Reviews George Restaurant

Name: George Restaurant
Address: 111C Queen St E, Toronto, Canada, I-M5C 1S2
Telephone: +1 647 496 8275
Rating: 90

Alex Retter

We chose to do the tasting menu (7 course) with the wine pairing. Our experience with the staff, the food and the atmosphere was absolutely brilliant! Courses were delivered with detailed and interesting descriptions of the wine pairing. Each plate is unique for in reality a couple will receive 14 plates and 4 wines which creates an amazing variety throughout the evening. We took pictures of the food, the wine and the restaurant as we went along. Neither Laura nor I could imagine how this could have been a better experience. Highly recommend making George Restaurant a priority if you are ever in Toronto

Di McCabe

The service was exceptional. It was my birthday and a great place to go for a special occasion. We did the 7 course tasting menu and were very pleased. My favourite dish was the bison.

Melissa Marie

Went there this past Tuesday for my mother's birthday. We did only two courses and did not do the tasting menu. My mother and I each had a different meal and each meal and course was absolutely delicious! The wait staff was curtious and the evening was wonderful! A must go for everyone visiting Toronto!

Ali Idz

Love the central location, the elegant atmosphere and the wine pairings, especially the wine pairings offered. Many of these wines are from private collections and provided by suppliers (so not available at the LCBO) so it's always a treat when wanting something different. Also, the dinner service is seamless and staff is knowledgable. And the food, you ask? Most deliciously unique flavours combined that are not only a treat for your tastebuds but the eyes too - the plates are picture perfect! In fact I took a picture of my main course and have it as a screen saver. It's that pretty! Delicious as well which is most important for me. We go for the food, stay for the relaxed atmosphere but whatever the reason it's always a lovely evening.

Joe Mc Donald

Unreal Experience!! Impeccable service , the food blew my mind. I travel all over the world and have eaten in 6 of the top restraunts in the world and George sits right along side with some of them!!

Bjug Borgundvaag

I have eaten at George on multiple occasions. I've been there just with my wife, as a couple, and also with both small and large groups. The service is great. The physical place is warm and inviting. The food was fantastic and Ian the Sommelier is incredible. His knowledge is vast, and his ability to pair wines with food is amazing. Go!

Luka Pavlović

Had the 5 course tasting menu with 5 friends this past Saturday. One of the best meals I have ever experienced in my life. The interesting feature here was that the tasting plates were varied, so 2 of us had the same plates and 2 others had different meals. This made for a very fun conversation. Service is excellent and had none of that higher end restaurant "service" with waiters constantly coming back and forth interrupting you. We were allowed to enjoy the meal and our conversations. Will definitely be visiting again when in Toronto!

Cynthia Shum

Hands down the best food experience we have ever had! Fantastic service with attention to every detail. The staff were diligent with my food allergies which gave me peace of mind. The tasting menu was so much fun!

Regina Peri

One of the best restaurants in Toronto (and Canada) hands down. I agree with some of the previous comments saying the experience is amazing. Service is impeccable. I do not consume red meat/chicken but eat fish/seafood and had the 5 courses meal. The food presentation was incredible and the flavors, even better. I was with friends from NYC that eat in great Soho/Tribeca restaurants on a regular base and they were all very astonished by the quality of food/wine at George. Will def go again for the 7 courses meal when I am more hungry

Maria Yaremenko

Had the best ahi tuna stuffed with some red caviar from a la cart menu. Next time should be a five course meal where the chef surprises you with the meals of his choice!

Marci Buckiewicz

We went for my husband 65th birthday, 10 of us, the food was to die for, service amazing, wine high quality, the best restaurant we ever been, and we eat out alot, the chef Lorenzo won a few awards.and we could see why. Thank you so much for the beautiful night we had , you guys made it happen.

Marie Lasnier

Fabulous food great wonderful staff, I strongly recommend it being from Montréal WOW ! Merci Restaurant George !

Alli Birtwhistle

We had an outstanding dinner at George on Saturday night. The wine pairings and the tasting menu were absolutely perfect and the service was exceptional. We go to George every year for our anniversary, and with such incredible food, it's hard to go anywhere else. From our perspective, George is one of the very best restaurants in Toronto.

Rhodalynn Gonzalez

My husband and I had an Anniversary dinner this past weekend. The whole experience was amazing. Amazing service, amazing people, amazing food and awesome table. We had ordered the 5 course meal with wine paring and were seated in a private room cubicle. A very romantic atmosphere. Our server was Steve and he was so friendly, very laid back but also professional. I believe it was the manager, Franck, who presented us with our wines. He was also so so friendly and made small talk without being robotic or overbearing. Best of all was the food, the chef was amazing. His style, the presentation of the dishes were like pieces of art. It tasted incredible.

Dino De

I will keep this short, absolutely exceptional!!!! Our 5th time there, and certainly not our last, food, staff, atmosphere, coctails, extraordinary. See you guys very soon...

Amanda Cull

My husband and I celebrated our anniversary at George last night. The evening was perfection. The blind sampling menu was amazing. Our only disappointment was that we had tickets to another event and so could only do 5 courses. Everything we tried was amazing. I enjoyed the wine pairing experience. Each wine was amazing and perfectly paired. It heightened the enjoyment of each dish. The service was amazing. The restaurant was fully booked, yet we felt like the only ones there. A perfect evening! A splurge that is definitely well worth it! Thank you so much!

Travelling Foodie

Opened since 2003, George Restaurant is one of Toronto’s best and long-standing restaurants known for globally inspired dishes with seasonally sourced “Toronto Cuisine” menus.

6 months ago

Krishna Goel

Excellent location to entertain business guests

A nice package of formal without being pretentious, I had a very enjoyable experience entertaining a client here. The service was extremely friendly and my guests left very contented, which reflected well on me. We tried a number of dishes among the 4 of us and all excelled.

7 months ago

Sneha Verma

If you like progressive eating, beautiful presentations, and unique wine pairings, this is a must go for you. Expect to pay a king's ransom for a couple but it is worth the treat. Excellent service tops it all off.

Mar 28, 2019

Jazz Patrao

What a great place. Went with a few friends for a quick lunch and had a great time... the service is also quick and the people are really polite.. would definitely recommend

Nov 11, 2018

Menu Love

I went to George Restaurant with my intimate partner for an anniversary dinner. I have to say without a doubt, this is my favourite restaurant in Toronto.

I had the seven course Vegetarian Tasting Menu coupled with the Wine Pairing selection which complimented each course.

This is an upscale, expensive restaurant. Our dinner set us back about $540, not including tip. I can tell you though, if you’re willing to splurge, George Restaurant is an excellent dining experience.

Jul 15, 2018

Const

+4.5

Delicious five course tasting menu. Extremely inventive dishes and beautiful presentation. Service was spot on as well. One of the better meals I've had in Toronto.

May 21, 2017

Shivangi Mehra

+4.5

I've been to George many times. It's an elegant restaurant, but is laid-back and not a bit stuffy. Don't let that fool you: the staff are professional and sharp.

The three of us ordered the 5-course tasting menu. I appreciate how each diner gets his own twist on the course. It's a competition to see who gets the best plate. We were all over the moon with the quality, flavour, and originality of the dishes. The sides all complimented the main items perfectly.

The only downside was dessert. I've noticed this before; it's never up to the stellar quality of the appetizers and mains. My dining companions were both disappointed in theirs.

I always make note in my reservations that I am allergic to wine, grapes, wine vinegars, and anything to do with grapes. I also repeat this to the server when placing my order. Despite this, my dessert had Grand Marnier in it (brandy is wine). I recognized the mistake immediately, but allowed my friends to eat it because I was full.

Aug 28, 2016

Nokianen

V George restaurant jsme meli pracovni veceri. Podnik se hlasi k jednem z nej ve meste. Degustacni menu jako v Evrope, vyborne morske plody, vlidny nebrutalusticky interier. Standardne vazne nevzdelanost obsluhy Americe vlastni

Aug 18, 2016

Mitchell Gerskup

+4.5

I went here for my birthday dinner last night and, with the rest of my table, embarked on the 10 course tasting menu. It was a delightful journey that lasted over four hours.

To start, the wine pairings were fantastic. There were some unusual choices that all ultimately paired spectacularly with the food.

Second, the service was exquisite. Attentive, but not in an overbearing way, and everybody was friendly.

The food, which was the star of the show, was all really good. Some of the dishes, like the tilefish tartar and rack of lamb (both pictured) were amazing, with a depth of layered flavours and complexity. Other dishes, like the bison cheek, had a simpler flavour profile, but were still delicious.

Perhaps most impressive was how well proportioned the tasting menu was. I didn't feel either over-stuffed or intoxicated after the meal. I walked out feeling pleasantly full.

The food here is, in my opinion, on par with a Michelin star rated restaurant.

May 22, 2016

Ray

I attended George this past weekend for my birthday dinner. When I walked in I was greeted by the friendly hostess who also took my coat. The restaurant has an intimate setting with comfy arm chairs, dim lighting, and limited tables available. You are also able to watch the chefs prepare your meal via the overhead mirror. We were expecting George to be overhyped, one of those restaurants where price makes it seem special. We brought our own bottle of wine and did the tasting menu. Each course was absolutely amazing. The flavours and textures of each dish blew us away. Our palette cleansers were both flavourful. My boyfriend got tuna tartare and I got a sweet potato dish. Next we got our firsts which was a delicious seafood course, the second included a foie gras with rabbit. The entree was a generous dish with wild boar and parsnips. By the third dish I was getting full. Finally came the 4 year old cheddar which was served with crostinis, jam, and the most delicious nuts I've ever eaten. For dessert I received the most amazing blondie with deep fried banana, honey ice cream and some type of creme.
Overall, the food is absolutely amazing and worth every penny. The service is incredible as well. Our server was very friendly and helpful. The other staff are also very knowledgable and always clean the table after each course. I would recommend George for any special occasion as it is pricey, but the price is for sure justified for the quality of food and service!

May 02, 2016

Jay DuBoulay

George is one of the best fine dining restaurants and tasting menus in Toronto, no question. While some visits are better than others (to be expected with a regularly changing menu), it is with no doubt worth a special visit.

Uniquely presented fish dishes.. lamb.. and early grey ice cream.. these are some past favorites to keep an eye out for.

May 01, 2016

Pamela D

George is located on Queen East, where executive chef Lorenzo Loseto invents modern classics with a focus on fish and seafood. The interior of George, like the food, is a mix of classic and contemporary – beautiful hardwood floors and exposed brick walls, meet modern light fixtures and furniture. One thing I really liked was that though the overall lighting was dim, the tables were very well lit so I could see (and photograph) all the food.

My mom and I both went with the 7-course tasting meal with wine pairings and it was quite the ride. We were each presented with different courses and wines, meaning we got to sample 14 different plates and wines.

Dec 09, 2015

Thaly Tapia

I had the 7 course tasting menu with wine pairings and I have to say, this was my favorite dining experience to date. There was a good amount of time between each dish for me and my partner to sit and actually enjoy our food and chat. The food was a blur of deliciousness and sadly I cannot remember specifics except for an insane dessert. The wine pairing was 100% worth it and my sommelier was so knowledgeable and I thoroughly enjoyed his explanations of everything. He even offered me a great tip - take a sip of your wine while you have the food in your mouth, brings out it's essence. Overall, it took 3 hours to get through everything and I left a happy camper. 100% recommend this place.

Aug 05, 2015

SarahNOM

+4.5

Oh George. I've visited you twice now. Perfect food but your ambiance continues to creep me out. Why do you remind me of a cold cellar? The place aside, try anything and everything. You will not be disappointed.

Jun 24, 2015

Linda Matarasso

I went to George for the first time on a #fundelentil tour. I tried the special crab and lentil dish. The thing that i really lived on the plate was the pickled rhubarb, i need to make that. It was a quick stop and we didnt even have time to sit but the place is beautiful and i hope to return to have a full meal soon.

Jun 09, 2015

Acroyear

+4.5

Valentine's Day 2015. Great tasting menu with different courses for each of us. Great room and atmosphere. Get your spouse to take you for you next special night out.

Can't wait to go back for lunch (beef tenderloin is a favorite)

Feb 16, 2015

Molly1234

+4.5

Pricey but worth it. This is such a special place that caters to whatever your heart desires. Great staff as well.

I'm a vegan and they don't have regular vegan options on the menu. They made a complete vegan taster menu for me from scratch. It's amazing to me because I've had to cut down on going out to restaurants due to the lack of choices people provide to vegans. Now I have a go to fancy place to spend all of my life's celebrations.

Great job George. A true gem to the city.

Jan 13, 2015

Correne

+4.5

There are no words for how fantastic the tasting menu is. I would go everyday if I could afford to. The staff are amazing, friendly, funny, and even though we have only been twice they remembered us. Cant wait to go again

Oct 06, 2013

Jerry Hung

+4.5

Great Private Room experience. We have a last minute Private Room reserved, waived minimum fee
It's Friday night (of the TIFF opening weekend) and everyone we called in TO was sold out

9 adults + 4 kids
As 5-course ($99) is required for EVERYONE in the room, we ordered a la carte and liked the food a lot

It's Western fine dining but some surprises like chicken satay for children (not stuck with spaghetti is awesome). My beef tenderloin + foie gras was very tasty

Sep 18, 2013

Gracia Bunarto

+4.5

My bf took me to a 7 course wine paired dinner and I was amazed with each dish I recived. Each dish beautifully presented and amazingly delicious. It was the best fine dining experience I've had!

Jan 09, 2013

SpiceLife

Great Dining Experience. Best restaraunt I have ever been to. Had the 5 course tasting with wine pairing. I went there with 10 people and we had a private room. Each person's dish was different and it was an excellent sharing and socializing experience. Service was top notch and so was the food. I highly reccomend this place.

Oct 18, 2012

Jessica MoAl

+4.5

Opted for 10 course tasting menu since servers did reassure that all a la carte items were going to be somewhat represented in the tasting menu items too. (I was eyeing the foie gras on the a la carte menu). Plus it was my birthday so it was a splurge to go for the $140/person tasting menu. Each meal was a surprise but a pleasant one at that. And hubby and I got different items so in essence, we were able to taste 20 items! Not bad, right?
The meal progressed well from light apps to seafood and heavier mains, a cheese dish and 2 desserts.
Service was great with the entire staff quite involved (2 servers backed each other up plus the sommelier to advice us of some wine to pair up with as many dishes as possible). We are not heavy drinkers so we needed a versatile red. Their cocktails selection was great too - we had one each and they were nice.
The space was intimate and comes across semi-formal. I would recommed George. I have been to 4 tasting menus in Toronto and feel the pricing for this 10 course was respectable. There was talent and passion in the dishes and the service was very good.

Sep 05, 2012

Petrlandau

+4.5

Amazing. Great dining experience. Party of five, we ordered the five course tasting menu. Much to our amazement, each one of us had a unique dish with each of the five courses. Food was great, servers excellent, sommelier was very helpful. We had a very enjoyable evening, will certainly go back for more.

Aug 29, 2012

Khadija Derie

+4.5

Awesome. My boyfriend took me here on valentines day. I loved the atmosphere of the place and our private booth. The staff was very friendly and professional. Oh and of course the food was amazing! I definitely want to go there again!

May 21, 2012

+4.5

My husband and I had the most enjoyable meal at George. From the lovely wafer bread to dessert we were impressed. My husband had the Wagyu beef as the first course and it was spectacular as was the second of sea scallops with mint yogurt and the last of pork tenderloin. Each of my dishes were fabulous as well: smoked trout, veal (deliciously tender!) and beef tenderloin with chanterelles and ravioli. The presentation of every dish was perfect. What a fabulous and sophisticated trip away from the steak house and "new cuisine" norm. There were unusual ingredients on every plate. I've read a number of reviews that complained of the dishes being too small. Huge portions do not equate to good food. Three courses plus the amazing bread wafers were enough to question whether I could even attempt dessert. Upon discovering they had an apple and caramel tasting on the menu, how could I not order it? I could've died happy after the apple fritter. As for the staff, they were helpful, attentive and could banter with the patrons. A 30 minute walk home solved the issue of eating too much. It was our first experience at George and hopefully not our last. Thanks for a great meal.

Oct 24, 2011

Canada Mike

+4.5

Our very favorite restaurant. This is our very favourite restaurant in Toronto. The food is nothing short of superb, the service both thoughtful and attentive, and dinner is a delightful surprise every time we go. George is not inexpensive, and, for us, its a place of celebration - anniversaries, birthdays and such like. I cannot recommend this "dining experience" strongly enough.

Try it. You'll love it.

Jun 17, 2009

David And Jennifer

+4.5

Destination Rest / Different Experience. Have to really love this place. Got married here.

This place stands out for it's menu and approach to dining. Hope I don't get wrapped on the knuckles for this, but the approach is somewhere between "entree" and "tapa's", however I would like to make it perfectly clear, THIS IS NOT A TAPA'S RESTAURANT. Nothing will be served to fill you up and the experience is to enjoy more than one thing. The wine list is amazing. The place is eat up w/atmosphere (exposed beams & brick, wood floors left over from it's previous life). Make time to have dinner here when in the city.

Nov 26, 2008

Snowysnowy

+4.5

Overall, we enjoyed our lunch break at George. We liked all of our dishes with the pasta dishes as our highlights. In addition, presentation of each dish was impeccable and the inside ambiance of the restaurant was quiet, modern, and gorgeously decorated.

Aug 22, 2012

Jess W.

+4.5

Foie gras AND duck breast! Similar to my foie gras, it was perfectly seared and delicious. The duck breast was cooked sous-vide (vacuum-sealed in an air-tight bag and cooked in a water bath). This method of cooking ensures that the meat retains its flavour and

Jul 13, 2011

Stella

+4.5

Overall, I enjoyed our dinner at George. We had flawless service and our meal was very well-executed. Having said that, I thought our dishes could have used more strong, bold and distinctive flavours.

Feb 29, 2012

Abbey Sharp

The room is not stuffy, the booths are large and the tables are well spaced, which I appreciate. We got the chefs table (table that overlooks the kitchen) which can be entertaining if your dining companion happens to get an important email that he absolutely HAS to reply to.

The menu is really appealing, at least to my tastes, but we decided to go with the surprise 5- course tasting menu.

To drink, I went with an Austrian Riesling, and my dining companion went with a Mango Mojito, a refreshing fruity take on one of his favourite cocktails. Just as an aside, I like that George offers wine in 3 oz and 6 oz pours, so that you can try a few different varieties, if you would like, without practically falling off your chair before the cheese course. It has happened way to many times.

I also want to mention how wonderful the service was, maybe a bit too attentive at times. It was almost like every time I took a single sip of my sparkling water, someone was there to top it up ha. I should also say that if you are in a rush to get somewhere, I wouldn't choose George, or at least I would order a la carte. Our meal from start to finish took about 2.5 hours.

So, unfortunately I don't have exact tasting notes / menu descriptions but I can tell you the basic gist.

Amuse Bouche of venison sausage, with fiddlehead and a foie gras shortbread

Great first bite, though I wasn't crazy about the shortbread. It tasted like a somewhat soggy rich cookie.

Shrimp salad with a perfect pea salad, and I think some type of an avocado relish underneath

Really fresh and flavourful.

Tempura softshell crab atop an Asian vegetable salad

Perfectly crispy and light.

Seared foie gras and some type of ham preparation with spaetzle, black trumpet mushrooms and a grapefruit salad

I loved the brightness of the citrus against the richness of the foie. Light and crispy pan-fried spaetzle made me want to go home and make a batch myself. The pork (and I'm sorry, I cannot recall what exactly it was, other than that he called it ham) was a bit dry.

Seared foie gras and pan fried sweetbread with some type of a fruit based sauce and roasted nuts (the details of this one escapes me...probably because they said foie gras and I then tuned out in sheer excitement).

It was delicious, I definitely liked the texture of the nuts with the soft and delicate foie.

Lamb rib chops with fiddleheads and the most fluffy cheddar potato perogies I have ever had.

One criticism here is that they brought us both butter knives for our meat course... we were having to saw through the meat! I meant to say something but I totally forgot.

Beef tenderloin with sauteed leeks and a mint potato salad

Despite the knife issue, the meat was incredibly tender and the leeks were perfectly sweet and tender. I was expecting the mint puree on the potatoes to be too strong, but it was actually quite nice.

Cheese coarse with either a goats cheese or brie, mango chutney, apple slices, baguette and candied pecans.

Perfect serving size, all I would say is that I would like a bit more chutney.

Chocolate tasting with a Earl Grey panna cotta, chocolate tart with pear ice cream, chocolate mousse and chocolate profiteroles

I had a taste of most of it, and although I'm really not a chocolate person, I thought everything was well done. The profiteroles were particularly lovely and light, and the panna cotta was perfectly smooth and not gelatinous at all as it sometimes can be. I think they actually did a good job balancing the chocolate with other lighter flavours so as not to overwhelm the palate with the bitterness.

Mango toffee pudding with burned honey ice cream

As a toffee pudding enthusiast, I wasn't blown away. I found the mango wasn't the best match for the caramel or burnt honey, apple or pear would have been more obvious and better choices. The pudding itself wasn't as moist as I would have liked, but the ice cream was divine. It was a perfect balance of bitter and sweet.

So, I will say that while this is one of the more pricey meals to be had in Toronto, it is also one of the better ones. Not the best, and based on the experiences I have had around the world, fairly expensive ($250). But if you want a nice meal out in Toronto, and are specifically looking for a tasting menu, George is an appropriate option. Did I leave thrilled? Nope. But I was happy with everything I ate, and in Toronto today, sadly, that is saying a lot.

FOOD PORN ABBEYSKITCHEN.COM

Dec 22, 2014

Reachill Franche

Happy that we had a chance to celebrate our Anniversary here. The food is incredible! Ambiance is amazing and the staff most specially Mercedez who assisted us through out the night! She was amazing! Highly recommended! A must experience when your in downtown Toronto! Kudos to Chef Lorenzo and Team! 💞

David LeBlanc

A grand evening at George for a dual birthday celebration at the Chef’s table, where a playful Chef Lorenzo served three of our ten courses, and photobombed us. A perennial favorite and one of Toronto’s top two restaurants. Divine food creations, brilliantly creative flavors, stellar plating that is their hallmark, impeccable warm hospitality. Highest recommendation!

Sébastien Nait Bourhim

We had the 7 courses degustation meal with pairing wines. The food is original and we were disappointed with only one plate that they changed for something else. Wines are great and Christina describe them perfectly! Plates are big ! 7 courses is a lot at George. Great experience

Claire Chen

George is definitely my favorite fine dining in Toronto. It provides consistent high quality and tasty food. And they always made my booking so easy! I have been going with my family who are vegan, vegetarian and meat eaters. It is not easy to find a fine dining experience that's accommodating for all. The food was excellent, service was fast and friendly, great selection of wine and drinks. Nothing to complain about.

Paul Leslie

GEORGE Restaurant is a hidden gem, in Toronto. My beautiful wife and I had our 2021 wedding anniversary here and we were very happy that we did. From start to finish, the experience was a very good one. The drinks were tasty and the meals were plated like artwork. Everything was delicious and the presentation was amazing.

Ramy Saboungui

George is definitely one of the finest places to dine in the city and one that will take your taste buds on a roller coaster. We were lucky enough to try the 10 course tasting menu with the 10 wine pairings and we were in for a surprise. The staff are very knowledgeable with everything on your plate to the wine paired with it. Everyone in Toronto needs to try George at least once. It's truly an ideal place to impress your loved one through a night of dining you both won't forget

Sabrina Dhillon

Unique experience, friendly wait staff. Menu was thoughtfully curated. Great selection of vegetarian dishes available for their tasting menu. There was so much variety in the flavors that not one dish tasted the same. The only downfall I would say was how long the 10 course tasting menu took to get through. We were there for close to 4 hours. I wish we were warned ahead of time. The pace started off great but got a bit slow in the middle as the restaurant got a bit busy. Other than that, had a really great time.

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