416 Snack Bar is the kind of place you can go to enjoy tiny, tasty foods, well-made cocktails and excellent service (my discarded stir sticks were never on the table longer than 30 seconds) while oggling the crowd of young men who look like they may have at one point been involved in criminal activities but have since cleaned up their acts and now own successful, legit businesses while holding onto a bit of that bad boy aura that makes you want to rip off their short-sleeved yet tasteful grey leopard print button-up cholo shirts and have dirty sex in the bathroom (but you will have to wait because there are only two). read more

Still as crowded as ever; still hard to get the attention of the busy bartenders but still just as much fun. It's part of its vibe. But the best part now? They have a secret menu. Genius idea! Not sure if I'm allowed to give it away but gat damn, those monster buns are delicious. It's chicken and fish topped with plenty of cilantro and their sauces on bao (that doughy chinese bun). Yum Yum Yum and some more yum. Couple with some Waupaos it's delish. But peeps: make sure you check your bill. They're busy and they may charge you for more than you ordered (honest mistake). And no, 416 is not cheap! 4 beers and two snacks = $45. At least my wallet's thinner this year! read more

I just came here for the first time and ate the following: vegetarian steamed bun (tasty but didn't rock my world), eggplant double down (Incredible! Never would have ordered this but my vegetarian friend did and wow I'm happy I ate it), and the empanada (not loving it, good dough but the beef didn't have the right balance of spice). Fun atmosphere though, I'd be happy to go back. They were playing great music! read more

I came to 416 Snack Bar with high expectations, perhaps because I had heard and read a lot about it in advance. The tapas serving style made it the ideal choice as we were in between meals on a lazy Sunday afternoon and wanted to get some finger food. We tried the eggplant sandwich, Korean fried chicken, and the handroll. Although creative, the execution of the individual flavours was a bit disappointing. The sandwich was crispy and freshly fried but the flavours within it were quite bland. The Korean fried chicken was spicy but also had a very gingery and sweet sauce, which was not at all what I was expecting. Granted, the style here is fusion...but the sauce did not taste Korean at all. The handroll was well made but once again, very bland and not particularly memorable. In spite of the taste, the ingredients all seemed to be fresh - hence the 3 star rating. Overall, the menu is quite small so if anyone in your party has a food restriction, this may not be the best option. It felt like we only had three items we could order when I went. Additionally, it took a very long time for us to order and then to get our bill at the end, so the service also left me a bit disappointed. Perhaps the food is better depending on the menu rotation, and service depending on time of day... Try it, but don't go bearing high hopes. read more

I really enjoyed 416 Snack Bar, it's a cute little spot to have some drinks and snacks. The pork steamed buns were AMAZING - they were definitely my fave! We also ordered the Korean fried chicken and spicy tuna hand roll, all delicious. They have Ace Pilsner here which I first tried when I flew Porter and really the only beer I recognized from their list. The only reason why I knocked off a star is because it was REALLY loud, to the point where me and my friend were yelling at each other. We also were asked to share out table with others as we were sitting at a 4 person table and we were only 2. Not a big deal though! All in all I would 100% come back! read more

Came here after a long day at TIFF. My colleague and I were tired, needed to eat. This place seemed good on yelp. Took a seat, no one came for a while, so went to the bar to order. No biggie. It's busy, I get it. But then at the table, no one gave us water, no napkins.... two different servers who I didn't even know who they were, angrily first words out of there mouths were, we're gonna kick you out if she falls asleep. Entitled hipster BS. Manager was pretty cool, but sorry, hungry homey don't play that. There's a limit. I'm turned off. Coming from Williamsburg, this place not bad, but really not all that. Falafel joint around the corner could have been chiller. Not a must, if you're from out of town. Go for authentic flavors in Toronto instead. read more

Wowee- this is definitely on the list for new favourite date places. To be clear- this SHOULD deserve more than 3 stars from the avg yelper...but because there are other places in the city that I still like so much more-- and this place isn't particularly unique given the popularity of hipster-snack-bars now in the city..I'm keeping it a 3 stars untill my frequency @ this place bumps it up a notch. In no way can I believe this place ever getting 1-2 stars. And in everyway I understand and appreciate why so many yelpers give it 4 and 5 stars. ok, rather than yelp about the tiny menus, good cocktails..all the random stuff that you will hear from the others'.. I want to talk about the space: This tiny place has double seats against one wall, group seating against 2 walls, and a 3-sided bar in the back wall where there is an open-kitchen concept for the cold foods. The side tables are great for a date where you might know each other better. The groups seating is great if you are stepping in with a group for a snack before going out- but not really a stay all night place; and the bar- well the bar is one of my favourite TYPES of bars which very few places in toronto have. The 3-sided bar is like...the OPTIMAL bar. The single length is good for singles. The double length can be alright in a casual space; and the round/oval bar is the next best thing to the 3 sided bar but not QUITE there because corners are ESSENTIAL. Three sided bars (i.e. the outdoor patio bar @ the Keg esplanade or @ The Bedford Academy) maximize checking outage; socialization; and general romance. The space in the middle is where a good bartender can really wow a crowd and definitely be the centre of attention with some charisma and flair. And the open kitchen for cold-menu items can be a show in itself. Yes, the 3-sided bar is where it is at. Other Notes: -Yes, food is truly "snack" sized but I prefer that since I like to taste things rather than eat a huge meal of the same note. -This place is moderately priced... to expensive for what it is. It looks cheap upon first glance but it really isn't. You will be easily spending at least 50$ pp if you spend the evening here.- which is not outrageous but it's not exactly the type of incredible resto experience you wine and dine over 3 hours for. -the chairs are small. -The bar has purse hooks (as I've said, purse hooks ESSENTIAL to a good bar) -the service is kind but not especially go-out-of-your-way-chatty. -the bartender is not going to have a conversation with you. This is not one of those bars- even though I did see solos at the bar almost pining for it. -Kind of excellently located but not particularly good if you are on a bar hopping night. Not too many great places to hop to easily within a 2 block radius. -Overall a nice dimly lit intimate setting. Don't pass this place up. I won't be a regular..vino is still a bit on the pricey side for the ambience of this place...but it will definitely be on the list for future encounters. read more

Came here last night after hitting the bars. We arrived around 1pm and it was packed. thankfully a nice couple at a table made some room and we were able to sit. Ordered 2 beers and proceeded to order almost everythign off their menu. We had 2 doubles, 2 bbq pork buns, fried chicken, pierogies... hmm maybe thats it. Okay not everything off their menu - i exaggerated a bit. Anyhow the food came out quickly and it was awesome. The pierogies were a little on the small side but they were tasty. My faves were the pork buns and doubles. Hence why we ordered 2. This is a cool place to grab some snacks after drinking all night and end your night off right. Its tucked away and has a neighbourhood vibe to it. Will definately be back! Bill was 40.00 too. AWESOME. read more

Really disappointed with my experience at this bar, I found it totally pretentious, especially staff, oyster were smelly and about to go bad, water was spilled on me by the assistant with no apologies whatsoever. I was looking forward to going but three minutes after walking in instant regret passed through my mind. Luckily the sever turned it around in the end, sadly won't be going back. read more

Been a few times now and 416 is still one of my favourite places to grab snacks and drinks. I've had David Chang's pork buns and I think each stands on its own. I love 416's version - the pork is just outstanding. The ever-changing menu is wonderful, though admittedly I really miss the tacos. read more

Okay, so I showed up here too late and too drunk to be objective, but seriously, this place is awesome. It's easy to glut yourself trying out all the tasty little things on the menu, but trust your server--he knows the good stuff. This place has an excellent vibe, too. It's like that awesome friend who knows exactly what you need (a barstool and a pizza pocket) when you've stumbled past last-call in your too-tight dancing shoes and who isn't going to judge you for getting hammered on a Tuesday night. (Come on, you know you're going to. You might as well do it here.) read more

Been here a couple of times and both disappointing. I had to get up and ask for a menu. No one came to offer me a drink, had to ask for that too after 20 mins. After 40 mins had to ask if I could order. Food was fantastic but served to me with no napkin and no offer of water. You guessed it! Had to ask for those too. Just disappointing. You can make the greatest food and drinks in the world but if your service sucks then you're failing. read more

Sat down at a table with 2 friends. We kinda felt that we were not welcome. Just finished work as servers and bartenders. 3 drinks for $35. Not going back ever read more

had wine and oysters here tonight they were gas money and then i ordered the "best corn" and i was sceptical but then turns out it really is the goddamn best corn read more

Love this spot - Great wine list / tasty nibbles and always packed. Not really for dinner - but perfect for a pre-event snack, which is how we landed there. Hard to get a table, but they gave us wine while we waited and the servers were chill and friendly. Crowd is hipster and young - lots of thick glasses, sneakers and skinny jeans...but vibe is intimate and upbeat. The energy at the bar is worth waiting for a seat rather than taking a table - great people watching - We will be back. read more

This place is small. It is also awesome. And we're not the only ones that know it, so don't be surprised if you show up and it's packed. Getting in and finding a chair is totally worth it, though. Grab a 680ml bottle of old credit pilsner and sample some of their tiny amazing dishes - the pork bun, Korean fried chicken, smorgasbord charcuterie plate, mini-Mac (Sunday only!) and others are all so good you'll be arguing with yourself over which morsel to order next. I almost don't want to post this - you might be the one in the seat I was hoping to grab! read more

A cozy little spot off busy Queen W. The tapas style munchies are perfect for sampling a few per visit. Some where ok, a couple even better. Service was good and friendly. read more

What a happening place. My friend and I walked into this joint on a Friday around 8, which was primetime for a long wait for a table. No bother, we were here to eat and were willing to wait, goddamit! The people-watching opportunities also provided ample pleasurable entertainment in the meanwhile - particularly if you're into the bearded, thick glasses, knit-hat wearing sort. Staying true to the fact that it was a 'snack' bar (also the fact that after an hour or thereabouts of waiting, we'd occupied stomach space with booze), my friend and I shared just a couple of dishes: 1) Steak tartare, twice - pretty darn tasty, well-spiced and tender. We ordered another helping of this dish and begrudingly again gave a half to one another the second time around. I won't lie, I seriously considered stealing her piece while her back was turned and blaming it on the person beside her. 2) Oysters, 3 of 'em- good. I speak from a biased perspective since I'm not really a big oyster fan. A refreshing break from the other richer dishes. 3) Scotch egg benny - believe what everyone else says, this dish was amazing. Extremely decadent, the hollandaise was buttery and delicious, while the eggs were contrastingly firm/slightly crisp. The whole dish just exploded with flavour and a delightful velvety texture in your mouth after biting into it. Yum. Oddly, it got a bit quieter around the time we left (10ish). All in all, a great place to drop by for a drink and a delectable bite to eat. read more

Tromba tequila shots here are one of the best in the city. They give you some sorta pineapple/cilantro/mint/cayenne chase with it which is an intoxicatingly lovely palette cleanser. Cool vibe/music, super conscientious bartenders.. def worth a visit. read more

The great thing about this restaurant is that you feel so intimate with the person sitting across from you, even when you have other couples, strangers or friends sitting beside you. I was totally focused in on my date, with the rustic, classy, look of the environment as well... it has real candles. The candle setting reminded me of something that I would see in Beauty and the beast. I loved the artistic interior decor of the restaurant as well. We ordered Smushi, 2 Hand rolls, A Cheese plate Foie Gras and Tartare. They shouldn't of let us order so much at once though- it was AMAZING. The servers we professional and there was more than one serving us at a time. We asked to save a seat for a friend that ultimately did not show up and they politely asked for us to move to the other end of the seating arrangement, which was fine considering for what we were asking. We talked to a couple that was on their first date and they seemed to be having a great time. It is a wonderful place to take your date on for the first time. I could tell that this was the go to place for that, noticing and hearing some conversations. I guess you could say there wasn't much privacy, but for a first date it is great to feel comfortable and not so alone in your environment. The food, was great, I have never tasted anything like what they have on their menu. It was phenomenal and it was delicious. It is a Asian influenced, low-light cuisine. A must and a great place to take the possible love of your life. Here is a pic, of there neon lights inside, vibrant and wonderful. Just like the restaurant. read more

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Cozy, intimate tapa bar with a unique menu that changes up seasonally. Nice spot for a drink and snack.

Interesting spot on Bathurst for tapas sized eats and drinks. The place is relatively small so there is normally a wait to get a spot to sit. Everything that we tried was great! read more

Had the steak tartar, Cesar salad, steamed pork bun, cardamon ___(?) desert and 2 Rubens between 2 of us. Everything was amazing, and lovely to watch the chefs prep everything. They tasted the product before serving it and would adjust accordingly; showing real love for their craft. The drinks were amazing, and service exceptional. A great mid-high end tapas style bar. Not a meal for an everyday lunch or dinner, definitely more special without being stuff. Real love of food here. read more

Good service,location and fun atmosphere. I came on a Tuesday evening around ten pm and the place was jammed! I think I would come back for drinks and maybe snack, but not dinner as I foolishly did. disclaimer is in the sign! We had to order eight items to fill up, but at least got to try almost everything on the menu. Rubens were by far my favourite, along with the trini double. A bit pricy for the size, but tasty. read more

Great food. Creative ideas. Well executed. Good draft selection. Music bit too loud. Friendly waitresses.

Place is dark and dungy but serves up delicious food. Food came quickly. Service is lacking a bit though.

This place is great for: - a date - it's a small and busy place; also, the music is loud, so you'll need to get close to whoever you're with - if you're looking to have a few good drinks and small sharing plates at a trendy, low-lit place This is not a good place for: - a large group - even a group of 4 may have to wait longer than usual; and they do not take reservations - if you're looking to eat a big meal - if you want a variety of dessert - the only dessert is an "after eight jos louis" which I did not try My experience: 4.5/5 My boyfriend and I went on Valentine's day, which was a Friday night, at around 6:45 pm. The place was busy. The host was very friendly and took our name and number to contact us when seating was available. He said it would take 20-30 minute, but we received a text about 15 minutes later which asked us to confirm if we will be there and in how long, or to inform them if we wanted to cancel. We sat at the bar - the seating was very close to each other, but my boyfriend and I didn't mind. We shared a bottle of the Cote du Rhone ($50) - as Toronto is known to overprice their wine in restaurants, we found the wine prices to be reasonable or on par with other restaurants in comparison. What we ate: 1) 6 oysters ($15) - 4/5 - the oysters were small but delicious and they were shucked well 2) foie torchon with toasts ($7) - 4/5 - this plate is good for two - the foie was smooth, rich, and tasty. It's served with some kind of sweet apple puree which paired well with the foie. There was more of the apple puree than was necessary as it overpowered the foie if you put too much of it 3) steak tartare ($7) - 4.5/5 - the steak tartare is place on top of 2 pieces of thinly sliced bread - it was delicious and melted in your mouth Service: 4/5 - we found the host and the bartender who served us to be attentive and friendly Overall, it was a great place for an intimate date where you're looking to enjoy a few drinks and small tapas plates. read more

416 Snack Bar is conveniently located on Bathurst, just north of Queen. The place is pretty small (maybe 35-40 seats including at the bar, all very tightly packed) and was very busy on the weeknight that we went. We had 6 people and they don't take reservations, so I arrived with 1 other person from my group approximately 30 minutes before we told the others to come. The server looked around and kind of shrugged saying they would do their best to seat us. We were put at a square 4-seat table. All the seats are bar height. One of our chairs was directly at the edge of the bar where servers were bustling past. Luckily for us, we were moved to a larger table just as our first food order of oysters arrived. Unfortunately the longer table made it challenging to communicate because of the music/noise level in the bar. The oysters were fresh, properly shucked, and packed in a bed of salt. Before we started ordering the rest of our food, I had a look around. It was just before 8pm and everyone else was just there with drinks. Seemed like we were one of few tables there to have a meal-sized amount of food. Because of the nature of the menu being tapas or hors d'ouevres style, we were able to try a great deal of items and get many of the flavours on offer. Rabbit food - their salad, and one of the few things vegetarian on the menu. It came as two lettuce wraps, and was delicious. Steak tartare on a crostini - rich and excellent. I had a second order. Don't change it. Shrimp pad thai salad roll - this was 2 viet/thai style salad rolls with a side of peanut sauce. The rolls had extremely hot peppers in them. I like spicy food; but these were definitely too hot and I am sure would be a major turn off for someone with less appreciation for spicy foods. Perhaps putting the spice in the dipping sauce would allow customers to control the spice level, instead of wrapping it directly into the roll. Korean fried chicken - this is a popular item around town lately at Guu, County General, and Home of Hot Taste. I would say that 416's rendition was at least on par and a good way to try it in a slightly less expensive and smaller portion. The sauce was very tasty. Lamb chop - again great. Don't change a thing. Spicy tuna hand roll and steamed pork bun were average renditions. The food that hit was great; but a couple of things were misses. The service was helpful and friendly; but perhaps limited by the noise and narrow movement areas. The experience would probably have been better with 2 or 4 people (6 made it a challenge), and just to go for drinks and bar snacks rather than for a "dinner". read more

Had a great experience here last night. I came in with my boyfriend and we were immediately seated at the bar. We shared the tartar, reuben sandwich, and korean friend chicken. All three were great but the reuben stood out to me the most, and I'm typically not a fan of reubens. Taylor was behind the bar and did a great job as I lead my boyfriend on a bit of a classic cocktail tasting. Though we had mostly classic cocktails, Taylor made them perfectly each time and wasn't offended when my guy asked for more angostura because he's just weird like that. I was excited when I saw St Germain on their shelf and Taylor obliged when I asked if he could slip a little into a glass of Cava for me. The bartender also came over and apologized to us. Someone had sat next to us shortly after we had arrived, ordered food right before we had, and had eaten and paid his bill before our snacks arrived. The bartender was honest and told us he had gotten busy and had forgotten to punch in our food, but that he would ask to have it rushed for us. I work in the front of house and my boyfriend in the back of house, so of course we understood completely. We were in no hurry and it was not an issue at all, and we had our food in a matter of minutes after that. I was really happy that Taylor had been upfront and honest and apologized. They comped the first two plates that we had ordered. I would have been happy paying for them because he was honest about it and we were not upset, but felt taken care of when he informed us as he dropped the bill. Also, the live music was top notch. All in all a great evening with funky cocktails and awesome bites, I'll definitely make an effort to head downtown to enjoy this little spot more often. read more

Had the foie gras torchon and steak tartare for $7 each (tax included, wow!). Favorite dish was the eggplant double down for $4. Nice hip vibe, good service, good food. Will definitely go back. read more

First night ever in Toronto, came for the great craft cocktails (mixologist Daniel great), and hipster tourism, but surprised this was also small-plate foodie heaven. Korean fried chicken, seared foie gras, spicy tuna hand roll, mini-Reuben. read more

Even with the inevitable wait for a table, I'd go back here again and again. Not for the quality of service, but for the beers, the SNACKS, and the speed at which it all arrives!! Never better. Plus, a consistent crowd flow always makes you feel like you're where the cool kids are! read more

Bad service. No cutlery to cut my steam bun. Manager weirdly proud of it. Would not recommend.

- hipster central. so good thing i was wearing my plaid shirt. - if you can score a table, best thing is to never let it go. this place is tiny. - food wise - pretty frakkin solid. i'd recommend the scotch eggs benny, bone marrow toast, and the lamb thingy... - just note that they dont believe in utensils here, so it's all fancy finger foods. read more

Cool bar with good music.....good amount of beers on tap. We were taken here by locals. Would come back.

This place doesn't have great curb appeal but don't let that stop you from going in. The place is small so get there earlier to make sure you get a seat. The food are all tapas style and delicious. Make sure you try there desserts. Drinks are great and waiter are open to mixing different drinks. Service and the music they play is on point! read more

We arrived as a party of four on 12/21 for a snack and a few drinks. The place was full, no problem we get on this list to receive a text when a table is open. We were quoted 30 minutes but the wait was closer to 50-1hr. When we finally received a text, while having a drink near by, we quickly made our way there, only to be told they had given our table away in the short 5 minutes. The hostess DID NOT hold our table for the 10 as indicated by the text and did not even seem to want us in the establishment all together. Don't come here if you value your time read more

I loved this place. I was in town for two nights and ended up back here on both. The food is amazing. We had the Dim Sum, Pork Steam Buns, Foie Gras, Spicy Tuna Roll, Tandoori Chicken, and Falafel. Each item was delicious and had an interesting preparation. The drinks were great here as well but best of all was the service. They welcome you in from the front door, seat you immediately and consistently offer great service throughout. We will be back the next time we are in the area. read more

little loud, little expensive, great food, no complaints. First review for me, im no longer a yelp virgin...

Was recommended by a friend to try this place and I absolutely love it! The food is incredible, many unique dishes with funky flavours. My personal favourite is the steak tartare - fined chopped beef seasoned with some sort of tangy sauce on a crispy piece of baguette. The only thing I would change about this place is the service, other than that the food and ambience is superb! Great place to drink and socialize. read more

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