What a treat to dine at Alo! I didn't know what to expect! The space is a really cool upstairs and it was intimate. The service was impeccable. I don't think I've ever had service like that in Toronto. The prix fixe was reasonable for what we got in terms of quality and type of food. Most memorable was the crab grits, the bread (!!), lobster and the rib eye. Then 3 dessert rounds came out. Portions are small but we were STUFFED. Returning in a few months for my husband's birthday! read more

See all

Finally had the chance to eat here after making a reservation 60 days in advance. Make sure you are waiting at midnight on open table or else you'll be waiting a while. We had the dinner tasting menu with wine pairing. The two opening dishes were a bit under whelming. The mains were amazing and made the dinner well worth it. My girlfriend ordered the beef and I had the pork. Both were cooked perfectly. The wine pairing was very generous, we had nearly 4 glasses of wine each. The sommelier really took his time to explain the wine and made an effort to accommodate after we let him know that we didn't like one of the wines. In total the meal came to just over $430 with tip. All in all I enjoyed the meal but will likely not return anytime soon. The food was good but the meal in my opinion did not justify all the hype. Worth checking out but go in with your expectations in check. read more

Loved everything about the 3 hour experience. The staff, food and overall atmosphere were phenomenal. There's a casual elegance about the place - from the napkin selection to the plating (and stunning china / barware) and the personalized menu to take home at the end of the meal. I mentioned a walnut allergy during the confirmation phone call and the waiter confirmed the table would be walnut free when we arrived. About 2hours into the amazing meal, before the dessert courses we were asked if we wanted to add the cheese plate - when it arrived it happened to have walnuts on it. I mentioned the allergy and the waiter immediately whisked the plate away while apologizing profusely, this was followed up by most of the staff who attended to us that night apologizing INCLUDING Patrick Kriss!! The staff is just amazing. Definitely Toronto's best fine dining experience and will definitely return (if we can get a reservation!) read more

This place is amazing! We were blown away by the food and service. We had the extended tasting menu with wine pairing. Each dish was plated with care - the attention to detail was strong. When we ordered tea at the end, they gave us a sand timer so we can steep our tea for the perfect amount of time. The value cannot be beat... ~$195 for tasting and wine pairing (equivalent to 4 glasses of wine!). Why wonder this place is fully booked 60 days in advance. If you want to come here for a bday, book WAY ahead. They gave my bf a little chocolate cake dessert with a candle for his bday. read more

Alo Restaurant - Perfect tea steeper timer - Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Great atmosphere and food! Not sure if this is a michelin star restaurant now but it is one of the top rated restaurants in the world. It took a long time to get a reservation here, almost a year but it was worth the wait. They put out available booking dates at the beginning of every month (tuesday?). We got the chefs table, $165 pp. Didn't like everything for the 13 courses, partially my taste buds are kinda picky but my bf loved everything! So well taken care of, the service and experience exceeded my expectation. Will be coming here again with friends! read more

Alo knows that they are frickn awesome!! and they are!! I traveled from Edmonton, AB to Toronto and the first thing on my list of 'to do items' was to attend the best tasting menu in Toronto. I did not attend because I was hungry, I wanted an adventure into taste and luxury. This restaurant did not disappoint my adventurous tour of cuisine. Julia Childs would not be disappointed and I was delighted and entertained by each course I was served. The service is world class, if I had a vote I would vote this restaurant for a Michelin Star award, The discipline is quite evident and mastery of each adventurous taste was amazing. I knew my sight that all ingredients were of superior quality including the Isigny Creme Fraiche from France. This is the closest to France that I will ever get, I highly recommend a jump into European cuising by attending this place just for the ambiance. read more

Alo Restaurant - Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I've had the privilege of some pretty amazing gastronomic experiences in my lifetime. Paris, Portugal, North East Australia at Nautilus with a 3 month waiting list and this is absolutely up there! We didn't have reservations but I took my brother for his birthday to the bar which offers an a la carte. From the moment we arrived everything was perfect! Cara, our server, took time to explain everything and we ended up pairing wines with every dish. We've now booked for the whole Tasting Menu experience on April 19, my birthday, and I can't wait! read more

My review is going to be like Alo's kitchen: Clean and appreciative of food. It is an experience to watch the kitchen in action. From watching each stationed chef work on each dish in a spotless kitchen, to seeing extra flecks of salt and inadequate sprigs being removed manually from the plate before it's brought to you, it is a real dining pleasure. It did not feel like 3 hours: Time flies when you're having fun. read more

We were there for a dinner to celebrate friend's birthday. After reading all the reviews online, my expectation is very high. I am a huge fan of splendido, and I expect alo to be better. The food is good, but none of a course gave me a 'wow'... that's the reason for 4 star.. Consider the price $ 89 vs splendido $180... I think alo still worth to try. read more

It's a beautiful restaurant but overpriced. The spinach stuffed chicken was delicious and it's a must have! I love the texture of this dish from the baked chicken with a bit of crisp skin, flavourful little bites of round pasta and bacon combined with This beautiful purée that just dances in your mouth. The duck pizza with potatoes mediocre - there any many places with better stone oven baked pizza in the city nowadays. The grilled octopus was slightly over cooked unfortunately. read more

See all

The entire experience from walking in to being seated and the wait staff very well trained and understand fine dining. Excellent Food, beautiful space, certainly worth the price. read more

The Anticipation We were told by my boyfriend's friend that THIS is the restaurant to go to, at least if you are from Toronto. He raved about it as the most godly restaurant and experience ever. We were obviously blown away. It seems like he has visited many other restaurants in the past, especially those that were in fine dining and it gave us some hope. We love eating. Not like we are amazing critics ourselves, but we couldn't wait to make our mark at Alo. The reservation process is deadly, we had to wait 3 months before our scheduled spot. Believe it or not, it's like buying tickets to a Beyonce concert, every night at 12am I'm on OpenTable trying to get the next available time slot. To my dismay, the only time I could get was at 9:30pm. What a bummer. On the night of our reservation, Toronto was blessed with the worst weather ever lol. Anyhow, we were freezing and tried to stay indoors as long as possible at a Toronto library. When we finally stepped foot into the restaurant, we were relieved. But even though we arrived early (15 minutes prior), we still have to wait a bit before our table was ready - and that's okay. It seems like they were well equipped to serve people who came in early, small cushions near the window with a nicely lit bar in the middle. Service This is where I will say I agree with the majority. Service was great, I love everyone's attitude and attention to detail. At points throughout our stay, I did find it a little overwhelming that so many different individuals were contributing to our night. From one girl handing out our napkins, to a completely different person cleaning table, and finally our waiter (who was my fave btw) that zipped in and out throughout the night. Don't fret, I'm not complaining, it was unique, but I'm a little traditional and wish we had less people serving us throughout the night. With less people, I felt I could probably make a better connection. Anyhow, service is still good, and I would give them lots of points for this. Food How do I put it? It was a letdown, is that too harsh? No, I don't think so. While the artsy part of the dishes were obvious in each of the dishes, the taste was forgettable. It's like going to a gourmet burger place, only to be served with a Wendy's cheeseburger. Just because it looks better, doesn't mean it actually tastes good. I can tell that the chefs put a lot of effort into arranging the design, but do they know that the combination does not blend? Most of the dishes were either too sour or too salty. At one point, I couldn't even finish my meal because the sauce was so overwhelming, a pity. Don't get me wrong, all the dishes were edible. But for the price we were paying, edible doesn't cut it. When I come into a restaurant like this, I'm expecting to be wowed. I want something no less than my experience dining at Jacobs or Auberge du Pommier. I'm not expecting a Michelin Star experience, and I've had that in New York just a few days ago (which by the way Alo cannot match with their current dishes). I do not want to sound like I hate this restaurant, but I do have a few pointers. And obviously, I'm not a great chef so perhaps someone else can point out to me how I am clearly missing the target. But when food is too sour, too salty, that to me is not meeting my expectations. read more

I just finished writing this review but somehow it got lost along the way. Absolutely amazing! A 10 star. From beginning to end. No stones left unturned. Chef Patrick Kriss is a genius. Superb. Fantastic pairing. An experience of a lifetime. Highly recommend. Best food and service ever experienced. Love, love, love. Truly an adventure. Bravo to all ! Patrick you have arrived! Had an out of body experience of that can apply to food. Excellent. Perfection! read more

Alo Restaurant - Wow! Masterpiece! Art! - Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

One of the best meals of my life. Went for my birthday and was blown away by the quality and creativity of the dishes and the servers were highly attentive. Left full but not uncomfortably so. Highly recommended. read more

Alo Restaurant - The tasting menu not including the dessert. - Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Absolutely above and beyond expectations. The best restaurant experience I've had, from hospitality to dishes. All in all excellent. It's not surprising to see that alo is considered as one of, if not, the best restaurant in Canada. read more

I've dined here once and have been to the bar multiple times since and it's seems to be getting progressively worse. The hidden bathroom door is also very annoying and cumbersome. 4.5-stars for the dining and wine pairing experience. The hostesses, management and bartender are excellent. 1-star for the experience with the annoyingly obnoxious bar staff. read more

Great dining experience - definitely lived up to the hype! Service was top notch. I would recommend skipping the wine pairing.

Best restaurant in Toronto so far, very well thought out and executed food. Can't go wrong with the chef's table or regular menu here. read more

See all

Over the top!!! Amazing service that I have never experienced anywhere else. From the presentation of the food, knowledgeable and explanation of the food items to the attention to detail- this is a 10 out of 5 place. I got a reservation through a friend after waiting for months and it was worth every penny. The wine pairings with the courses was a must-do! My favorite part was the menu sealed as a takeaway souvenir. Classy doesn't even describe it well. Not surprised that this has been Canada's top restaurant. Bravo team Alo! read more

We booked Alo Bar 3 months in advance and my partner made the trip specifically on those dates to try it out and it was a HUGE disappointment!! The menu is poor, we didn't find anything appealing and the selection is very limited. Definitely not at the level of its reputation. We had to take a hard stop and finished our dinner somewhere else since we were still hungry (after an expensive bill) . The food was nothing spectacular, we have seen better else where in Toronto and in other cities in Canada. The atmosphere is very basic. Not worth the waiting. The service was good though. read more

I hate writing negative reviews, but again, I have never been asked to leave because there is a party waiting. Don't get me wrong, the food was fantastic, the wine amazing. But there was an ultimate anti-climax to an otherwise almost perfect food service and dining experience. My dinner started at 6pm, with a much anticipated pre-fix menu. Around 8:30pm, I settled my tap, and was enjoying the remaining glass of wine, I was intruded by a staff who "kindly" asked us to wrap up because someone has a reservation at 8:30 and been waiting for our table. I am not upset because the restaurant is busy and i am happy they are doing well. it's the way they handle this that stops be from ever going back again. I have dine out a lot and a 2.5 hours dining time was not unusual. Should there be a heads-up by their staff that there was a time limit to dinner serving at the very beginning, I will be completely OK with it. Otherwise, what they were essentially saying was "you need to get out of here now, because you are stopping us from making more money." i suppose I was more shocked than disappointed at the end. read more

Honestly the server was amazing, but to get seated took about 15 min of us walking around trying to find someone to seat us or find an empty table. And the ordered food took about 20 min to come out, I understand that the beef takes a while to cook and the ranch sauce too half an hour to even arrive to the table. The manager on duty saw us struggling with all these issues and didn't really offered a help instead decided to ignore us and walk away! However again I will say our server was amazing!! I would love to come back just for her! read more

Alo is one of my favorite places to have dinner. Though reservations are usually a pain to obtain. The food tells a story throughout the meal, enter the restaurant hungry because by the time you leave you will be full not just with your stomach with your taste buds satisfied. read more

Alo isnt about eating. If your hungry, go somewhere else. Alo is about an experience. It's about tasting the mind of a young, highly skilled, highly talented chef, as he reaches for the ultimate heights of his culinary abilities. It's a sensual adventure, pushing your palate beyond its comfort and redefining your taste buds. It's about sharing a special moment with a loved one or a group of friends. The dinner will change you as a diner, your perspective about food and wine and your expectations of what a well run, well oiled, dining experience should be. First of all I'm not a chef, so much of what was offered to me on the plate was beyond my understanding. But the textures, precision, complexity and balance of each plate were more than obvious to even a layman like myself. Each bite was like little champagne bubbles bursting on different parts of my tongue. From the delicate petit-fours that were offered to us at the start of our meal, too our final course of a rich, creamy, luscious, dark chocolate and mint dessert, our tastes buds were constantly being challenged and rewarded. Not every bite was personally pleasing. The Pacific Halibut was perfectly cooked and purposefully under seasoned, so that it could combine with the silky smooth emulsion. Unfortunately it just didn't work for me but the lady at the next table was overjoyed with the dish. But that is the beauty and challenge of a tasting menu. Too appreciate new flavours and confirm those tastes that you may never appreciate. Please, please, please order the wine pairing. The quality, quantity and innovation of the pairings (who ever expected a Madeira in the middle of their meal too work so well) is an eye opener and at just $65 a person, maybe the best value on any menu in the city. Christopher our Somm, brought an academic charm and understanding too our meal, that my wife and I both appreciated. The service is truly impeccable. Everything was quietly but efficiently, taken care of. From a napkin being replaced before I had a chance too ask, too our water glasses always being full. The service at Alo is about understanding the needs of the customer before the customer even knows what those needs are. Thanks too Tracy and the tall, slim, bespectacled young lady, whose name we never got, for adding so much more too our experience. read more

This team deserves at least 2 Michelin stars! Excellent service and world class food. Wonderful presentation and taste.

TBH it's a little over-rated but the food is good quality. I don't find the menu comes together as well as prix fixe served elsewhere. Our server was wonderful, he was clearly experienced, as was the sommelier, but some of the other younger staff came across as snooty and unapproachable. I felt the presentation of napkins and selection process a bit unnecessary, along with the magazine it was borderline pretentious. read more

Probably one of the better restaurants in Toronto. I'd move it into my top 2 along with Veloute and move Momofuku to #3 after the last time I went. You'll need to make a reservation well in advance. Try to sit at the kitchen table which is kind of a bar overlooking the kitchen because those seats forces you to have something like a 16 course tasting menu instead of a 12 or 13 course tasting menu if you sit at the table. You also get to see how the chef's make the food and hear how the kitchen works. There are technically 6 seats. However, every Saturday, there is always the same heavier set Indian guy who is always eating there by himself so there's really only 5 seats available. And this is EVERY Saturday. We came here for my dad's birthday so my sister made a reservation well in advance. The entrance to the restaurant is super super hard to find as there isn't really any signs outside. Just a single, un-decorated glass door so you kind of need to know what you're looking for. However, if you do find it, once you get past this door, there is a darker hallway with a hostess at the other end who will direct you to an elevator to the 3rd floor. Once you get up there, there's another hostess who will take you to your seats. The first room is their main bar with an a la carte menu option. If you can't get a table, then you can eat in the bar area. The food there looked pretty good as the chefs were cooking it but the main star is the 16 course tasting menu. The food itself was very good. I wouldn't say Michelin star quality yet but close. The service was good as well, still not Michelin star quality but close. The waiter messed up our order of wine and the 'sommelier' had to go back to their storage to get the correct bottle. I think the storage is on the 2nd floor as she was gone a lot longer that I thought. The only thing that I didn't like was that when they served the fish, they gave it to us with the skin on. However, they didn't completely remove all the scales on the fish skin which is a big no-no if you're going to serve a piece of fish with the skin on. I pulled 2 scales out of my mouth and my dad had one as well. He also had a sizable piece of bone in his filet which should have been removed. However, this would be my only gripe. There were plenty of desserts and they even did something special for my dad with a nice happy birthday message on the plate for him which was greatly appreciated. The price-wise, this is one of the more expensive restaurants in Toronto so be prepared to drop a pretty penny. Especially if you're going to do the wine-pairing option. That being said, I can definitely see myself coming back. read more

We sat at the chefs table and the dishes were very creative and tasty (which is not easy to find the combination of the two). The only thing is when we called for reservation, the person who answered the phone said the only table we could have would be chefs table. However, when we arrived at the restaurant, we were told "chefs table" is more expensive than regular salon, which surprised us a little as no one has mentioned it at all. I also thought it was a bit expensive, nut the overall experience was great! read more

I was at Alo for a belated Valentines day dinner with my wife. Yes, it took me months to finally get a seating and I had to use the help of my AMEX card concierge service for the reservation. It was definately worth the wait as this was one of the best meals I have ever had. The food was beautiful, imaginative, inspired and innovative. The flavours and textures of the food were unique and made to perfection. You are aware of the ingredients and at times it did not make sense but it delightfully worked out. Every bite just lit up my taste buds and got their complete and undivided attention. My wife concurred. The service was impeccable. There were no pretensions in the servers at all. They serve you with a smile, assist you, explain the food and wine to you. You can feel the attentiveness in the air at Alo. You can feel it is a serious place but only because your satisfaction is taken seriously at Alo. My wife went to the washroom and they folded her napkin and the servers always made sure our table was spotless. Someone was always available for us yet they were never intrusive whilst doing so. Alo is the epitome of fine dining in my opinion and I am glad we have them in Toronto. In my opinion it is fine dining at not fine dining prices. Our meal came to a total of just over $300 and that included a drink pairing for my wife, two drinks for me and a coffee. I am not trying to brag but I left a $100 tip because I really felt the experience was worth much more. Honestly, I would have been happy to pay more. Try your best to experience Alo, it is worth the wait and cost. read more

Sooooo DISAPPOINTED I went to alo with another couple about a month ago. We had tried to get reservations for such a long time so we were very excited to go. Unfortunately, the experience ended with me understanding exactly why this place will never be a Michelin Star restaurant. The food was mostly good, although I thought it was going to be better. However, after about 3 hours and with 3 more courses to go, the host or whoever she was came up to us and told us that we were over our sitting limit and that we would have to be moved to the bar. She wasn't particularly nice about it and told us that we should have known about the seating limit. However, we were never told of this limit and had no way of knowing. We were really disappointed with the treatment and had to finish our very expensive meal at the bar. If they wanted us out in 3 hours, they may have considered serving us faster or letting us know we are not allowed to get up from the table. And to top it off, the next morning both my partner and I woke up at 6am not feeling great at all. Both our stomachs were very unhappy with us. Our friends told us they both had stomach aches. Between the 4 of us, we paid probably the equivalent of someone's monthly rent and to not be treated that nicely at the restaurant AND be sick the next day is unacceptable. SAVE YOUR MONEY AND GO TO A REAL 5 STAR RESTAURANT. read more

Amazing experience. Great night with an engaging menu and well - paired drinks. A must try in Toronto.

If I could give this place a michellin star I would!!! Best meal ive had in a very very long time!! Exquisite!! Love love love this place!!

Extremely small bite restaurant. Didn't find their dishes that creative. The featured beef dish wasn't cooked as ordered. Service was slightly inexperienced, especially the wine service. The red wine ordered was served too warm. Ambiance was uninspiring and please note the restaurant had poor signage. Enjoy Toronto. read more

Alo is a spectacular restaurant. The best, by a significant margin, in Toronto, and truly one of the best in North America. 18 months into a two year sojourn in Toronto, we have struggled a little to find restaurants that compare in quality and creativity to what we have enjoyed in San Francisco. While Toronto prides itself on its dining scene, we've found many places that are good, but few that are exceptional, and often feel that there is an over-reliance on the space and image rather than nailing the more complex combination of elements that define excellence. We have tried hard, and consistently worked through various lists of the top rated restaurants in the city. For the context of this review, our favorites prior to our visiting Alo have been Dandylion, Edulis, and at the other end of the spectrum, Patois and Playa Hacienda. We ate at Alo's chef's table this week: a small bar/counter facing the open kitchen that seats six side by side. The entrance to the (upstairs) restaurant is wonderfully unobtrusive, a pleasant change in a city that often values street presence and high styled architecture. There is no pretense in the outer wrapper here. Once seated, it was immediately apparent that Alo was somewhere special. A choice of napkin was a unique little opener that pleased my wife, who noted that white linens often leave lint on black clothing. It was smart and beautifully executed. The front of house staff - the gentleman I believe was the maitre d' - was superb - understated, professional yet welcoming in a manner that one only finds in the very best restaurants. I will struggle for the words, but is no pretense, just warm, welcoming professionalism. You know it when you see it and it feels exactly right. The kitchen staff, working in front of us, were similar - quietly effective, engaged and busy - each with a clear sense of purpose. Not a lot of talking, just focused efficiency and obvious pride. We enjoyed the wine pairings with dinner, and the wine choices were not only creative and interesting, but delivered with wonderful passion and enthusiasm by the sommelier. This is not a place that needs or wants you to be drinking thousand dollar burgundies to enjoy your meal. The wine selections were thoughtful and beautifully suited to the food, and we came away with an expanded vision of what we might consider at our own table. The food? Just perfect. I can't provide the litany of tastes and flavors that we had in what was at least a dozen courses, but let me just say that it flowed perfectly, included some spectacular tastes, and was just the right amount of food. Chef Patrick Kriss is beautifully creative and in our meal, found just the right weight and subtlety in each dish to leave you dazzled but satiated. There were no weak plates in the meal. The staff interaction, by numerous members of the team, as one would see at a Keller or Daniel Patterson restaurant, was flawlessly executed. The music, a perfect soundtrack homage to Kriss's rocking Scarburian roots. The meal reminded us in many ways of our early experiences at Saison in San Francisco - a unique combination of understatement with spectacularly creative, beautifully executed food. The professionalism and excellence of the restaurant made less intimidating by the Fleetwood Mac soundtrack. Saison vaulted from nowhere to two Michelin stars, and now, with an architectural minimalist venue to match, three stars. That Saison could dethrone The French Laundry as the Bay Area's top restaurant is a testimony to the subtlety involved in delivering one of the best meals you have ever had in a venue and forum in which you immediately feel comfortable. Patrick Kriss has that touch. Michelin may not have Canada in their world view, but make no mistake, he is destined for great things. read more

With so many glowing reviews, and being the hardest table to get in the country I was super excited to go and expected to be blown away, but Alo blew it for me. Two boring fish appetizers, two meat courses that were bland and too chewy, a burrata cheese course I could have prepared myself, and one dessert I didn't want to finish (I'm a dessert fanatic). Michelin star quality? Not near the ones I've been to. Amazing service for sure, but the atmosphere in the restaurant isn't the best. High quality ingredients, and tasty dishes, but I could have gotten high quality and great taste for a fraction of the price somewhere else. read more

We stopped in and had the small plates in the bar. The food was outstanding and the service was excellent. I would highly recommend this restaurant and would return. In fact the next time I am in Toronto I will make sure to book a reservation ahead of time. From the small plates in the bar I had the steak, asparagus and a cheese dish for desert. All of it was outstanding and the server took the time to explain our dishes and answer all of our question. read more

It was very cold in the restaurant so I had my jacket over my shoulder and the server offered me a shawl. That felt very heart warming. 5 stars for service. Food was 4 star - only if I were to compare it with other top-notch restaurants out of the country. read more

Excellent food. Excellent service. Atmosphere was really good . It's extremely difficult to make a reservation at this restaurant. But it's definitely worth it. read more

Had tried this place last year. It was a hidden surprise!! Should have gotten Michelin stars!

Well it's hard to put into words how seamless and delicious our dinner was. Imagine a very well oiled machine working at the height of its power- that's the staff at Alo. Everyone was genuinely pleasant and nice, worked together and provided a service that is hard to explain- you just have to experience it. The sommelier is incredibly knowledgeable and interesting, the wine pairings were perfect. Our server Tomasz, was attentive, and I felt like he genuinely cared about our experience. Everyone in the restaurant is there for YOU. Wow, it's seriously hard to explain how well they work together. The food was on another level. It's not that each dish tasted great, it's that the dishes in the tasting menu all made sense. It was a performance, not just a meal. They were also very accommodating and understanding of dietary restrictions. And they had my coat ready before saying goodbye. I've actually never experience such proactive and smooth service in a restaurant. Clearly they are doing something right, the staff is like family and the food is unmatched. read more