One Restaurant

I was considering giving ONE a rating of 1 but that wouldn’t be fair. Two is what it deserved so that is what I gave it. The chicken taco was the highlight of the meal, but given it was an appetizer, that isn’t the best thing to feel at the end of eating an expensive dinner. The lobster spoons were just ok. I expected more. My sister had the octopus and she didn’t like it. On to the main entrees. Two of us had steak and it was good but for that hefty price it should be. We didn’t buy it being 20 oz bone-​in rib eye. It didn’t look anywhere near that size. The side dishes were mixed. Bok Choy wasn’t great, chived potatoes were fine as were the mushrooms. Desserts were again fine but not great. You get a thin slice of cheese cake. The bill for the 4 of us came out to approximately $ 500 and that is with no alcohol.
Now I am going to get to the part of the evening that totally ruined anything good we felt from the evening. We looked closely at the bill since it was the highest we ever spent and we saw an error. The items didn’t add up to the total. I checked and later 2 other members of my party checked. It didn’t add up. We were upset that they are having bills that don’t add up. We told the waitress and eventually the manager came over. He said some lame excuse about one of our items not being on the bill but yet was in the total. Made no sense why it didn’t show up listed in the items. He offered us NOTHING. We felt that was wrong so he gave us a whole $ 6 off the bill. Yes, I mean SIX dollars. He wouldn’t budge on the amount. Finally he said he would throw in some cookies and cheese cake. He ended up putting in cookies that don’t look great and none of us ordered cookies for dessert, as he knew. He threw in one slice of the cheese cake for ruining it for 4 people. We let him know we weren’t happy with his resolution and he didn’t care. Go to ONE if you want one helluva lousy experience.

I sat on the patio with my husband to enjoy an appetizer and a cocktail as a snack while we strolled through Yorkville. There were small yellow/​green bugs/​spiders EVERYWHERE! I killed probably 6 as we sat out there… i think they drop from the hanging trees. It was so gross. The drinks were very subpar and lacked something special — at $ 19 a cocktail, I expect a great cocktail. I was disappointed overall with this place.

I went here for brunch/​lunch only on a sunny day to enjoy the patio with my mom. Staff was very attentive, food was brought promptly (though we didn’t order anything too complicated).
Food itself was good but nothing out of this world. The patio is great if you are looking to be amused by the yorkville crowd.
Fellow diners are a mix between obnoxious, extremely tacky wannabes, first dates and people watchers amusing themselves by watching the latter.

Boy for the location and price, the services here SUCKED.
Food is overpriced for the service you get.
Food itself is not bad.
We were meeting friends here. 6 of us for dinner followed by about 25 people for drinks.
Our server during dinner was really not attentive at all.
The server for drinks later had some real attitude.
Instead of asking everyone for their credit card to keep the tab open and everything organized, she decided to put everything on one bill and have everyone pay for their portion. When requested, she had some attitude. Lady, working in an establishment like this, you gotta be professional; you turned out to be a food and probably lost a lot in tips.

Gather around, friends, and let me tell you a story…
My first experience with One Restaurant happened by accident. A few years back, after trying (unsuccessfully) to bluff my way into an Alliance Atlantis TIFF party with a pair of producer friends, someone suggested that we make our way up to Yorkville and see what was happening. Yorkville (despite being the trendy part of the city) has a strange small-​town feel to it — lots of cobbled walkways and small businesses that make it a haven for tourists, celebrities and hipsters alike.
Our group soon found ourselves at the front entrance of a CBC bash being held inside the restaurant. With a little bit of exploration (and the help of a pair of programmers from the station), we walked right past security and got inside without a hassle.
We were immediately handed legs of lamb as we stepped inside. It was probably the best lamb I’ve ever had at a restaurant — succulent and full of flavour. We proceeded to spend the next eight hours at that party, in a whirlwind of celebrity encounters and amusement. Standing on the patio and watching Chantel Kreviazuk have a drink with her friend while «Dreamweaver» blasted in my head. Seeing Kiefer Sutherland shotgunning mineral water with a girl on each arm. Having a waitress give us half a bottle of vodka for no reason. Watching my friend get into a shouting match with John Lyman (The Sex Pistols) in the middle of the dance floor. Hors d’oeurves for days.
It’s a party that, five years later, my friends still use as the metric for amazing parties. I’ve been to the restaurant twice since then (most recently a month ago, as of this writing) and the quality and consistency was still very high. The calamari was a particular highlight, and the server was very prompt and polite.
One Restaurant is definitely a place you should check out if you’re in the neighborhood. If not for the «see and be seen» atmosphere, do it for the amazing food.

The sun was shining, the birds were chirping and the best dressed people in Toronto were eating delicious looking food so we decided to sit down as well. What attracted us here was the beautifully manicured outside patio area. They have space heaters in case it is too chilly but in the sun there were no problems.
We weren’t hungry for dinner so we ordered snacks. I had the foie gras 2 ways on toast and I was incredibly impressed. It came out as 3 bite size pieces of bread with ice cream scoop dollops of creamy melt in your mouth foie gras on top. It almost had a sweet taste as if honey and balsamic had been snuck in some how. The bread had a slight crunch without being too thick. Overall the best foie gras I have ever had.
We then had a bottle of wine which we were delighted to find out was actually a liter and thus a little bigger than a normal Bottle.
My wife had the white chocolate ice cream and she loved it. Perfect snack on a hot day. The service was fantastic and the only downside is that we weren’t hungry enough to order more.
Absolutely everything on the menu looked fantastic, and even though the prices are steep, based on the creativity of the menu, the restaurants location, and the taste of the food we had, i wouldn’t hesitate to spend good money on a full dinner.

This morning had the BLT for breakfast and I must say was blown away by it. Bacon strips in it was plentiful and delicious! I especially enjoyed the garlic aioli that came with it on the side. The staff also were courteous and fast. I’d definitely go back to tryout other dishes.

Summer time is amazing. The seafood dishes are good, especially the cod.

We had lunch here during our stay at the Hazelton. Normally we avoid hotel restaurants but this one we did not. First class service, excellent specials for lunch, loved the ambience. It’s not cheap but worth all they charge.

This scenester bar/​restaurant is attached to the ritzy Hazelton Hotel in Yorkville (the equivalent of Beverly Hills). We always end up wandering over here because some of our friends frequent the place and the cocktails are actually quite good. It’s very dark inside. There’s a lovely patio outside in the summertime (when it’s actually a good deal more pleasant). Service is good and there’s always rumblings of the rich and chamous. Shaq had a party here during the NBA All Star weekend and apparently U2 has rented out and closed down the place before. I’ve heard it’s all the buzz during TIFF. A place to see and be seen. Dress appropriately.

Location: In Yorkville, with underground parking right across the street.
Facility: Modern and clean, but exactly what you would expect from an upscale restaurant. Ambiance was generally nice, but it was very loud. So loud to the point where the server couldn’t hear our orders and we had to repeat ourselves multiple times.
Food Quality & Price: The Eggs Benedict for brunch was fairly priced and very delicious. I was very happy with my choice.
Service: Slow and not very attentive. It took a fair amount of time to receive our orders, and the server rarely checked in.
Overall: Likely one of the shortest reviews I’ve ever written. ONE was decent, but nothing spectacular. I don’t think I would return unless I was invited by a friend.

I went there for My Birthday Celebration Dinner. What a Fancy Restaurant !
Very helpful staff. There was even a tiny stool near my chair for me to keep my handbag. I loved the cocktail «lipstick». The food was okay. The chef came out and greeted me at our table and wished me a very happy birthday. He gave us two complimentary dishes. I was also given a small complimentary birthday dessert. The washrooms are beautiful and clean. We really enjoyed the whole experience.

I fondly recall a dinner here a few years ago, and more recently recall a lot of drinks had here in the last few months.
Heart of Yorkville; great service; great drinks. Beautiful décor — this is a place to be seen, certainly. This is also a place to have a terrific set of after-​work-​Xmas-​party-​drinks… :-)

This review is long overdue. Dined here a long time ago… like Summerlicious 2014 and for a media dinner. It has a great atmosphere for people watching. Lots of professional people come here to lunch, so you are likely to spot someone you recognize if business/​politics are your interest. During summer and TIFF, the patio is the favoured spot too.
It’s quite pricy though, so only come if you are comfortable dropping some $$$ or maybe check them out for Winterlicous since that’s coming up soon. More affordable.
I won’t recommend specific dishes, since their menu changes and as previously mentioned. I haven’t been back in a while. I do remember liking their fish and salad dishes though. But check out some pics I have posted if curious.
Overall, if you want to go fancy and splurge. One wouldn’t be a bad pick. Nice resto.

The only advantage was that one restaurant for me is that it is very close to my home. The food is good but expensive. So you are paying for location…
I remember the servers used to be a lot friendlier before… They are still good but something has changed…
For the price you pay in this restaurant, you can have a better food and get the same service in a few other restaurants around.
Try oyster as it is very fresh…

Located in what is now the very heart of the upscale neighborhood of Yorkville right on the corner of Yorkville and Hazelton with an outside patio, you couldn’t ask for better seating in a better or more pleasant area.
At the recommendation of my server, a delight person and top properly attired professional, I ordered their special grilled chicken breast sandwich of the day along with a side salad with creamy Caesar dressing. When served, it came upon a round cutting board. The chicken was totally moist, had been hand hammered to a tenderness and folded in with a delightful tasting cheese. The bread likewise was fresh, full of flavor, having been nicely grilled. Indeed one best, most tasty grilled chicken sandwiches I’ve ever had.
While there I also availed myself to take a look at their immaculate interior dining area and the use of their restroom facilities. Everything about them were perfect in setting, rather elegant in appearance and above all spotlessly clean.

Quick warning: there’s currently some construction on Yorkville ave that’s blocking access to this restaurant however, if you go around the block, you can arrive on the other side.
Now, back to the review: with the reservations that we booked we were able to be seated on the patio which is so adorable and they sat us towards the back which was on a quiet street.
It started with ordering The Six which was the perfect amount of Tromba to warm up any part of me that would start to get cold with the sun going down and being offered individual servings of warm bread which was delish (despite not believing in taking more than one piece of bread, they return throughout the night to offer you as much as you’d like).
Summerlicious was going on while we were there so we utilized the menu. The tuna tacos were so nice and I got the sea bass as my entrée. Typically I preferred the skin to be removed from my fish however, I did my best to remove it myself and it was very light and flavourful. The flourless chocolate cake and champagne was the perfect way to end the dinner.
I obviously couldn’t resist looking at the regular menu — I loved the drink menu. Tons of options from wine, to cocktails to various liqueurs. The food menu was pretty substantial — especially for a higher end restaurant. There’s something for everyone here!

My fiancé took me here to propose to me the day before Valentine’s Day so I will forever love One Restaurant for this very reason.
In terms of the restaurant itself, I thought the atmosphere was beautiful, cozy and warm.
The service was great. To be honest, the bread boys were the most pleasant– so polite and just had such a kind demeanour. The waiter we had was polite and to the point. He gave us our privacy, which is what my fiancé prefers when we go out and eat; less talk, more food. For me, I like a little conversation from the waiter. For some reason it bummed me out that he didn’t ask if we were here for a special occasion or not. I go to the Keg often and they ALWAYS ask if I’m celebrating or just having a nice dinner out. That’s just my personal preference though and I’m not docking any points.
The food was DELICIOUS. The steak was moist and succulent. Perfectly cooked– just the way we asked. The mashed potatoes were so creamy and tasty.
Lobster spoons were so so good. Creamy, buttery and flavourful.
The mango sorbet was yummy and the fruit toppings were fresh.
We had other delicious things too that I can’t remember exactly what we had but all I know is I left very full and very happy.
The only reason I docked one star is because the manager came out to talk to a couple that obviously frequents the restaurant. She talked to them for a very long time, quite loudly. It didn’t really bother me because I think loyal customers should be treated well! Plus, their conversation was kind of funny and cute. What bothered me is that she ignored everyone sitting around the couple’s table and didn’t even bother to say ‘Good evening. How is your meal?’. Considering One Restaurant is a fine dining restaurant, I have a higher expectation of management. It just made my fiancé and I feel unwelcome at a place we were visiting for the first time.
If the manager is coming out to say hello to regular, he/​she should also come around to tables to say ‘Hello’ to new patrons as well.
I will definitely be coming again to try the lunch menu though.

I came here for Winterlicious 2015 and remember being the most excited for this place based on the menu and pictures I had seen, and in the end I was pleased with my choice. To start off with, the staff here were super super nice. I was horrifically late for my dinner and left my friend sitting by himself for about half an hour, but apparently the waitress was super nice to him and came around to check up on him a lot lol, and throughout our meal she was quite attentive and friendly and chatty with us.
For my meal, I had the scallop and pork belly to start. I LOVED the scallop and wished there was more than one, although it was a big one. The pork belly was good but a bit basic, it had Korean BBQ sauce on it and some avocado purée on the side, some napa, etc. kind of Asian-​inspired. Good, but didn’t really blow me away. That scallop though…
For my main, I ordered the short rib and thought the dish was well done, I liked the crispy onions on the top and thought they went well with the rib. The rib was wonderfully soft and tender, and I remember thinking this one was better than the one I had tried at La Societe the previous evening — perhaps the ingredients were just more interesting and the plating was more attractive.
I tried the citrus pavlova for dessert, having never had pavlova before. When it came out I thought it looked really nice, but unfortunately I wasn’t a huge fan in the end — something about the texture of the pavlova didn’t work for me. It was like crunchy on the outside but had a slightly chewy texture on the inside, it was sweet but in kind of an artificial, almost marshmallow-​y way… perhaps just not my kind of dessert. It came with passionfruit sorbet and berries, and I remember thinking the passionfruit sorbet just didn’t mix well with the pavlova — it added this extra bit of tartness and slight bitterness almost that just didn’t work.
Everything was plated super nicely, with artistic little garnishes. I quite enjoyed my experience at this restaurant and might consider coming back if I happen to be in the area!

I work in the neighbourhood but I’ve never had lunch/​dinner here. A coworker and I went to One for Winterlicious b/​c the menu looked very good (and a bargain at $ 28!).
First — a bread guy came around with some different option. We opted for a bread that I think had onion and other veg baked in and it was incredible. I mean, bread? But it was so good. We flagged that guy down a couple of times.
App — I had the roasted tomato soup and my companion had the pork belly. Both were lovely. The soup was basic, but excellent. Drizzled with (I think) basil oil and served with a grilled cheese croûton. Pork belly was saucy and served on a bed of delicious.
Main — I had the brown butter squash ravioli (with pine nut brittle, cream, crispy sage). I was taken aback that it was simply 3 ravioli. However, one bite clued me in to why. This dish is heavy, but not in a bad way. It’s sweet and interesting and I was satisfied after three pieces. My companion had the trout, which she raved about. I don’t eat fish, but I watch a lot of food network (lol) and the trout was cooked to perfection.
Dessert — I had the apple tart and it was incredible. The cinnamon ice cream really put it over the top. My companion had the chocolate cake which was just so-​so for me. The coffee ‘sauce’ on the side was the best part.
Anyway — overall a great experience and I will definitely go back.