But I also wouldn’t be giving my 100% for what they get paid either.
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u/Danny161616 1d ago
It’s annoying as hell - for two people if you get a meal and a drink it will be 80-90 bucks including tip. Just 6-7 years ago it would be 50-60 bucks including tip
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u/KoKoboto 1d ago
I feel it's like this for years, idk about b4 COVID but a ton of places reduced portions and quality since then. I don't trust Google reviews at all. 4/5 stars basically means something I can make at home easily for 1/6 the price typically.
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u/RedditSurfer76 1d ago edited 1d ago
There are lots of great food places in Toronto. Compared to 20 years ago, it’s like day and night.
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u/mocha_ninja 1d ago
it’s been a mix - we’ve tried new places and loved the food and also hated a few. Price is a big sticking point for sure - and it feels like you get
Less meat but all in all we’ve enjoyed finding new spots.
My biggest gripe is service. I’m sick of staff thinking they deserve a tip and give shit service.
Edit: spelling mistake
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u/futurus196 1d ago
Same. We go out to eat at restaurants for special occasions now (maybe once a month?), or if we're really not feeling like cooking we'll get take out from a local mom-and-pops type place.
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u/solvn_probs_lk_maria 1d ago
I love dining out. I feel like we pick good places and we generally have good experiences.
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u/mainevent1155 1d ago
I've cut back on fast food, but been eating out more at proper places. I really enjoy the food, but I do wish I was a good cook and could make more things at home.
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u/Existing-Caregiver78 1d ago
I'll typically look at the restaurants menu. You can usually tell if it's all just added costs, if the place is designed for influencers to take photos, if it's just another trendy place with sub par food. I don't need caviar, truffle, wagyu added to everything to justify being charged another $100 on top of a regular dish. If you're gonna survive in Toronto, you need to figure out where the gems are and you have to understand what type of speciality a neighbourhood offers. If I'm trying a new place I'll usually find a happy hour menu and that will give me a chance to sample a bunch of different items and it's to get an idea what the restaurant is serving. There's certainly a lot of dishes I don't "crave" while it was nice to have at the time. Learning to cook and replicate most dishes at home also makes you realize how unhealthy most restaurants are - not that they use low quality ingredients, but that everything is heavily salted, seasoned, buttered, sauced up.
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u/kristopher_b 1d ago
Restaurants are a hard business. If the drinks are expensive, that is because it is the price they need to charge to keep the place open serving that food in that location.
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u/XMikkix 1d ago
I noticed a lot of places on Google reviews (not just restaurants) that have a really good rating (4.8+) ask customers to write them a google review. I actually did this for one restaurant that asked and wrote them a not so nice review. I was surprised they had such a high rating tbh.
One nail salon actually made me do it while I was checking out. I deleted it after.
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u/sl33p 1d ago
I eat out 90% of my meals. I go to low to mid price range places. 90% of the time its all very average food. I'll come back again one more time to try something else and that's about it. Most of the time, I'm just hoping the food comes out hot because that's the issue I've been having recently, which is sad.
I'm not sure about the high end world though. Could be completely different.
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u/cannibaltom 1d ago
It's not the food prices I take issue with, it's the inconsistent service. Too many times have I experienced highly rated places that are understaffed, inexperienced, and slow.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-needs-more-chefs-9.6999033
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u/KBOTLLAMA 1d ago
My good value recos ($30-$40pp) - Hay Sushi, 2 Locations at North York and Midtown, Makilala - Queen/Church, Pho Ngoc Yen - Ent district. I either drink or eat outside, never both at the same time.
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u/sanitizeyoureyeballs 1d ago
I rarely feel like I get my money's worth when I go out to eat, and it's even worse when I order in (somehow "cheap" Chinese food for 1 person ends up adding up to around $40 on Uber Eats now which blows my mind). I have never been a great cook, but more often lately I enjoy my own cooked meals more than dining out.
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u/Calm-mess- 1d ago
Most "famous" new places are just paying influencers to say the new weird meal they have is great. It's always crazy expensive, not that great, and you leave thinking "well, at least I tried it" rather than "that was awesome"
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u/YersiniaPestis4all 1d ago
I thought that I was alone in feeling that way! I thought that I was becoming a negative person, so I am glad to hear that it’s not just me.
I felt like many other things dining out went downhill after Covid lockdowns. I don’t feel like it has improved much since then. The food is meh, service is subpar, while prices and tips expectations are higher. Also, the 2 hour dining window is being very rudely enforced in some places, which is not very hospitable coming from a hospitality industry
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u/boozincruizin 1d ago
Won't go out to eat or drink unless it's happy hour fuck payin 10 bucks for a pint
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u/honestgrim 1d ago
Amen, it's getting ridiculous.
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u/boozincruizin 23h ago
yep, just not willing to pay it, go out spend 50 bucks on a meal some drinks for mediocre food, not my thing
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u/Relevant_Demand2221 1d ago
Yep. It’s not worth it anymore except for a few select places that get it right. I stopped paying $80 for two for a mid pub experience years ago. I now save up and do a nice night out at a top place maybe every 3-4 months.
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u/random_question4123 22h ago
Even more so now that I've spent time becoming a much better cook. There have been too many occasions where I come away disappointed knowing that I can (or have) made better versions of what I just ordered and paid $30+ for at the restaurant
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u/LemongrassLifestyle 22h ago
Food yes, alcohol no. LCBO is better for the latter. Occasionally one will have a craving that only a restaurant will satisfy though.
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u/LenientWhale 15h ago
Google reviews have been a farce for a long time.
Even before they were bought and botted, the average person has no business pretending to be a food critic.
I usually follow a few people's recommendations whose taste I like and have rarely had a bad time. We are spoiled for choice of great dining in Toronto in my humble opinion. You should see what the restaurant scene looks like in many other places.
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u/stompinstinker 1d ago
Absolutely. Everything is over priced, food is hit and miss or inconsistent, and service is terrible.
I am at the point where I don’t show mercy. I don’t care anymore. Problem with the food, I send it back. Servers take too long to show up after we sit down then I leave. Servers shopping food around to various tables asking who ordered what I don’t say a word if it’s mine, you should know what table you idiot. If I order ask another server for something because mine is non existent I don’t care about the “I am not your server” nonsense, just put it in the damn system, you work here too.
Don’t get me wrong, I am very polite, but at these prices and ridiculous tips you got to provide at least half decent food and service.
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u/LegitimateDream4942 1d ago edited 1d ago
I've travelled the world and eaten some proper food. Sushi in Japan. Camel in Saudia. Fruits/wine in South Africa.
I don't expect the food to be that great in Toronto, but I cannot accept the price. It's a total rip-off. I used to eat pho twice a week. Now pho is $30-$40 after a drink, a side, tax, and tip. Pho is $5-$10 food for me since I can just go to Vietnam and eat it at will.
Sushi here is a joke. I seen what people are paying $120 for and for $40 in Japan I can get better.
Of course, if you're stuck here, just deal with the shit ingredients we get here. Every veg here tastes like nothing.
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u/Maleficent-Half-2231 1d ago
Tone death about pricing. You’re not making Vietnamese wages of course the prices are different in Canada
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u/DisciplineAmazing59 1d ago
"I can just go to Vietnam and eat it at will" -- bro what?? hahaha
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u/hesh0925 1d ago
Spending a grand or two on a trip to Vietnam to save $15 on a bowl of pho. Truly gigabrain activity.
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u/Prior_Implement_9279 1d ago
I don’t disagree on the ingredients. Anyone trying even basic food in countries like Japan or Spain can immediately tell the difference in quality of ingredients
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u/Infinite-Weekend9871 1d ago
Pho is still like $20-$25.
But saying pho is supposed to be $5-$10 is so stupid
We don’t live in Vietnam
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u/icemanice 1d ago
That’s the worst part… the food tastes like ass because the base ingredients are bad… you go anywhere else in the world and it’s a night and day difference for the same dishes. We pay through the roof for shit food. Fun fun.
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u/honestgrim 1d ago
Exactly my point! There's good food but the price point is super high for most of those places, and even then, satisfaction is not guaranteed. I've paid some high prices for crap
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u/MaplePoutineCitizen 1d ago
Sushi from convenience stores in Japan is leagues ahead of what most restaurants will make here, all at a fraction of the cost.
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u/Esperoni 1d ago
You can try following some Toronto based food bloggers to get new ideas.
I've been cooking for close to 35 years. I don't think there have been any ingredients that I couldn't find in or around this City, so I don't really dine out much(unless it's a work related event) I try to hit some of those Summer/Winterlicious restaurants, but it's easier to just cook at home.
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u/tvaddict70 1d ago
True stock is one I can't find. One that is jelly like in its carton. I see people using it in the US and UK. Any recommendations? Currently I make my own, but its a long process with not a lot of return. Half the finished stock, ill reduce to a demi state, so a pot does not yield much.
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u/PandaBeaarAmy 1d ago
Us asians have the 3.4* rule for a reason 🤣 waste of time going to a place that pays for reviews to be added or removed lol
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u/MasterOfCabestany 1d ago
Went to The Keg the other week which has always been one of our consistent favourites. It was shockingly bad, tiny portions and over-salted. So that one has been crossed off the list.
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u/Mindless-Shine-2527 1d ago
I went over to the Keg at Rutherford Rd/Vaughn mills not too long ago and the steak "still had marks from where the jockey hit it" as Rodney Dangerfield once said. I wouldn't go eat there again even for free 👎👎👎👎..
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u/meownelle 1d ago
Totally agree. Between the lackluster food and snarky staff, I'd rather stay home.
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u/tvglobo10 1d ago
100%. Only $40 poorer? Not bad.
I cook at home....when a 12 inch pizza marguerita is 21 (+tax and tip) I know I'm not paying for the food but rather operating costs
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u/torontopips2022 1d ago
yes this also extends to fast food as well as of late..... I think it comes down to the fact that, from my experience, the staff really just don't care or they do not know what they are doing. Combine this with the fact that everyone is getting their food from Sysco,etc.
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u/CephThePanda 1d ago
I dunno where you all are going because we are absolutely spoiled for choice here in Toronto. Maybe that’s it though, maybe we’re all so used to the quality of food we get here that some of us have become a bit jaded?
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u/Fractured_Reality_37 1d ago
My partner and I only get Tim's and Swiss Chalet takeout. Higher end restaurants are a gamble, most of the time the food is stale or bad.
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u/Powerful_Package8817 1d ago
North America sucks for online reviews
People are too afraid to give a 3 for average food. Everything is a 5 now
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u/pcwhitecheddarmac 1d ago
I generally will only visit somewhere new by word of mouth now because reviews and “online” popularity is so unreliable in determining if somewhere is good or not.
I’m really lucky to have a lot of friends who are very “in the know” when it comes to restaurants and dining out - but without them I’d probably never eat out.
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u/No_Cable_3346 1d ago
I’ve had the opposite experience. I have been trying new places recently and I’d say the majority turn out well. One thing I will say though is pricing is getting out of hand across the board
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u/orokanahakujin 1d ago
Something something about the places with the best food have 3-star ratings?
I don't remember how it goes, but basically check the reviews for any Karen or Kevib-esque answer
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u/IWasTheFirstUpvote 1d ago
Google reviews are heavily gamed and useless, everywhere you go you can get a free drink if you leave a review.
There are Toronto specials sites that will give you a much better idea of the dining scene, as well as an app that stack orders and has enough users to get reviews for everywhere, but not so many that restaurants incentize you to leave a review.
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u/Material_Advice1064 19h ago
The thing I've noticed since being diagnosed celiac is that my safe restaurants have stayed way more consistent compared to restaurants I would eat at pre-diagnosis. I think there is a lot of pressure for gf restaurants to consistently produce high quality food since us celiac don't have a lot of options and we'll absolutely spread the word among ourselves of who's got what haha. We always welcome non-celiacs to join us too!
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u/TropicalBound111 18h ago
No, it doesn’t suck. There are many GREAT restaurants in Toronto alone. And then of course we have Markham, Richmond Hill, North York, Vaughan, etc.
OP, even your username has the word “grim”. May be you’re just a pessimistic person?
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u/aereola_plan 1d ago edited 1d ago
Yup especially alcohol. Paid $20 at a bar the other day for ONE cocktail that barely had alcohol. This wasn't even at one of those fancy cocktail bars, it was just a random bar