Review Bymark - Toronto

Came here for a birthday dinner & wow. Everything we ordered just exceeded our expectations. I order the steak tartare everywhere I go so I can compare and this place is the winner in my books, I would come back and just order like 6 plates of it. My favourite dish was the swordfish, best fish I’ve ever had. All the flavours on each dish compliment each other so well, makes me want to go to culinary school so I can eat like this everyday!! Ambience is also awesome, noticed a ton of people just networking with others while enjoying dinner.

We came here for lunch and the food was absolutely delicious. Every little detail on the plate complemented each dish perfectly and everything was cooked and seasoned to perfection. Service was very good and the waiter had the perfect amount of attentiveness. We dined inside and the ambiance was very nice. Definitely what you would expect of fine dining in downtown Toronto.

Amazing restaurant and even better staff! We had a business dinner for 18 people and the staff did everything they could to accommodate all our needs, including last minute changes. The food was absolutely amazing and all our guests agreed, the private room we had was beautiful and airy, and the service was to the point. Thank you so much Bymark! Definitely recommended for any and all types of gatherings!

Recently hosted a dinner in the private dining rooms at Bymark. All of our guests raved about the spectacular food! The service was impeccable! And assistance from Abby with planning this last-minute reception was a life-saver. (Complementary parking is also a much appreciated perk.)

To think we almost didn’t come to this restaurant because we had a hard time finding it! Very glad we went. The Straight Outta Malibu is the perfect cocktail for those who love a yum, sweet kick! Both meats were cooked to perfection as requested. Very juicy and flavourful! The duck dish was also presented so beautifully! Last shoutout goes to the Brussels! It looked a bit small at first but it was perfect. Great refreshing choice.

First time. Special occasion. Always wanted to go. Good food but not amazing. Decent service but not great. Decent menu but not exciting. Decent wine menu but not dynamic. Not worth the price tag. Reach out to me for specific feedback if interested. I am a big fan of Mark.

Went here for dinner. The food is pricier than most restaurants. Flavors are good but I wish the the portion were bigger. The bucatini was more like ziti as the noodles were cut noodles. I remember bucatini being a thicker Spaghetti noodles with a hole in the center. The burrata was our favorite dish. The chocolate dessert was very rich. The creme brule donuts are amazing

Went here for diner a few nights ago and it was amazing. I started with the octopus which was grilled and seasoned perfectly. Others had the wagyu dumplings and the Korean fired chicken lettuce wraps which were also excellent. For mains the pork belly and scallops(best scallops I've ever had). We also had the east coast lobster pasta and the home made rigatoni which were amazing also ! All together it was a fantastic great experience with a nice atmosphere and view and top notch food.

The food was simply delicious<br/><br/>The food was simply delicious A little pricey but worth it I would recommend a trip to this delicious restaurant

Late lunch at Bymark is always a delight. This is also one of Marc McEwan’s beautiful restaurants. It’s been here as long as I can remember. And every table was taken. We had reservations.<br/><br/>Starting with an absolutely marvellous squash with a touch of ginger, cilantro, a few chilli peppers and a dash of tiny crumbles of bacon ... perfection in a soup. Linda had the ahi tuna, with papaya mango salad (she says OMG!), and I had the veal schnitzel with delightful house greens and a dash of some kind of incredible dressing. Insanely good! Our wine was a Blue Mountain (Okanagan) Pinot Gris we’ve never tried before. Perfect pairing for both of us! Parking: NA. Service: 5/5. Presentation: 5/5. Ambience: 4/5. Portion Size: 5/5 Flavors: 5/5. Value: 5/5

Well worth it! Very interesting menu choices. The atmosphere, ambiance and wait staff were excellent. Top notch cuisine at affordable prices.

Take a walk through TD Centre’s concourse level and you’ll encounter Mark McEwan’s domination of the floor: the second McEwan grocery store and eatery occupies an entire corner, walk in a bit further and his long time restaurant Bymark (a creative conjunction of “by” and “Mark”) takes up the rest of the corner. It’s a restaurant known for its decadent foie gras burger with a hefty price to match. Like most of McEwan’s ventures, it’s a fine dining establishment where bill totals easily reach $100+ a person. Hence, during Summerlicious, their special $48 dinner menu always draws a crowd.<br/><br/>What looks like mechanically processed tuna certainly tasted that way - instead of dicing the fish by hand, the tartare arrives pulverized so you end up spreading (rather than scooping) the mixture on the crispy wonton chips. I could have looked past the fish’s mushy texture if it was seasoned better; too bad the miso-ginger vinaigrette was so light that most of the flavours were from the fish’s natural oils and the chip. Thankfully, the crisp shaved fennel salad on the side helped to wake up the dish, if only smaller pieces were combined into the tartare itself, maybe the starter would have tasted better.<br/><br/>While the Summerlicious website describes the cod as being from "Fogo Island", Bymark’s actual menu revises it to "Atlantic". Honestly, I don’t care that

Excellent food in the heart of the financial district. Loved the hamburger although it was probably the most expensive hamburger I've ever had. But well worth it, it was delicious.

I chose fish all the way starting with a sesame-crusted Yellow Fin tuna sashimi. It went exquisitely well with the apple and miso sauce. Pan-seared black cod was up next. The fish was fresh and perfectly paired with roasted garlic. And for dessert...how do I start describing the Crisp Apple Tarte Tatin? It was heavenly. I can still taste the caramelized apple with cream and fried apple sticks on top of crunchy phyllo. Yum!

Bymark is fun and delicious. I went for a night out for a friends bachelorette. We had champagne and the food was outstanding. The patio seating area is great during the summer. I highly recommend this place! Would be a great date spot.

Ordered the USDA rib steak... did NOT meet expectations of a 60 dollar steak.  Could have gotten a better steak at Boston Pizza.  The lobster poutine was very good though!

One of my favourite upscale restaurants in Toronto that never disappoints in delivering the best quality food and service, is Bymark. Owned by Canadian celebrity chef Mark McEwan, Bymark is located in the heart of Toronto's financial district that serves many Bay Street professionals as well as guests looking for a delicious meal. The restaurant has two floors that separates the dining area from the bar which helps to accommodate diners who want a relaxed and quiet ambiance while they enjoy their dinner. Upstairs in the bar is filled with leather seats and is surrounded by large windows throughout the place which gives it a classy, yet comfortable atmosphere. From both the bar and dining area, the servers are very kind and accommodating, and they make sure all the guests are having an enjoyable dining experience. The Executive Chef at Bymark is Brooke McDougall who ensures all the food going out is of the best quality and taste, and so it is no wonder that Bymark is a popular dining spot among many Professionals and foodies in Toronto.

For Summerlicious 2015: <br/>- baby octopus was tender but a little on the salty side<br/>- fish was perfectly cooked and the skin was nice and crispy <br/>- raspberry sorbet in the baked Alaska had the right amount of sweetness/acidity<br/><br/>Service was so-so. Food was really good but nothing particularly unique. I'll probably go back to try the lobster grilled cheese and the burger from the regular menu.

This Toronto restaurant is as famous for its $37 hamburger as it is for its creator: celebrity chef Mark McEwan. From the outside, it looks like the restaurant is dimly lit but on the inside it is actually much brighter (despite the fact that there are no windows). The decor is very simple, clean and elegant – much like McEwan’s menu. The ambient music is quiet enough that it doesn’t interfere with your conversation.

Had the $44 burger, worth it. My hunt for the best burger so far (in order of deliciousness): Bymark, Richmond Station, Shake Shack, Burger Priest. <br/><br/>Was pleasantly surprised this became first on my list. Recommended. <br/>RM

Lamb on Purple Lentils. Filled with amazing flavors. Executed very well.

Rude Coatcheck Lady. Food was delicious and waitresses/waiters were all terrific. However the lady at the coatcheck was rude and did not make me feel welcomed whatsoever. 6/10

Good Place for business. Good place if you have a healthy expense account. Food is always good but the wine prices are a real turn off. Mark ups are massive and hard to get a red for under 200 bucks. And even then you are getting a wine less than 3 years old. Anyway, I like the food but probably won't be back, as I get pretty p$$$$ off when order the wine, even if it's,not my ,y own money.

Bymark celebration. We arranged a celebration at Bymark on June 21,2014. We dealt with Darlien and Shannon to plan this event for 65 friends and family. The result was outstanding. The food was delicious and the service was amazing. We would recommend this restaurant for dinner/ lunch or parties. We were extremely pleased with every aspect of this function and were sorry to see it end.<br/>We could not have asked for anything more!<br/>Thank YOU Shannon and Darlien !<br/>E. Jacobs

Rude Bartender. Today my coworker and I wanted to celebrate a milestone for the company we started and decided to head to Bymark. The main seating area was booked solid and we were told to head upstairs to the bar, which was largely empty.<br/><br/>We were looking for a comfortable area to situate ourselves and noticed empty seating in the corner and my business partner started heading over in that direction, when he was rudely interrupted by a blonde bartender who scowled, "where do you think you're going!?". She then proceeded to harshly tell us that the space was reserved for six people (an obvious lie since there are no reservations in this area and another server had told us that a lot of people weren't coming in today because of the weather) <br/><br/>It was such an incredibly rude and off-putting gesture that we both decided to leave immediately, in complete disgust. We were looking to treat ourselves to the first of hopefully many celebratory meals, and will now never return to Bymark because of this horrible experience.

Go Get your munch on. Best I have had in service and in food over a year. Great timely and polite service. The food just hit the right spot. I tried out their Winterlicious lunch menu. The Albacore, Trout & Creme Brulee. Many flavours and textures. The right amount of salt on the crispy on the outside & moist on the inside. I shall be going back to this restaurant in the coming week!

Chuck. Total crap for the money. Treated my son there and it was the worst food I have had in Toronto. Lobster poutine was a salty mess.

This place will make you fall in love with food all over again! Absolutely amazing I don't even have the words really to describe how good the food is.. You should go!

Stopped by for lunch during summerlicious. The melon feta salad was light and tasty, the Bymark burger was hearty and well seasoned along side some standard Frits. For dessert a deconstructed strawberry shortcake, which was delicious

In one word... Disappointed. My girlfriend and I were excited to try Bymark during summerlicous. Between the poor service and very average food we defintely felt let down. We waited 45 minutes for our starters (beef tartar and salad) which it turns out they "forgot" and then had them show up AFTER our Bymark street burgers (which we had asked to be medium but came well done and dry). The best app we had were the comped shrimp tacos which were plunked down on our table fairly unceremoniously and without so much as a word from from our server. The desserts were fine. Overall the food was ok, but the slow and inattentive service was extremely disappointing and as well as casting doubt that we would bother coming back to Bymark, makes me think twice about checking out any other restaurants on the McEwan family as I really expected a lot more.

Great food, great service. I absolutely love this restaurant. The quality and the taste of their food as well as the service and environment are all excellent. We've always had professional and friendly staff serving us. My favorite side dish is the lobster poutine. I've never had anything like it anywhere, so delicious!

I came here with my bf, excited for a good dining experience but was shocked with the quite atmosphe as well as the lack of good service. On the bright side the lobster poutine was something unique and deliciously good! As our dinner drew to an end we decided to order desserts, my bf ordered the creme brule doughnuts and I had the concord grape cheese cake - dessert by far won the night!

Bymark never fails to deliver. The food is exceptional. The deserts are to die for... best bar tenders in toronto. This is the place to go know whatever you order is going to be great. Have been there many times and it simply just does not fail.

Great atmosphere though quite disappointing early on as it was not busy being Saturday night. Food was solid while dessert stole the show. Service was mediocre at best as our server was not engaging, entertaining nor made us feel at home.

Summerlicious at Bymark. One way to try restaurants of this calibre is summerlicious. This is a very expensive restaurant. We came as a foursome my wife and I and my son and his girlfriend. It gave us a chance to try a variety of things offered. My wife and I had the chilled zucchini soup with crab salad and garlic chips - it was substantial and delicious. My son had the Carpaccio with endive St Augur , herb croutons and ranch dressing, his girlfriend had the Albacore Sashimi with shaved and pickled radish and both thoroughly enjoyed the apps. For mains I , my son and his girlfriend had the Duck Confit and Seared Scallop with sweet peas, cauliflower, northwood mushrooms, passion fruit and duck sauce. The duck was juicy and very tender, the scallops were perfectly cooked and the mushrooms were scrumptious. My wife had the Tomato Braised Chicken with white beans, artichokes , roasted red peppers , cracked olives and oil. The chicken was very tender and tasty, the white beans were over salted and the rest of the ingredients blended well. For desert we had each of the three offerings and all were delicious. Service was attentive and the Chianti we selected was like liquid silk. All in all it was a great way to experience Bymark. We will definitely try it again.

I'll never eat poutine again. I'm not a huge poutine fan. Canada's culinary contribution to the world might be all right if you're an energy-expending lumberjack hacking pine trees in the frozen Quebec wilderness, but if I eat it too often, I'll end up looking like a bloated American mall walrus. Putting fancy toppings like chili or Montreal smoked meat on top of poutine doesn't disguise the fact that it's a salt/fat/carb fest. I can never finish an order, and I feel guilty about leaving food behind.<br/><br/>But when I heard that Bymark makes a LOBSTER poutine appetizer, I had to try it. My daughter flew up from Florida to do a job interview in T.O., I flew across Canada to meet her, and my wife said I MUST report back on the lobster poutine. She's a massive "lobsterficionado." We had a hard time getting to Bymark, thanks to screw-ups with the tram system -- why is TTA's slogan "Ride the Red Rocket"? It should be "Try the Toronto Turtle" instead -- and I almost blew off our 6 p.m. reservation. But I had to taste that poutine.<br/><br/>Well, friends, it was worth it. I'm not sure if the dish was worth the $27!!! price tag as an appy, but it sure tasted good. Lots of perfectly cooked lobster over a smattering of fries, drizzled with Bearnaise sauce instead of gloopy brown gravy. There were no cheese curds involved, so I don't think it technically meets the definition of poutine, but who cares? It's lobster with Bearnaise! Maybe celebbochef Mark McEwan could throw on some Brillat-Savarin French goat cheese and raise the price to match his $35 hamburger, but it works as is. Now that I've had the best poutine imagineable, i'll never have to eat that stuff again.<br/><br/>My daughter liked her shrimp tacos -- shrimp salad in cute little red corn tortilla chips -- and we had some sweetish Ontario reisling and sav blanc by the glass. Unfortunately, we had to dash after appetizers, because I had a plane back to B.C. to catch. Our waiter was great, even helped us tap into the restaurant's wi-fi so we could map out a quick way to Pearson Airport. Bymark sets a high mark for quality (and price) but if you want to eat like a 1%er, this is the place to do it.

Crème Brulee Doughnuts!. Went here for a friend's birthday. Service was friendly but very slow. The food took a long time to come to the table, although there were not many people in the restaurant. Overall, everyone enjoyed their meals, but the big hits were the lobster poutine and the creme brulee doughnuts. Forget the other desserts on the menu - creme brulee doughnuts FTW!!!

Service is a hit or miss - at these prices, they should always get it right. Otherwise, always had great cuisine here and love their signature Bymark mart - it's really just a glorified Greyhound and it's delicious.

If you have never been to Bymark then you have truly limited your ability to judge food. Yes it is not cheap but the product served is exceptional. Bymark is truly the quality operation that all restaurants should measure themselves against. So far, after eating in a few thousand restaurants in numerous countries around the world I can honestly say that this was the best meal and fine dining experience I've ever had. Save up your cash and take someone you love to Bymark. You will not be disappointed.

The Best!. Love this place. Have never had a meal as good. Expensive, but the service was exceptional. Can't say much more. You'll have to try it yourself. The best!

Consistent. The fois gras is not the best I've had, but worth a try. The burgers are consistently delicious! It's a must! The scallops were not as appetizing as expected. I would recommend it to anyone who is up for trying one of the best burgers in town.

Lobster poutine. This was an amazing appetizer! If I had known it was going to be that good I wouldn't have shared it and would have had the whole order as my meal. Fantastic!

Very impressed. We were very impressed with our experience at Bymark. Very delicate flavours and excellent food presentation. The service was excellent - would go back!

By By Mark. Don't get me wrong....I love love love this place. Went for my birthday recently. Lovely warm atmosphere. I had the black cod dish and the trio of desserts. Crazy expensive. The food was really great and the service was a bit over-attentive. Which is a great trick for them to get you to order more wine cause they are constantly refilling your glass. Anyway I digress...<br/>Really a special place, but won't be returning for a long time! Better places in the city that serve great food at more reasonable prices.

Last night my boyfriend and I went to Bymark for Winterlicious, and to celebrate his birthday. I have to tell you that we were blown away by the food. We consider ourselves to be foodies and go out quite often for dinner, and we were very pleased with our experience last night. From the fantastic risotto to my perfectly medium rare tenderloin, to Robert's dessert with a birthday candle and "Happy Birthday" written in chocolate - it was wonderful! In our experience, Winterlicious usually disappoints and leaves a bad taste in our mouths. Bymark was the exception! We will be back soon!

One of my faves!. Bymark is one of my favorite restaurants. The chef is always accommodating to specific preferences and has no qualms about making me something off the menu that I will absolutely love! I find it to be an underrated gem, especially considering its highly overrated cousin Canoe at the top. I wouldn't return there, but would gladly return to Bymark time and time again!

Well done food, professional service.. I had the pappardelle and apple fritters for dessert. The braised lamb on the past was tender, and the goat cheese was a perfect pairing on this dish. Apple fritters has just the right texture and sweetness, and the popcorn ice cream is tasty and interesting. Pricey however! Would go back for special occasion.

Tasty dishes at premium prices always well-executed; occasionally rising to greatness. Staff attentive but not always cordial. Upstairs bar a little more lively than the main dining room.

Its the best. Dine here often ..and for good reason.<br/>The Food is phenominal, service is consistently above and beyond. Wine list compliments the menu beautifully.

I went to bymark. Fabulous service, amazing food. I went with my girlfriend and a best friend of mine. We had the chef come out shake our hands, had a couple amazing drinks and a bottle of very noce wine with dinner. The steak was very nice and cooked to perfection. Slightly euphoric, which was improved by the relaxed atmosphere. --worth every penny Shayne Fitzgerald

I've eaten a lot if steak in my time. I've been to harbour60 and tackled their mean surf and turf. But nothing compares to the steak here. I had a prime rub and it was amazing. I've gone back to bymarks again and again and I'm never disappointed. The food is excellent and so is the service!

Bymark- by far the best.. Was at Canoe for the second time a couple weeks ago and the only thing it has going for it is the view. The food at Bymark is so superior I don't even know where to begin. I've never had a meal that was remotely mediocre and the service will blow you away.

Amazing!. Bymark is by far the best restaurant i have been to in a long time here in Toronto. The food was amazing and the service was great. I can't complain about a sing thing. Even the restaurant itself is pretty. i highly recommend this place, especially for a birthday or anniversary. It was an absolutely great experience.

Modern and lovely. Hidden underneath all those skyscrapers in the financial district, Bymark was really a treasure worth finding. The decor was strikingly modern and the atmosphere warm. The food was delicious, with care taken to garnish the beautifully selected ingredients so artfully arranged. I found the sweet potato fries, served in a rolled up newspaper, particularly amusing ... though the lamb medallion won my heart over.

The restaurant was beautifully decorated and dimly lit, which gave off a very romantic vibe. It would definitely be a super cute date place!

<br/><br/>Bymark is an enduring and exquisite culinary destination for locals and international visitors, alike.

Overall, we enjoyed our meals. The staff members were nice, the service was excellent, and we were so full when we left that we practically waddled out of there! I would recommend Bymark for a special evening out or a dinner date.

Sometime during the meal, we asked for another piece of bread because the meal was unfulfilling.

Even though the meal had a few hiccups, it was still absolutely wonderful and service was incredible. It definitely lives up to the hype and I would highly recommend it!

Would definitely recommend the restaurant to try for their Toronto Summerlicious or Winterlicious menu, however, I would not recommend coming back during regular time as this place will be super pricey (unless you are celebrating a special event).

After going to Bymark for drinks ( when I decided to get an "Avocado Margarita" ), and where I fell in love with their upstairs lounge, I really wanted to go for dinner. My friend told me about how the famous Canadian chef, Mark McEwan, owned Bymark... I automatically thought that was so cool. Although I didn't know who he was until I googled, I was already enticed. Overall, I had a great food experience at Bymark . I was quite adventurous (or so I'd like to tell myself) and the restaurant setting was really relaxing and romantical. :) We sat in one of these little side booths :) For starters, we got bread.. With.. Drumroll please. BUTTER! Yes!!! Finally I get to eat butter with bread, and not be a weirdo! I missed it so dearly because in Europe, people just eat bread.. With no butter. I never understood it. I can finally feel comfortable eating bread again! Appetizer : Lamb Sausage & Roasted Variegated Carrots minted ricotta, blood orange segments & dill vinagrette Parsnip Purée with

First off, knowing that Bymark was part of the McEwan group, we went with high expectations on food, service, and ambiance. The entire place is dimly lit with candles on every table, which was very romantic and intimate. Our hostess and server were extremely friendly and doting during our entire time there. Our server especially was knowledgeable about all the items on the menu with recommendations and suggestions.<br/>

In style, Bymark is the dark and plush antithesis of the bright and playful Canoe. The dimly-lit dungeon laced in stone and wood creates a subtly romantic escape from Bay Street. Shy and contentious waiters are too polite to abide by our order to overlap courses in the interest of time. The dessert was almost delivered within twenty

One way to try restaurants of this calibre is summerlicious. This is a very expensive restaurant. We came as a foursome my wife and I and my son and his girlfriend. It gave us a chance to try a variety of things offered. My wife and I had the chilled zucchini soup with crab salad and garlic chips - it was substantial and delicious. My son had the Carpaccio with endive St Augur , herb croutons and ranch dressing, his girlfriend had the Albacore Sashimi with shaved and pickled radish and both thoroughly enjoyed the apps. For mains I , my son and his girlfriend had the Duck Confit and Seared Scallop with sweet peas, cauliflower, northwood mushrooms, passion fruit and duck sauce. The duck was juicy and very tender, the scallops were perfectly cooked and the mushrooms were scrumptious. My wife had the Tomato Braised Chicken with white beans, artichokes , roasted red peppers , cracked olives and oil. The chicken was very tender and tasty, the white beans were over salted and the rest of the

As mentioned, I am reluctant to suggest that a good group dinner means that a table for two will have the same experience. What I can say is that the execution of dinner at Bymark was close to flawless. Although the fois gras was a bloody mess, the other starters, including the lobster poutine and the seared tuna were delicious. The entrees were served hot and I heard no complaints (whether it was the steak, fish, lamb or risotto) across our table. For the most part, the service was prompt and professional.

Bymark is a fine-dining restaurant helm by the well-known chef Mark McEwan. It's located in the Financial District in downtown Toronto, so it's rather accessible by car and TTC. It was a rather spontaneous dinner as we didn't know what restaurant to go to until the last minute , hence the later than usual dinner time .  The four of us (including his parents) were given the menu to peruse.  We were offered complimentary toasted bread with butter while we wait for our food. The server went around with a basket of four different kinds of bread (I forgot the names).  Being the only one at the table who loves oysters with every meal; my significant other got the oysters (4 got $15.40). It was market price so if you get oysters; the prices will fluctuate depending on the seasons.  As I read through the starters; the lobster poutine definitely caught my eye. I decided to start with the lobster poutine [ crisp frites & classic bearnaise] ($27). The dish arriv

This was spectacular. I have never tried a terrine and could not understand why people kept making them – they look so unappetizing! However, the buttery foie gras paired with brioche for a fluffier texture, and with pistachio granola for the crunch, I rate this appetizer a 100%.

From Wellington Street, Bymark is a bit of a hidden gem that once discovered unravels before your eyes. The restaurant patio is truly a stunner spilling out from their bar which is outfitted with a wall to wall plush sofa and glass ceiling. I was invited by CocktailDeeva to attend a signature Bymark experience, their monthly #LiquidLab series: a cocktail and spirit centric educational (and playfully fun) seminar.

Something else I wasn't expecting - the waiter asked how I would like to order my burger. So I ordered medium rare which was perfect! There was lots of juice in the meat and it soaked the bun since the patty was almost too big for the bun. This made the bottom part of the bun slightly soggy but still absolutely delicious altogether. The bun was lightly buttered and toasted inside while the outside remained the same. Inside there was also some red cabbage leaves besides the brie and grilled king oyster mushrooms - great combination because it was simple and they all went very well together.

As one of Chef Mark McEwan's best restaurants in the city, you'd be lucky to get a reservation for Summerlicious at Bymark a few hours after the lines open on launch day.  Thinking back to the warm (read: insanely humid and muggy) breezes that grazed our faces on the way down to the restaurant, I decided to start with a gazpacho soup, which had some nice crispy croutons and steamed clams to round out the chilled tomatoes (Not pictured).

Overall, I had a fantastic experience here at Bymark. Both my friend and I thought the best course of the meal were definitely the appetizers only because they really stood out for us as suppose to the entrees. Service was friendly but slow. They took our jackets at the door, placed the napkins on our lap and our server was really helpful in recommending items on the menu – but in between each course we managed to wait for quite some time.

Overall, I liked the restaurant and I’m sure they could do better on non-licious days. Similar to most of the high-end winterlicious reviews… I would try the restaurant again only for a special occassion but not in the short-term as there are many other restaurants from Mark McEwan that I would love to try first. :)<br/>

I kind of wish that I hadn’t eaten [the hamburger], because I’m pretty sure I’m going to be craving it all the time now. It’s a very strong contender for the best burger in the city.

For my main, I went with the Miso Roasted Black Cod – served with a Korean crab pancake, baby leeks, shiitake mushrooms & yuzu butter sauce...

With a nice mix of seafood and meat options, I had a great Summerlicious dinner at Bymark. I really enjoyed my light and pillow-y ricotta gnudi salad; the slightly sweet brown butter dressing complemented the arugula to a tee.

Found inside TD Centre is Bymark, named after celebrity chef, Mark McEwan. I’ve been a longtime fan of Mark McEwan, well of his television programs, anyway. It’s a totally different story when his food is on a plate in real life. Bymark, 66 Wellington Street West, Toronto, ON We decided to order off the seasonal Summerlicious menu, a discount prix fixe menu featuring local ingredients. There weren’t any actual prices beside the items on the menu but the Summerlicious dining event has been going on every summer in Toronto for years. Dinners were no more than $45 per person. It’s a great way to lure diners into restaurants during the summer months when a backyard barbecue or picnic at the beach may seem more appealing. Here’s a tidbit of gossip from the night, of all people, we spied Drake sitting at the front booth, flanked by two scantily clad women and guarded by a table of giant bodyguards. Y

This is the home of one of Toronto’s most expensive burgers – $35 for U.S.D.A. Prime beef. I doubt I would ever order it again. It was good, but not for $50 - which is about how much you will dish out after taxes and tip.

My last Summerlicious meal this year took place at Bymark. I've always wanted to try Mark McEwan's restaurant, but most of them are too pricey for my budget! So I thought Summerlicious was a good opportunity to try one of them out. Instead of the typical salt and pepper shakers, the two condiments were placed in little ramekins with a spoon. Cute, but it was harder to sprinkle evenly. We got a choice of ciabatta, olive, or multigrain bread. This was the ciabatta, which was unfortunately served cold. I prefer my bread to be at least warm. For my appetizer, I chose tuna tartare with avocado salsa, vegetable spring roll and spiced aioli. This was my first time trying tuna tartare, and I had imagined it to taste like tuna sashimi with seasoning. However, I thought my tartare was slightly under-seasoned. I also wanted the texture to be slimier and less firm, and I found that chewing on bits of congealed fat was rather unpleasant. The spring roll was also pretty ordinary. The only thing that

After going to Bymark for drinks (when I decided to get an "Avocado Margarita"), and where I fell in love with their upstairs lounge, I really wanted to go for dinner.<br/> In addition, knowing that Mark McEwan is the brains behind Bymark made me want to visit all the more. <br/><br/>What we ordered:<br/>- Lamb Sausage & Roasted Variegated Carrots | minted ricotta, blood orange segments & dill vinagrette <br/>- Parsnip Purée with Spot Prawns | chili & coriander cress - Cobia Filet | crusted w/ bread crumbs & rosemary, roasted sunchokes, preserved lemon, sweet onion espuma <br/>- Braised Veal Tortellini | celery root purée, gorgonzola, walnut & mâche - Chocolate Mousse w/ Earl Grey Shortbread and mixed berry coulis - Pumpkin Spice Cake w/ Caramel Ice Cream and salted caramel sauce <br/><br/>The appetizer I had was just veggies, so it wasn't really anything special.<br/><br/>However, the main course? Amazing. The fish was made so well. It wasn't dry, and it went well with the sauce and salad. The breadcrumbs were an amazing touch and added to the texture. I think that's what made it so good!!<br/><br/>And my dessert, the chocolate mousse, BOMB. I haven't had good chocolate mousse in so long!<br/> <br/><br/>Overall, I had a great food experience at Bymark and I definitely recommend this restaurant!

I’m used to standard set menus which offer soup or salad as a starter, fish, chicken or steak as he entree and some dessert which usually includes a cheesecake and something chocolaty. Bymark’s options blew my mind. There were five starters that included butter braised lobster poutine, fois gras, yellow fin tuna with yuzu, buffalo mozzerella and mixed greens. I sat staring blankly at the menu as I had to reprogram my brain think outside the soup/salad binary code I’m so used to. I’ve been in a fish mood lately and I’m quite sure “yuzu” is Japanese for “tasty little bastard”, so I went for the tuna. It was seared and served beautifully . I would have liked a bit more of both heat and acid to tear into the richness of the tuna but it was fresh and clean and the pop from the odd ginger crisp was memorable.<br/><br/>My colleague opted for the lobster poutine. It was a modest portion served on a circular lobster shell and topped with bernaise sauce. I think I saw him cry a little bit. I managed to score a few frites and thought it was greasy sweetness…literally and figuratively. I cried a little too.<br/><br/>Another colleague of mine from Quebec stuck to her roots and ordered the fois gras. As a disclaimer, I am not wacky over fois gras. I enjoy a think slice of torchon as opposed to a hunk of liver on a plate. This appetizer was the latter. Maybe it was the garnish which was a bile-looking sage puree coupled with a bloody looking compote and swimming in a pool chocolate jus. It might have been the fact that the fois gras itself was not served cooked throughout. Either way, it looked like aftermath of the red wedding scene from Game of Thrones. Since I am not a savage medieval warrior or Hannibal Lecter, it wasn’t my thing and wouldn’t have been any better even if there were a few fava beans thrown on the plate.<br/><br/>The selection of entrees were equally as impressive. There was the choice of steak, lamb, black cod, chicken and vegetable risotto Black cod is one of my favorite fish and I was particularly intrigued with the octopus and crab cakes, so my choice was a no brainer. To me, the key to good black cod is to achieve the same silky mouthfeel as if you were eating a pound of butter but without the probable ill-filled aftermath. Mission accomplished. The citrus butter balanced the sweetness of the cod and with the help of the coriander crust and subtle broth enhanced it at the same time. The crab cakes were delightful morsels and the eggplant and zucchini strands brought some earthiness to the dish.<br/><br/>I am reluctant to suggest that a good group dinner means that a table for two will have the same experience. What I can say is that the execution of dinner at Bymark was close to flawless. Although the fois gras was a bloody mess, the other starters, including the lobster poutine and the seared tuna were delicious. The entrees were served hot and I heard no complaints (whether it was the steak, fish, lamb or risotto) across our table. For the most part, the service was prompt and professional.

Bymark is a fine-dining restaurant helm by the well-known chef Mark McEwan. It's located in the Financial District in downtown Toronto, so it's rather accessible by car and TTC. It was a rather spontaneous dinner as we didn't know what restaurant to go to until the last minute, hence the later than usual dinner time.     We were offered complimentary toasted bread with butter while we wait for our food. The server went around with a basket of four different kinds of bread.     I decided to start with the lobster poutine [crisp frites & classic bearnaise] ($27). The dish arrived, and it was a lobster shell containing golden cut fries and topped with warm classic bearnaise sauce. I was pleasantly surprised that the shell contained a good chunk of white lobster meat, and it was very filling.The bite-sized lobster chunks tasted delicious with the rich tasting sauce. Additionally, the fries were crispy and weren't overly oily.    As for my main course, I opted for their surf and turf ($44). The dish arrived beautifully presented on a white plate and decorative with garnishes and cooked vegetables.  My significant other decided on getting the U.S.D.A. 16 oz. Rib eye ($50). According to their menu, all of their rib eye steaks "are dry aged eight weeks."    Overall, I had a lovely dinner at Bymark, and everyone else did too. I thought that our server was knowledgeable, and attentive despite having to wait about 4-5 other tables around us. The atmosphere is perfect for family dinners, casual business diners, and special anniversaries as well.