Review Biff's Bistro - Toronto

We went for the first time last week and it is now one of my most favourite restaurant. The atmosphere inside the restaurant has a very romantic and warm ambiance which was perfect for date night. We usually like to get a few different dishes when we visit a restaurant for the first time and we were blown away by how everything tasted. The baked Brie and steak tartare was fantastic, not to mention the beef bourguignon which just melted in your mouth. We loved the experience so much that we are taking our friends again at the end of the month because we miss the food already. Absolutely spectacular!

Excellent food and respectful service are mainstays at Biff's. Small but good cocktail selection for happy hour 4-6pm. It's a venerable place of conviviality that's been around for years and have maintained their consistency. The dark woods adds to the old school bistro atmosphere. Had the rib eye and medium rare was perfectly done, anything more is sacrilege.

Classy French restaurant with tasty classic dishes. Every dish was so carefully crafted and full of flavours. Oysters were very fresh. Service was impeccable!

Had cream of mushroom soup, geese liver, beef tartare, trout, duck breast, steak, chicken. For beverages we had the daiquiri and bee’s knees. To be honest, very, very mediocre. Every dish had me thinking “ya i don’t know, there’s gotta be somewhere that can make this better”. For this price, maybe try something else.

Great experience at Biffs and would certainly return. Our server was Al - he was friendly, energetic and fun, which made the dining experience pleasant. Food was good, had the steak frites and oysters for apps. All of the staff were very attentive and kind not only to ourselves but all of the patrons which was great to see.

What an excellent dining experience it was yesterday afternoon. Definitely a gorgeous atmosphere. The staff here catered to all our needs. Our waiter Allen was on the top of his game and made sure that we were so taken care. I myself had the Coq Au Vin and my partner had the Trout Amandine on top we shared the Potted Shrimp. The food here was delicious.

Wonderful lunch menu, mussels on a excellent savoy wine broth, the sea bass was just outstanding

Over all very good experience, the burgers was too salty but the beef quality was good. 5 stars services.

The restaurant was amazing. It was recommended by the concierge at the hotel. We chose off the Winterlicious menu and were not disappointed. The French onion soup was incredible. The gnocchi was melt in your mouth. The dessert was to die for. We were served by Andres and he was so attentive and outgoing and so on and so on....

For summerlicious this year I only made it out to one restaurant, partly due to scheduling and partly due to budgeting (we bought a house! Future dedicated post to come!). Looking through the list of restaurants priced at $28 or $38 for dinner, the one menu that jumped out was Biff’s, which also met the criteria of being located downtown and a new spot for me. I have friends who visit weekly for their $1 after 5pm oyster deal and generally all had positive thoughts about the French Bistro.

My Summerlicious at Biff's was a success! We sat on the patio and started our meal with some of the featured drinks. I recommend the Strawberry Basil Cosmo. For my appetizer, I had the chicken pastries with harissa yogurt dip and sumac. I would have liked one more pastry, but nice flavours...so far so good! <br/><br/>My main dish was the Northern Woods Mushroom Dauphinoise garnished with arugula, caramelized onions and goat cheese cream. This was delicious! Dessert was another hit - Camembert En Croute with thyme honey butter and raspberries. As I enjoy savoury flavours instead of sweet, it was the perfect finish. I had a bite of Chocolate Cake and it was too rich, as agreed by my dining partners who actually have a sweet tooth (they couldn't finish their slices). I also tasted the Roasted Parsnip Sabayon...VERY interesting flavour and not unpleasant either! If you usually shy away from sweets, this is another good option. Overall, everyone at my table enjoyed their dishes. Summerlicious success!

I came here for summerlicious with two friends. I had the cod cake, steak and camembert. The appetizer and main were very delicious. The camembert was more of a savory dessert but still good. The waiter was attentive and refilled our waters multiple times. It was quite an enjoyable meal.

The wine was great. <br/>Soup du jour was cream of potato with raclette cheese (love it!). I could've et that all day. <br/>Steak tartare was good and prepared well. <br/>Octopus & chorizo salad could've used some more octopus. And chorizo too actually. Wild Mushroom Dauphinois wasn't too bad but not incredibly remarkable neither. Sitting atop of what tasted like a stick of butter and a potato mashed and blended into an icing bag and dispersed onto the plate, was the calf liver-med rare- my friend liked it. <br/>Alas the cheese plate (?) I figured it would pair well with an Oaked California Chardonnay. It did. But. I would've enjoyed the wine on its own irrespective of the cheese. <br/>Overall not a bad experience, but I was expecting something more. <br/>Did I mention the wine was good?

After a two-month-long renovation, Biff's Bistro on Front Street finally reopened its doors in April. When the modern French bistro encountered a burst pipe earlier this year, the restaurant took the opportunity to temporarily close up shop to revamp itself. How so? Think new specials, new interior, new website, and even new social media handles (since we're at it, it's @biffbistro on Twitter/Instagram and Biff's Bistro on Facebook).<br/><br/>I realized my first visit ever to Biff's Bistro was a long time ago, an embarrassingly long time ago. After checking my trusty "Dining Out" page, I discovered my Biff's blog post from August 2010 when "Tweetups" were still at thing. That's six years ago, guys. This is precisely why I feel ancient in the food blogging world sometimes. <br/><br/>Sorry, I digress. I can't say I noticed too much of a difference in decor but then this is solely based on my very vague memory of the room from six years ago. What I do know for sure is that I love the casual French bistro vibe and furnishings at Biff's.<br/><br/>The bar has noticeably changed for sure. It is a lot more open and spacious now compared to before. <br/><br/>Because of the warmer weather, all I want is rosé nowadays. So, instead of my usual cocktail I ordered myself a glass of sparkling rosé to start. My boyfriend also had a lighter cocktail than usual. I guess we both wanted to start with something light and refreshing :) <br/><br/>BIFF’S 75 ($14)<br/><br/>Beefeater gin, Crème Yvette, Prosecco<br/><br/>SPARKLING ROSE ($11)<br/><br/>2014 Hinterland 'Borealis' Rose, PEC, ON<br/><br/>Complimentary bread. <br/><br/>Our server, Al, sold us on getting fresh Malpeques. It wasn't hard 'cause I never say "no" to raw oysters. <br/><br/>1/2 DOZEN MALPEQUES<br/><br/>Chef Amanda Ray went through the menu and recommended a few dishes for us to try. We also had our eye on a couple of things so we ordered as many plates as we think we could handle, which is many: <br/><br/>LES HORS D’OEUVRES<br/><br/>STEAK TARTARE ($16)<br/><br/>Truffle porcini mayo, pickled mushrooms, spiced lentils, ketchup chips, egg yolk, gaufrettes<br/><br/>When I see steak tartare on the menu I have to order it, this is because I'm constantly searching for a traditional tartare with a rough chopped texture, a bit of chew, and with meat that's tender yet not mushy. This tartare delivers on all those fronts. It also has a delicate flavour profile with a good balance of acidic, sweet-sour, and spicy garnishes. The dollops of creamy truffle porcini mayo was a really nice complement.<br/><br/>ESCARGOTS & ‘NDUJA ($15) <br/>Basil Parisienne gnocchi, pork broth, blistered tomato, escarole, Bayonne chip<br/><br/>It is super refreshing to see escargots *not* served drenched in garlic and butter. I mean, those are good too but it gets tiring. These escargots are accompanied by a light broth, sweet blistered tomatoes, and a few escaroles leaves. This was so refreshing to eat because the whole plate wasn't overpowered by any one ingredient. Having said that, I do wish there was a little bit more 'nduja.<br/><br/>POUR LA TABLE<br/><br/>GINGER-PICKLED SHRIMP COCKTAIL ($13)<br/><br/>Celery & carrot slaw, Anaheim peppers, lime & ginger cocktail sauce<br/><br/>This was probably my least favourite app. Nothing was wrong with it but it just didn't stand out like the others. I don't know, maybe I was also secretly hoping that the shrimps would be served in a shrimp cocktail glass on a bed of ice or something haha :p<br/><br/>FROGS’ LEGS ($13)<br/><br/>Peanuts, tamarind, ginger<br/><br/>Beautiful dish. Look at those vibrant colours. Taste wise, I fell in love with the Vietnamese flavours after the first bite. The frogs' legs were sweet with a bit of tart, absolutely appetizing, and the crunch from the peanuts was a fantastic touch (FYI - Yes, I do think frogs' legs taste like chicken, just a bit more lean with less meat).<br/><br/>In no time my boyfriend and I both moved onto more substantial, a.k.a boozy, cocktails:<br/><br/>BARREL-AGED NEGRONI ($15)<br/><br/>Beefeater gin, Campari, sweet vermouth<br/><br/>OLD FASHIONED ($15)<br/><br/>Bulleit bourbon, gomme syrup, Angostura bitters<br/><br/>LES ENTRÉES<br/><br/>BEEF TENDERLOIN ($39)<br/><br/>Duchess potatoes, wild mushrooms, nettle emulsion, foie gras mousse, red wine jus<br/><br/>The component that stole the show for me here was actually the duchess potatoes, which I failed to capture in this photo, unfortunately. The beef tenderloin was fantastic, and so were the wild mushrooms and foie gras mousse, but the golden duchess potatoes, presented in a decorative swirl, was just so pretty, creamy, crispy, and tasty!<br/><br/>CHERMOULA LAMB SIRLOIN ($36)<br/><br/>Chickpea Parisienne gnocchi, sauce verte, lamb jus<br/><br/>Cooked to a nice medium rare, I really enjoyed this lamb sirloin, even more so than the tenderloin. The sauce verte paired very well with the lamb, and the chickpea gnocchi added a nice texture element to the dish. The entire plate was a delight. I hardly eat lamb sirloin too so this was a nice treat (I usually have rack of lamb, lamb shoulder or lamb leg).<br/><br/>L’ACCOMPAGNEMENT<br/><br/>FRITES ($8)<br/><br/>With harissa rouille<br/><br/>These were really well-seasoned fries. The harissa sauce was nice but I didn't even use it much.<br/><br/>SAUTÉED WILD MUSHROOMS ($8)<br/><br/>Again, nicely seasoned mushrooms. Very delicious.<br/><br/>LES DESSERTS<br/><br/>TAYLOR FLADGATE, LATE BOTTLED VINTAGE ($6)<br/><br/>CAPPUCCINO<br/><br/>CHOCOLATE CAKE ($10)<br/><br/>Peanut mousse, toffee crunch, caramel sauce<br/><br/>Chocolate, peanut, toffee, and caramel put together can only be amazing.<br/><br/>BASKET OF À LA MINUTE BAKED MADELEINES ($7)<br/><br/>Average, definitely not great. It's hard for me not to compare these madeleines to the ones from Cafe Boulud because these two restaurants are the only restaurants in the city that serve madeleines for dessert (restaurants I've been to anyway). These ones were noticeably not as soft, fluffy or airy as the ones from Cafe Boulud. The madeleines here were more dense and they didn't have a slightly "crisp" edge. Even though the madeleines were baked "a la minute" they were barely just warm.<br/><br/>Aside from lunch and dinner, guests can also visit Biff's Bistro for "Dirty Bits & Booze" (from 2:30 p.m. on weekdays, 5 p.m. on weekends), with $7 bar bites and drinks specials, and "Fondue Sundays", which serves two for $37.95, pairing Biff’s signature recipe with freshly baked O&B Artisan bread, traditional Swiss and German meats, Honeycrisp apples, and more. Biff's fondue blend features a mixture of grated Gruyère, Emmental and Appenzeller cheeses, topped off with a touch of kirsch, white wine, garlic, nutmeg and thyme.<br/><br/>*This meal was complimentary. The opinions and views expressed on this post are my own*

I have dined at Biff's on a number of occasions, both for lunch and dinner.    Typically, food quality is very high.  However, service can sometimes be very slow - I once had to eat an entire main course in 10 minutes in order not to miss a concert across the street - and we had arrived 2 hours earlier.  But I expect this is a rare occurrence.  I usually go for items that are new / different or on special.  I have had trios of pig inspired dishes, or organ-oriented dishes.   Trying something new and unusual is what I find most intriguing and Biff's seems to present the opportunity for new experiences on a regular basis.     Even on the occasion where time ran short, I could not fault the restaurant with any issue with the quality of their meal or the pleasure I derived from eating it.  I look forward to returning soon.

From start to the finish, I had a really good experience dining here for Winterlicious during dinner time. The restaurant decor is quite nice when you walk in. There is also complimentary coat check which is quite nice. It's $35 for the Winterlicious menu and it's one of the better deals to dine for. For the appetizer, I ordered the Pork & Foie Gras Terrine. It was nice and delicious. For the entree, I ordered the Filet de Boeuf. It was cooked perfectly and very flavorful. Probably the best main dish I had during my Winterlicious journey in 2016. Also loved the fries that accompanied the dish. For dessert, I ordered the Crème Caramel. It was an interesting dessert but I loved it. It tasted good. I also ordered their $1 Oysters as they were having their oyster special on the Tuesday we were at the restaurant. The staff and our server were quite friendly and efficient. They got our drinks and our food out in a timely manner. Overall, great dining experience and great ambient feeling when you dine there. Definitely one of my more memorable Winterlicious dining experience and will highly recommend it to others.

The dining room is nice. Chair and booth hybrids, people sit close together. The bar is more comfortable, relaxed, like they always are the staff always seems to be friendlier and less busy. Also it’s brighter. We picked the bar area to sit and were the only folks in there for most of our meal. Nice.

Solid spot for French cuisine in the city. Decent portions and tasty too. The buck a shuck oyster nights are a great time to grab some cocktails and slurp down.

Came here for a corporate private dining event this past Christmas, so my review will be based on that experience. Although they gave us the largest room they had (Red Room), it was still extremely tight for all 35 of us. The three long dining tables they had set up for us already took up almost the entire room. We'd also used a corner of the room to set up gift baskets, and another corner to display our wines for the night. The result of all that meant we had VERY minimal space to move around during cocktails. Furthermore, after we'd ordered, the first course didn't arrive until a full HOUR after we'd sat down. The room was full of starving and slightly grumpy people by then! Luckily the food was great all around — or was that due in part to the overall hunger? The Goat Cheese Tart, Beef Tenderloin, and Le Tigre (hazelnut & chocolate cake) were all delicious. I'd be interested in returning for a regular dining experience.

Had drinks and food with a dear friend in the bar a few weeks ago. We had Pimm's Cups because it was Thursday and they are only $7 and super tasty!! The croquettes were ah-mah-zing, really cheesy, could have eaten like 20, the fries were average. We also had the pigs ears which I was really excited to try for the first time because I have heard how tasty they were, but they were really tough and had a funny taste, don't know if that because we didn't like pigs ears or because they had a weird spice but neither of us enjoyed... overall a lovely evening though!

Not generally a fan of French cuisine but this place was absolutely fantastic! Best mushroom soup and filet mignon ever and the chocolate hazelnut raspberry cake dessert was to die for. Went on recommendation and gift card will return for special occasions!

Good French cuisine in Toronto. The steak and frites were great although a tad salty but very flavourful. Had to ask for mayo. Ambience is comfy.

I had the chance to revisit Biff's recently. It's a great patio to people watch and catch up with co-workers at lunch time. You can choose between the sun drenched patio area or to sit under the bright yellow awning. Both great al fresco options!<br/><br/>Consistently I'll recommend the Chicken Liver Parfait here no matter what time of year or day you go. It's rich, impossibly smooth and the perfect way to start a meal. Service can slow a bit during the lunch hour but they're always very accommodating and bring a level of service that O&B restos are known for. The mains change often so check out the selections but to finish, they do offer Madeleines these days. Baked a la minute (to order) but well worth the wait! Buck-a-Shuck oysters everyday after 5pm and they'll even validate parking for you underground. Nice touches.

Nelson @OliverBonacini: On a nice downtown patio on Front street is this French restaurant started by the folks at Oliver and Bonacini. What really drew us in were the $1 oysters after 5 PM. They have 500 available every night and they have a running tally counting them down (last picture). They go fast! On this day the oysters were from Cook's Cove from PEI. They were very light with a salty flavour, but still not very strong tastes. It was a tad sandy, but for the most part they were skillfully shucked except for a few exceptions. We enjoyed our drinks while slurping up several rounds of oysters, all the while enjoying the patio on a beautiful summer day. What a grand old time!

The city is full of fine French restaurants, but pound for pound, one of the top contenders for the heavy weight championship in the category is Biff's. The Shannon Briggs of Toronto French cuisine: not as flashy as the Ali's, and not as controversial as Tyson's, but certainly punches hard.<br/><br/>I'm not always a fan of the O&B chain, but that's just my hang up. Here we have a place that's nailed down taste vs. portion vs. adventure. The menu is constantly in flux, so sometime a favourite will disappear for a while only to re-emerge later.<br/><br/>We usually have the steak tartare and the pate to start the bout. Just perfect on both counts, Piede de Cochon worthy. When available, I go for the calf liver. Grilled just right and sautéed in a delicious medley of onions and herbs topped with a wine reduction that says knock out. The Bourguignon is my next go to, and a must try if it's making an appearance. The tuna niciose is a good alternate if you want to go a bit lighter on the sauces. <br/><br/>Every so often, someone will take a classic desert and flip it, toss it, spin it, or deconstruct it. Sometimes it's a winner but often it goes down as an epic fail. The simplicity of the cream brûlée renders it the knockout punch and even if you don't have room, order it just to look at and admire. It's that good. <br/><br/>I'm told the wine selection is quite good, but I wouldn't know cuz it's all about the food here.<br/><br/>Damn! I almost forgot the best part! $1 oysters if you make it in time before they run out. Always fresh and always presented well. Limited quantity so you have to get there early.

Mmmmm oysters!!! Fantastic service too! A must do!

I liked the ambiance and the menu looked promising. However, ordered the halibut but got something else. At first server said it was a special kind of halibut but then corrected himself and said there was a menu change and halibut wasn't in season anymore. It looked good but unfortunately it was over cooked, watery and mushy. No apologies for misleading me on the menu change and no offer to compensate for my displeasure for my negative experience. (I did let them know that I didn't enjoy my meal). Not interested in returning.

DELICIOUS. Biff's Bistro was amazing! I had made a reservation for a birthday and was pleasantly surprised at how accommodating the staff were. They called me to confirm the reservation the day of. I had tickets to a show that evening at the Sony Centre (which is across the street) so they advised me to come a little early for the reservation because their kitchen is small and there were going to be a high volume of guests who were also going to the same show. <br/>They were so polite and sweet. When we got there my boyfriend was immediately given birthday greeting. Our server gave amazing suggestions for the menu (ie. which foods would take long to cook). We were checked on many times throughout the night. Eventhough we actually came late for our reservation (I know, I know..), the food still came out promptly. <br/>I have little to say about the food, other than the fact that it was delicious! Biff's is a little on the pricier side but I'd still recommend it to anyone!

Great food and great location. My wife and I ate at Biff's Bistro before we went to the Jim Gaffigan show across the street at the Sony Centre. I had the escargo gniochi and my wife had the foie gras. Both were excellent, truly excellent. Delicious, beautiful presentation and portion size was perfect.<br/>I had the calfs liver and she had the lamb shank for our entrees. Again spectacular, the potatoes were delicious, asparagus cooked perfectly and liver was amazing. I asked the server to bring me a red wine to go with my meal and she chose the perfect french red, wow and double wow. <br/>The outside patio is a great spot, under the trees, listening to the sounds of the city and just steps away to the Sony Centre, perfect.<br/>I highly recommend Biff's whether you are going to a show or not, its one of my new Toronto favourites. <br/><br/>We will be back.

Biff's had an overwhelming dark ambience, and that's really the first thing that comes to mind. The noise level made it a tad difficult for me to share a conversation with my friends. Their menu was like all Oliver & Bonacini restaurants -- great service, lacking on the food. This place, come to think of it, merely reminds me of a typical downtown bar only upscale and high-class -- at least that's how it made me feel. On a practical note, this restaurant is perfect for a dinner after watching a theatrical show, being that it's right across the street. Other than that, you won't be missing out on any awesome platters at Biff's.

Reserved private room for group of 10 and was nice quiet option. Had wide selection of dishes and all good. Rabbit pâté was great . Many has oysters and enjoyed and were good value. Steaks ok , duck confit nice, lamb sirloin good, seafood overall nicely prepared. Wine selection v good but bit pricey . Overall nice venue for fun upscale bistro food

What a great restaurant!!! A group of 4 of us ate here the night of Nuit Blanche. First and foremost, I love a restaurant in the heart of the downtown core that offers validated parking : $2! For a Saturday night at Yonge/front!<br/><br/>The service was great too. Our waitress was quirky, smiled the whole time, and wasn't shy to recommend her favourites and tell us what NOT to get. <br/><br/>I decided on an appetizer of a half-dozen oysters, and the arctic char for my main (I posted a pic of the char). My friends got the soup and beet salad as their apps, and filet mignon, cheval haché (horse) and steak tartare as their mains. Not a single dish disappointed.<br/><br/>I'll be back for sure!!!

Had the Quebecois salad with goat cheese, which was delicious. The steak tartare with frites for my main was also great, but could've used some vegetables to play down the saltiness. Cheese selection for dessert was also fantastic. A beautiful place for an upscale meal.

Worst dining experience ever. Overpriced, pretentious and unorganized. ordererd steak medium well, other 3 meals serverd one of wich was a steak medium, my meal was served after other diners were finnished eating and the steak was almost blue, never did get a comprehensive explanation for screwup, told them not to recook steak just forget it and was offered a bowl of soup as a replacement. This was a 20th wedding anniversary dinner and I guess it was memorable. Shame on this restaurant for treating customers like this. STAY AWAY FROM THIS ONE !! also 36.00 rib eye served with hickory sticks !!! what is that ?

Really good food, iffy service. My boyfriend and i chose this place for valentine's day/anniversary, so we expected it to be a little crazy. We've both worked in service also and totally understand having crazy busy nights. Our server was friendly, but she seemed to be forgetting about us, she forgot to bring water and bread while other tables around us were receiving these things even if they got there after us, which was kind of a drag but we didn't let it ruin our night.<br/><br/>the food on the other hand was SO yummy, particularly the beef; we had steak tartare (definitely having the entree next time) and soup to start, my boyfriend had the ontario pickerel, and i had the filet mignon (which was perfectly cooked and to die for) <br/><br/>overall, i would definitely return on another special occasion, maybe one that's not so busy. The food was definitely worth it and i'm sure the service would be really good had it not been such a crazy night for restos

Fantastic!. I've always had a great experience here. Love the food, love the service. They have dollar oysters every day of the week. This place is only for the upper class, and can only be appreciated by those kinds as the food is classic french. Very classy, and tasty food! Would drop a hundred dollars to eat here anytime!

Great Service, Average food. Came here is the summer hoping to find a new French restaurant to frequent. Made reservations, and arrived a little early so we grabbed drinks and tried their oysters, which were superb! When we got called over for our reservation, our waiter was very nice and attentive. I had the escargot, which was very good. Then steak frites, which was average and quite dry. My mother had the duck confit, which was average as well. Overall, if you are in the area its a great place to grab fresh oysters and food, but we would not make the trip there again. Service was excellent and memorable. Seems like a popular spot for tourists.

The food tastes great - the cured salmon is silky and the bourride is fresh and well cooked. Ribeye is tasty but the $36 price tag is a little steep. Server was unattentive but luckily she was on the floor with people who knew that drinks need to be brought before food.

Yuck.. After eating at the O&B canteen earlier in the day, thought a french style bistro would be a nice way to enjoy the evening. Saw the really good reviews but was very very disappointed. Was a sunday night, not terribly busy but our food took over an HOUR AND A HALF to arrive (we were a party of three, but most of the other tables around us were also quite annoyed at the wait as well). and when the food arrived it was either to bland (the potato leek soup) or too salty (the Basquez chicken). The buck-a-shuck oysters were decent enough if somewhat chewy/fishy tasting that the vinagrette couldnt quite cover , but far from the top oysters i've ever had. The highlight truly was the tea (it actually was one of the best restaurant teas i can recall in recent memory) and the heavenly petite madelines (6 little cardamom flavoured cookies, warm from the oven). <br/>so go here for a coffee or a drink and maybe dessert (the chocolate pot au creme was a bit too dense for my liking) but stay away from the main meals, or go if you have 2-3 hours to linger over a meal. <br/>oh....we also didnt get any bread despite every other table getting a lovely basket of the same. no bread in a french restaurant!??? quelle horreur!

Food is good but service is very very slow. I stopped taking clients here because you need a minimum of two hours, better if you plan on a 3 hour meal.

Great Classic Bistro!. The food here is always phenomenal. Great Bistro classics are done with beautiful attention to detail, but not too fussy, the way a true bistro should be. I have always experienced better service here then at Canoe, Biff's older and much more expensive brother!

Just okay. The food is okay here but the service is spotty (umm, can I get a drink?). Caters to corporate people in the area and doesn't have much of an atmosphere.

Just Plain Good. We hosted a corporate reception here and can not say enough about the service, quality and friendly. Food was very good, simple french bistro, but original ingredients and preparation. Great Chablis by the glass and fresh oysters........

Reliable good food / service. I've been to Biff's a few times for dinner now -- its one of the good restaurants that's within a 10 min walk. the food is always good, staff are attentive, and i enjoy the atmosphere. the restaurant is good without being pretentious

Ambience. Nice restaurant..<br/><br/>Been there so many times..

Great place!. Great place in the heart of downtown! LOVE the $1 oyster deal they have everyday after 5 PM. Staff is very friendly and an all round good experience.

Biff's - A Foodie's Fantasy. What can I say - I love this place. It has everything going for it. As soon as you walk in, lavished with comfortable seating and warm colors - you feel welcome. <br/><br/>Having eaten in both the bar area and the main dining room, I thoroughly enjoyed both. The main area is a little busier, and the bar area - actually, just as upscale and more intimate. <br/><br/>Attention to detail is super. The staff are friendly and very attentive. The food is super. The flavors . . . "yummy." Their menu strikes me as French comfort food with a twist. My last meal was a chicken stuffed with chorizo and olives - my taste buds were in heaven. And if you are an oyster enthusiast . . . you've hit the jackpot at $1.00 oysters after 5pm. These devilish delights are presented over ice accompanied with fresh shaved horse radish and a light vinaigrette. <br/><br/>Overall, it is now my #1spot for an evening out. There is a reason this place is always busy, and the buzz is rave reviews. I love it - I hope you do too.

Delicious. No complaints, satisfied with the quality of the food and service. Will give it another try next time in Toronto.

Classicaly Delicious. Delicious Classical Cusine<br/><br/>I was so impressed with the staff during every visit. There are so keen and curtious. Particularily Caroline.

Fab traditional French bistro. Great food, very reasonable price.

Maybe the best Bistro in Toronto. The cuisine is classically good. The ingredients very well selected. While the service is intelligent and attantive. The wine list is decent. But you can bring your own wines too. Complimentary paking too. Highly commendable

I have had many opportunities to dine at the causal, yet refined   Biff's Bistro . When I attended George Brown College, this was one of my preferred dining destinations (before I would catch the bus or train to home), and it still is to this day. Biff's exudes the feel and vibe of a authentic 1930's-inspired, yet modern Parisian Bistro.  Biff's offers a warm, casual dining experience with robust, authentic French fare (sourcing many of their ingredients from the nearby, historic St. Lawrence Market). The restaurant's location is also very central, situated right on Front Street, close by to Union Station, the Sony Performance Centre, the Financial District, and within easy walking distance to other tourist sites. Biff's Bistro  tends to attract the tourist crowd or those stopping by before or after a show at the nearby Sony Centre. The menu is well-priced and includes most of the well-known French classics. Biff's Bar buzzes with their lunchtime and after-work crowds. Once inside, I l

Buck-a-shuck oysters on weekdays after 5pm!! We ordered a dozen as an appetizer and a bottle of 2011 Cave Spring 'Canoe' Riesling. For our main course, we both got the Skin Roasted Trout with remoulade & warm almond vinaigrette. Absolutely delicious! It was cooked to perfection but who could go wrong with a butter sauce? For dessert, we opted for the crème brûlée , which was suchhh a good choice. It was sooo good and it was such a big portion! It was such a delicious meal that I never wanted it to end!

Oliver & Bonacini – you’ve no doubt heard the name. They own 8 restaurants in the downtown core alone and attract the corporate crowd like moths to a flame. They’re also home to one of the hardest-to-get reservations (at Canoe) during Summerlicious and Winterlicious. Yeah, you just keep your finger on the redial button honey. I was never a die-hard fan of the O&B empire simply because I didn’t have a corporate expense account and always found the crowd to be “stuffy.” None of their restaurants were places I would go to hang out with friends. Most of my dining experience were Summer/Winterlicious luncheons with fellow co-workers or for special occasions. But most recently I’ve been spending a lot of time après work at the bar of Biff’s Bistro at Yonge/Front because of the recent launch of their Ménage à Trois, Quatre, Cinq menu where you can enjoy two Sustain wines (a red and a white) from Rosehall Run Winery from Prince Edward County and Mill Street Organic on tap for $3, $4, and $5 re

...I was excited to head to Biff's Bistro for dinner to celebrate my friend's birthday.  It is located on Front St, just off Yonge, right beside the O&B Cafe and Grill. The European inspired tablecloths, an eye-catching red door and the name 'Biff's' lit up 'Moulin Rouge' style, had me excited to try some French dining. The hostess sat us in the open dining room, dimly lit for an intimate ambiance.  The dining room was fairly busy but not to capacity, which gave it a lively feel but we were able to have privacy.  The table settings and the service level definitely showed we were at a classy, Parisian style restaurant, but the approachable menu and the decor of the space showed a more casual, cool and "bistro" type of setting - a great combo! We had some buck-a-chuck oysters to share among friends!  I didn't know they had this service, but they do - everyday from 5 pm.  The Oysters were refreshing, clean and delicio

Biff’s slightly tacky exterior gives way to a decidedly French interior. The posters are the same as those of Kingston’s Le Chien Noir. But Biff’s is not an over-furnished, antiquated bistro; the air is lively and fresh. Waiters wear picnic shirts (white and red, of course) and there is ample exposure to the sunlight, making it a perfect lunch destination (and a great start to Summerlicious 2012). In fact, Biff’s was my first summerlicious destination when I first became acquainted with the idea several years ago. It carries the O&B name without the O&B price; when I first came, the lunch was only $15 and I recall having the same Cured Atlantic Salmon. It is still wonderfully textured and lightly salted. The lemon juice along with the fluffy crème fraîche become the stars of this dish creating a rainbow of mouth-popping flavou

I’m giving this two stars because the only things I enjoyed were the pickles, profiteroles and unintentionally oyster-kissed butter. Neither of the mains were very good in our opinion, despite their size, and that just doesn’t make me want to come back and sample anything else. On the bright side, I hear Auberge du Pommier is O&B’s best. Perhaps that should be next. Read full review...

Came to O&B’s (@Oliver_Bonacini)  Biff’s Bistro for dinner with 2 friends. A nice, simple meal in a quiet, French setting. Salmon Tartare with Belgian endive, zucchini ribbons & Espelette mayo... I liked this and it was great paired with the thin, slightly bitter endive – something different than pairing with toasts. The mayo was good too. There was a lot of thin carrot ribbons. Also shared half a dozen of buck a shuck oysters. They were a BC variety, too fishy for my taste. Beef Steak Diane with mushroom peppercorn ragoût & pommes écrasées Nice charred crust but it was not as rare as I wanted for a medium rare. While it was tender, it was also quite fiberous/difficult to cut and could be more juicy. I liked the mushrooms, green beans and potatoes. Bordelle de Fraise with French meringue, Ontario strawberries, rhubarb compote & Chantilly Essentially strawberries and whipped cream, this was a nice sweet

At Front and Yonge across from the old Hummingbird Centre sits one of Oliver and Bonaccini’s best restaurants. My family took me to Biff’s Bistro to celebrate University Graduation and I remember eating the best suckling pig I have ever tasted in life!

I was not disappointed. This place had such a wonderful environment, and very nice coat check (I have such an appreciation for good coat checks) as well as excellent service and excellent food. <br/>

The mussels came with a side of pomme frites (French fries :P) with sauce. The mussels were perfectly cooked - just enough to keep them juicy and not overcooked like you find at a lot of restaurants (I'm talking to you Bier Markt!) The white wine broth of the mussels had a really nice kick to it and made it way better than the average mussel dish. I would say this is the best white wine mussels I've ever tried. Definitely try this when you're here!

One of my many wish hit restaurants include ALL of the Oliver & Bonacini Family restaurants that seem to be delivering & happily satisfying the hungry business crowds in the Financial District. There’s just something about this intimate French restaurant that always draw the crowds back! After a hustle & bustle day of running errands, I finally winded down and made my way to visit Biff’s Bistro  ( @Oliver_Bonacini )  located at Front & Yonge St  - which also happens to be the second last restaurant that I needed to visit under this large family of restaurants! ( Auberge du Pommier being the last ) We didn’t make reservations but managed to snatch one of the last tables available. Oysters ($1 each) I know this may sound crazy … but oysters is not something that I crave for on a daily basis though don’t get me wrong – I still eat them if they are placed in front of me Perhaps its the texture that I haven’t gotten over yet (lol) Anyways, this was my friend’s starter, and I think she enjoy

love the atmosphere of Biff's, it's like you're actually stepping into a light and airy French bistro. Biff's has $1 oysters after 5pm everyday, how can you go wrong with $1 oysters?

It tasted so fresh and the salad was seasoned perfectly. The creamy texture of the salmon was complemented really well with the crunchy endive and watermelon radish slices.

Mostly pictures...

*The oyster took a while to arrive, but I assume it's because they shuck it when you order them so it comes fresh. *It came with fresh horseradish, red wine vinegar and lemon. *Oyster were quite small but they were very fresh- however, they didn't really have much flavor

....I went to Biff’s on a warm summer’s day. Biff’s Bistro is a moden French bistro in the heart of the downtown core in Toronto. I came here during Summerlicious, which I thought would be an opportunity to get a full course meal at great value. It was only $20 for lunch. It was a weekday and the place was about 70% full. Atmosphere was lovely, perfect for business meetings or even meeting a friend. Having a conversation here was not a problem. The service at Biff’s was pretty good. It was nice to be greeted as soon as you walked in and I was shown to a table right away. Our waiter was friendly, fast, attentive and knowledgable about their menu. Food came reasonable quickly and looked fresh. I thought that each meal was full of flavour in every bite. Though, one thing I was surprised about (or maybe not really surprised but more disappointed), was the portions. Even with a 3 course meal I left feeling a little unsatisfied. My favourite part of the meal was the dessert. Although the t

Well, every week night after 5pm they have a raw oysters special, an oyster for $1. That's right, a buck! Can't go wrong with that, right?

Impress your date with this nice, elegant restaurant. The food was great and service even better!

They do $1 oysters DAILY after 5 pm. Need I say more? Be warned it can hit or miss as they serve whatever they get from their wholesalers that day.

Biff Bistro is my last O & B restaurant to try, so I decided to stop by for a weekend lunch. Biff Bistro offers a lunch prix fixe combo, which comes with the soup of your choice. I wasn't tempted by the soup of the day (some sort of bean soup), so I opted for the mushroom soup instead. I was very happy with my choice, as the hearty soup was rich with robust, earthy flavours. A very enjoyable start to the meal. For the main, I decided to try Basquez style chicken with preserved lemon, olives and chorizo. The dish was visually stunning, and I was immediately drawn to the bright, vibrant colours. Luckily, the taste did not disappoint either. The chicken was very tender and the broth was just bursting with flavours of the meat juice and herbs. The delicious broth was absorbed by a fluffy bed of couscous, which I gladly demolished. I was less thrilled with our other dish- caramelized onion tartlette with warm mushrooms, anchovy and grand crème delin. For me, the mushrooms were the star the

A beautiful French bistro just minutes walk from Union with the perfect patio with big bright yellow umbrellas is the perfect environment to lean back and enjoy a sunlit lunch or romantic sunset dinner with loved ones. It’s also a great place to people watch with friends now that TIFF is in season. Affordably priced quality oysters for $1 on the half shelf was what attracted me instantly - being the oyster slut I am. Succulent, sweet and tasting like the sea, do come here before the oysters run out! Biff usually has 600-800 depending on their stock. Chef Amanda took a trip to Indochina and we can sample a little of Vietnam through her dishes, especially her Vietnamese coffe;)e pudding. Her Steak Tartare is easily one of the best in the city and I’ll definitely upgrade mine to an entree next time!

Oliver & Bonacini – you’ve no doubt heard the name. They own 8 restaurants in the downtown core alone and attract the corporate crowd like moths to a flame. They’re also home to one of the hardest-to-get reservations (at Canoe) during Summerlicious and Winterlicious. Yeah, you just keep your finger on the redial button honey.<br/><br/>I was never a die-hard fan of the O&B empire simply because I didn’t have a corporate expense account and always found the crowd to be “stuffy.” None of their restaurants were places I would go to hang out with friends. Most of my dining experience were Summer/Winterlicious luncheons with fellow co-workers or for special occasions.<br/><br/>But most recently I’ve been spending a lot of time après work at the bar of Biff’s Bistro at Yonge/Front because of the recent launch of their Ménage à Trois, Quatre, Cinq menu where you can enjoy two Sustain wines (a red and a white) from Rosehall Run Winery from Prince Edward County and Mill Street Organic on tap for $3, $4, and $5 respectively from 3-5pm, along with a daily bar snack special from Monday to Fridays for the same prices. The daily snack features are as follows:<br/><br/>Mondays: Vegetarian<br/>Tuesdays: Meat<br/>Wednesdays: Pork<br/>Thursdays: Vegetarian<br/>Fridays: Fish<br/><br/>And if you just so happen to have one of those jobs that don’t allow you to clock out before 5pm, you can still take advantage of the buck-a-shuck from 5pm onwards. On weekdays they start the countdown with 500 oysters until they sell-out and 700 on weekends. On the particular Sunday I went, they were serving Read (pronounced reed) Island Gems from British Columbia which were really creamy and delicious! They might just be my new go-to West Coast shuck!<br/><br/>One evening I was flying solo but still had a blast. The crowd is very diverse from nearby theatre-goers to out-of-towners and yes the corporate crowd undoubtedly still find their way in but the atmosphere is fun and inviting. When the weather cooperates, the patio is a great spot to get al fresco with a view of the Sony Centre of Performing Arts through colourful planters and iron gates. It’s a great spot to play “fashion police” at the expense of show go-ers and have a good laugh. Parking is also $2 after 5:30p.m.<br/><br/>There are cocktails too of course, but I found mine too syrupy and sweet. Cocktails everywhere are always a hit and miss; but wine and beer seldom let you down.<br/><br/>I am quite infatuated with Amanda Ray’s menu at the moment with everything from escargots with gnocchi à la parisienne to crispy pig’s ears and a bavarois for dessert.<br/><br/>She’s recently done some travelling in Vietnam and on one night featured what I’d call a “fish lettuce wrap” that was inspired from chả cá lã vọng, a turmeric and dill fish dish originating from Hanoi. It’s nice to see her incorporating dishes from bygone French colonies as well. My mom would’ve loved it! (Random tidbit: She was born and raised in Vietnam and so I’ve been exposed to that cuisine since a very young age).<br/><br/>It is also worth noting that they have their regular prix fixe menu for $34.95 that includes an appetizer, main and dessert. For that price – you can’t really go wrong. The selection isn’t just a sloppily thrown together menu of “cheap” offerings either. Chicken liver parfait and bœuf bourgignon are just some of the decadent offerings with a gâteau de citron that won’t make you feel too guilty to indulge in something sweet.<br/><br/>So allez-y, make a reservation at Biff’s Bistro. There’s no word on how long the Ménage à Trois, Quatre, Cinq will run for – don’t catch yourself having a “zut alors!” moment for missing it ;)