YUM. Fresh pastries and flaky croissants. Lunch time here is busy. It's not like you can make a reservation, but come early to grab a table. We came for lunch on a weekday around 12pm and my friend was lucky enough to get a table in the corner. Lots on the menu on the wall (specials) and in my hand, but I opted for the specials - the Chedder and Smoked Bacon Tart. What's a tart exactly?? Some cross between a quiche and a pot pie. It was really tasty, and hearty. Flakyness (in a good way) exceeded expectations. Came with a tasty salad. I know this is so bad for me, but I want to come and buy some pastries here one day. Special treat perhaps. Hopefully one day will be able to try the brunch. There's always a line up out the door. read more

Bonjour Brioche is the right way to start any weekend morning. I had heard about the notorious line-ups at Bonjour Brioche. Having not eaten anything in preparation for brunch, I was hoping and praying that the wait would not be so long that my stomach would start drumming. I already have enough "awkward moment" stories in my repertoire to recount thank you very much! Street parking is free, which is a bonus. We arrived around 11:30AM, and there was a line-up outside the door. The wait was shorter than I expected, and having experienced hour-long lineups at the Hoof Café, the 15-minute wait at Bonjour Brioche was a blessing. We happened to walk past Lady Marmalade en route to Bobbette & Belle after brunch, and the line-up was Hoof Café-esque... That's another "to try" for me. We nabbed a seat on their heated patio which was neat as the weather was quite nice on Sunday. I sat directly underneath the heater, and felt as if someone were holding a torch up to my back. The server did say that if it was too hot she could turn it off, but I'd rather be too warm than too cold so I didn't request it. I ended up ordering a Mango Mimosa, since I was heading over to the Koffee Krawl UYE after, and my DC ordered a coffee. The Mimosa was bubbly and refreshing, and it was more champagne than juice, which was generous. Nothing worse than drinking a 2:1 juice to champagne ratio mimosa... The cup was adorned with a piece of star fruit, which made for great presentation. The drink itself contained 2 blackberries. We opted for the Caramelized Fig & Blue Cheese Tart, which came with a serving of their famous baguette, a monstrous slab of butter, and a mixed greens salad. To satisfy our sweet tooth, we ordered the French Toast w/ Maple Syrup and Fruit. The Blue Cheese Tart was quite creamy. However, I found the figs had an almost burnt flavour to them. The tart pastry seemed to have the crispiness of phyllo pastry and the buttery goodness of a pie crust. I do feel however, that the blue cheese was a little understated in the dish. The side salad was absolutely delicious! My DC and I were sitting and trying to figure out for the longest time what vinaigrette was being used and we just could not figure it out! Upon questioning the server, we were informed that it was made with: rice wine vinegar, basil, canola oil, garlic, salt and pepper. It is THE best vinaigrette I have ever tasted. It is also available for sale at the front counter. Since I was going to be heading to the Koffee Krawl, I didn't want to carry it, but will definitely stop by for a bottle when I'm in the area next time. The baguette was extra crusty, and is one of the freshest I have tasted in Toronto. I ended up buying a loaf for my mom because she loves baguettes! The French Toast w/ Maple Syrup was made with an apple-cinnamon brioche bread, dusted with icing sugar with a slightly caramelized crust. The flavours were evenly distributed in the bread, and it was bursting with eggy and buttery goodness. The fruit that came with consisted of: plum, grapefruit, cantaloupe and blueberries. You must must must order this if you brunch at Bonjour Brioche! I would highly recommend BB as a brunch spot. I don't get out to this part of town often, but now I think I have an excuse to! If you don't like getting dinged with withdrawal fees, then remember to bring cash, as that is the only accepted method of payment. But if you really do forget, there is an ATM at the bottom of the stairs by the washrooms for your convenience. read more

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This is a dirty little place where the service is bad, the attitude from the wait staff is uncalled for, the food is mediocre at best and the clientele look like they are on break from an Abercrombie commercial. Everyone looks and dressed the same, no creativity. I'm not sure what the attraction is and I often wonder how a place like this could possibly get good reviews. How can the patrons have such limited exposure in a city like Toronto and think this place is good. I blame it on what I call the MacDonald's Generation, raised on MacDonald's so anything taste good because their taste buds are tainted. I felt like I walked onto a set of the stepford wives. No emotion on anyones face. I know this sounds harsh but I'm describing what I experienced. I'm not making this up. The food preparation area looks dirty. "shaking my head" read more

I want to like it here. I didn't show up being a hater, I swear. The good: - Their food is good. It's actually very good. - Their baguette is inexpensive for this area. The bad: - The service for take out is terrible. - The person at the cash register ignores me consistently. - The servers cut me in line and the cashier cashes out their bills consistently. - I can say hello as many times as I want to the people behind the counter and it doesn't mean they will serve me. - My complaint is pretty much the service which is terrible every time I come here. Would I go here again? Yes. But only because there are no sandwich shops in Leslieville. If there was a competitor - I would never set foot in Bonjour Brioche again. read more

Alright everyone, easy with the haterade. This place is good, 5 star good. It has great food, and hey look it's a bakery & cafe, not a restaurant. If people are poo-pooing it with low reviews, complaining about limited seating, you're soured by your own expectations instead of being open to the wonderful experience at hand. I know, I know, those are fighting words. To back them up I present to the jury the following facts: 1. I typically don't bother reviewing places if they have more than 10 reviews, but I'm reviewing it anyway because it's that good. 2. I'm reviewing it 7 months after I was last there as I still think about it because it's that good. 3. Oh, I also ate there three days in a row and canceled other Toronto home town travel stuff to do so because it's that good. 4. I have taken to looking at home prices in the area pondering if I sold my place in Vancouver, and moved to Toronto, how often could I eat there because it's that good. Really, just go and yes I'll be jealous of you. read more

Sadly, my regular BCo (Brunch Companion) has left Toronto, westbound back to her home city of Vancouver. I'll miss you and our culinary adventures!! In her memory (haha), I thought I'd review one of our first brunch stops, and her favourite. I live on the far west end of the city, so to be willing to go all the way to Leslieville for brunch shows the trust I put in my BCo when she told me that this is her favourite brunch spot in all of Toronto. Okay, really, who am I kidding - I'm always willing to go out of my way for great food. I arrived and was a little confused about where I was supposed to enter the restaurant. Even after finding the door, I thought I might be at the wrong one. But, my BCo spotted me and waved from her table. I was very glad that we had decided to continue our tradition of arriving at opening, because by the time we left there was a line out the door (and this was in the middle of winter!). The main thing I remember is how delicious the French toast was. I've said in a recent review that I'm usually disappointed when I select a sweet option - this was an exception. Generous, hearty, delicious. That's how I would describe the plate that was put in front of me. I was disappointed that they couldn't (wouldn't?) accommodate my request to have no melon in my accompanying fruit salad. Melon is an evil fruit that infects its flavour into everything it touches. I'm not a fan. Apparently their fruit is pre-mixed so I was out of luck. But back to the French toast. It was raisin brioche bread, dipped in French toast batter and fried...then covered in real maple syrup. It was divine. It almost made me forgive the melon on my plate...almost. The café itself was cute, but not a lot of tables for a place that's so popular. I noticed that you could also bakery items, and was told by my friend that their bread is fantastic. All in all, delicious French toast, cute atmosphere, okay service, but it should really have a better waiting system and the inability to customize my order slightly bothered me. What if I was allergic? Oh, and please note: cash only! read more

Overall experience: 9/10 Food: 9/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Service: 10/10 Yelp must have some holy influence on the food community in Toronto, because after reading scathing reviews of the (lack of) service in this place, I expected to go and find rude, unaccommodating staff. However, the staff at Bonjour Brioche were lovely in nature, put the customer first, and overall helped make the experience! The baguette here is a must try. Anything with a baguette really. I had a breakfast sandwich with scrambled eggs, cheese, and proscuitto. The baguette was fresh, deliciously crunchy and soft at the same time. Perfection! It will be a bit of a wait - we arrived at 2:30 on a Saturday (they close at 4) and still had to wait for about 25 minutes. That being said, we did turn down the opportunity to eat on the heated patio outside - it was freezing! THE BOTTOM LINE: service has taken a turn for the better and the baguettes/food here is worth the wait! read more

I was very exited about this place after reading all the amazing reviews. I drove from st Clair and yonge to thins place because I thought it was gonna be a great experience. It was not. Let me star you with: no AC, inside or out, nothing, it's the end of summer the day I went it was 30 degrees, well, it's not fun to eat and sweat at the same time. We sat in the patio, it was actually hotter inside than out. If you are tall it's gonna be very uncomfortable eating cuz the tables are super short and you are sitting in wood. There's spider webs in several places which it makes me think they don't clean. Ok so I went there for the food right? Well don't bother, most of the "specials" were sold out and the food was plain, even the coffee tasted very diluted. The only item that we enjoyed were the tarts (sweet tarts) but that was it, never coming back. read more

Very disappointed. The croissant that everyone is raving about was good but I was not amazed like everyone else was. Perhaps the bar was set too high? It was SO slow. From the time we sat it took an hour for our food to get to us. Fifteen minutes of that was waiting to take our order. It was a Saturday brunch but from the looks of it most tables had already been served so I can't think of a reason why the kitchen would be so backed up. Which led me to believe that the kitchen must be so small that they must be getting slammed in there. So I went to the washroom to peer inside out of curiosity. I was wrong. The kitchen was actually quite big and not much was going on in there. On top of that there is a separate bakery in the basement. So my idea of kitchen space being a problem was incorrect. When we finally did get our food my girlfriend's order was taken wrong. She specifically asked for her eggs to be poached hard because she does not like yoke. And the hollandaise was lacking in seasoning yet was sweet. Over all a bad experience. read more

We woke up hungry and hungover yesterday, so we decided to hit up Bonjour Brioche for a meal big and delicious enough to soak up the alcohol of the night before. There were three of us, and we arrived at BB around 1:00pm, and saw a line up. Surprisingly, this line moved quickly and we were given a table less than 10mins into our wait. The server came around and told us the drink specials, and then left while we looked at the menus and made up our minds. We decided on the Spicy bacon sandwich with avocado and tomato, the croque madame, poached eggs with hollandaise and smoked salmon, and baked french toast for the table to share. We also got 2 pomegranate mimosas, two cappuccinos and 2 croissants to nosh on while we waited for the massive amounts of food that we ordered. We were seating in the patio (not by choice) and it was chilly, so when we saw a table closer to the entrance become available, we decided to switch. We asked the waitress and she became visibly annoyed that we'd wanted to move. But we were cold! She sighed loudly and said "fine, I'll clean it". Our cappuccino's came out a few minutes later, along with our mimosas, but no croissants. The waitress then disappeared, and did not come back until a few minutes later with out respective plates. We asked about the croissant's and were told that she'd go check on them. Now, on to the food: The Croque Madame was OK. This is basically 2 slices of brioche with smoked ham and Gruyere, and a fried egg on top. The brioche was dry and a bit mealy, and there wasn't enough Gruyere to actually make a difference on the taste. Not impressed. On a more positive note, the greens were fresh and the vinaigrette light and delicious, I really enjoyed it. The Spicy Bacon Sandwich: This was frigging' good! I really liked it. Fresh baguette, with salty bacon, fresh tomatoes and ripe avocado, yum!! Totally delicious. The Poached Eggs with Hollandaise and Smoked Salmon: Also OK. I wasn't impressed with the Hollandaise, it was lemony and not terrible, but it also didn't knock my socks off, like I was expecting. I was a bit disappointed. However, I'm not sure if this is my own fault as maybe I'm just not ever really impressed by breakfast items. So I've decided to make a commitment to trying out a new brunch/breakfast spot every week and see if there's any out there that can really blow me away. I'll report. The french toast: Yummmmmmmmmm.....absolutely mind blowing delicious goodness! This was purrrfect! We were meant to share it amongst the 3 of us, but I ended up eating most of it. Moist, sweet enough but not cloying, cinnamony, and caramely. Just divine! I'm salivating just thinking of it! The fruit it came with was pretty gross ( bitter cantaloupe, 2 grapes and mushy watermelon cubes). And if this had come with fresh berries or any other *fresh* fruit, it would had been THAT much better. The mimosas were good, and the cappuccinos had chocolaty goodness on them, but were lukewarm when served to us, and I like my coffee hot. At the end of our meal, a different waiter came by with a tray of tarts and gave us a description of each and asked us if we wanted any. We were stuffed at this point, but couldn't resist trying at least one. We got the sour cherry tart, and it was meh. The filling was a bit mushy, and the cherries weren't tart enough. The croissants we asked for never came, and they also didn't show up on our bill, which is good. However, I wasn't impressed with the fact that our server never did find out what happened to them. We would have asked for them to go, but at this point we were too full to be able to imagine eating them, and we didn't want them to become soggy before we got to them. All in all, the food was ok. 2 really good dishes, and 2 lacklustre ones. I do want to try out BB again, but next time I want to have their beef bourguignon, which the guy on the table next to us got and it looked delicious! Also, I really want to try their quiches and other sweet tarts. I'll return, but I'll be staying away from anything too "breakfasty". read more

I've been in here many times since my first review - and it is always top-notch. Last two times there has been this new waitress, and she is spec-fucking-tacular. So so so sweet, chatty but not invasive, and remembers you between your visits (then again, who wouldn't remember moi?). We came in this week for a late lunch and on our way out she gave us two free baguettes. What a sweetie! Try the fig tart if you don't normally get savory items with figs. I also tried the asparagus and brie tart - and it was deadly good. It's the perfect meal really - omelette/other egg item, salad with amazing dressing, and baguette with nice spreadable butter. If you have space I'd suggest cramming in a croissant or a sweet tart. Everything is delicious! Remember - cash only!! And I have never hit up a line on a weekday. read more

I'm taking away a star, because the past few times I've visited, the service has been unacceptably poor. and noticeably worse than it was when I first started visiting a year and a half ago. Recent 'final straws' for me: - Waiting 45 minutes for our order and receiving a silent shrug of the shoulders and walk-away from the server when I politely pointed this out to him when the food finally arrived. - I asked this morning how much a special was and was told $10.50. I ordered the item based on that price as I am on a super-tight budget right now with a major holiday coming up. When I got the bill after eating the special item, the special ended up being $13.50. As if the server didn't know that when he quoted me the price. It's douchebaggery like this that will turn me into a take-out-only customer from now on. (Fear not, the food is still outstanding) Judging from the many recent reviews below criticising the service, it seems I'm not the only one feeling this way. And maybe it's just me, but it seems that the place is less full now than it was a year ago. And their overall Yelp rating has shot way down. Are the staff* deliberately told to be aloof and arrogant because they think that's the authentic French way, or something?! That's probably the reason behind their stupid cash-only policy, too. Ah, that's how they do it in France, apparently. Rubbish. Their desire to be authentic is losing them dine-in customers. (*there are a couple of very nice girls who work here, I don't want to tar them all with the same brush) read more

Best croissants in town. Huge pieces of quiche, big bowls of brunch-y-ness. I started with a baguette and butter and jam. Then, I had a gorgeous fig and blue cheese tart. The tarts and quiches change with what is available. Ingredients are top notch! I agree with other posters. Do not come with your five best friends. All the couples will get seats before you and you'll just stress out over when that other table of 5 is leaving. Get take out and go to the local parks or shops along this cute block of Queen E. Coffee is the only thing that does not stand out as something to remember. read more

Four co-coworkers decided to visit my area for breakfast on my day off. I recommended that we go to Bonjour Brioche, because I like the food. Lady Marmalade is more consistent that Bonjour Brioche, but the lines there are just too long. The food is the only reason that this review isn't 1 star. The service was again horrible. We had to sit outside in very cold weather. That hasn't impacted the star rating. There were five of us, which is perhaps difficult to handle in a smaller place. I also discovered that Eggs Benedict is not available during the week - only weekends. That's too bad. I ended up going with the Croque Madame. It was delicious. The croissant that I ordered was also delicious. Two members of my group do not eat pork, and were challenged to find something to order. One of them got a salmon rosti dish. It was quite small on the plate, with no salad included as there is with other dishes. At the end of the meal he said that he was still hungry. What really ruined the experience for me was the surly service. The server was uninterested and at times rude. Given that I recommended this place, I was personally embarrassed. The members of my group commented that they probably won't come back. After a few experiences like this, I'm not sure if I will, either. Bonjour Brioche - Good food, with more selection on weekends, difficult to get a table for more than 2 people, and consistently bad service. Also, cash only. read more

Truly Parisian cafe. Excellent food. Some of the best croissants and breads in the city. But, living up to the stereotype of Parisian contemptible disinterest, the service is stubbornly deplorable. Despite being in the financial capital of the country with the highest per capita use of cards, only cash is accepted. Despite bring 25 minutes away from downtown, it opens too late in the morning for the average employed person to comfortably enjoy a weekday breakfast. Despite closing earlier than any other eatery in the city, arriving within the last 45 minutes of service will mean being subjected to the cleaning smells, sounds and the bustle of closing routines while the tables nearby are pressed into duty as work spaces. And, since you are daring to keep them from an early departure, expect contemptuous glares and further degradation of their normally low service quality. On our visit the server managed to get the order wrong, get it wrong again, arrive at our table while chewing food - I never realized what a turn off that could be, btw - and add additional unordered and undelivered items to our bill. Enjoy a true taste of Paris! read more

Brioche continues to be my fave destination for lunch when i am in the east end. This is my fourth visit to the lovely neighbourhood joint. We walked in and it was packed as usual, we were lucky to be seated right at the window. Their drink menu is solid, they have beer and wine, but i love their cocktails. Other then the Ceasar, all of the mixed drinks were $5, we chose the sangria. This drink can be hit or miss, but i was confident that this would be the former since i have had a such a lucky streak with this restaurant. The glass came to the table with a bevy of fruit a top, and my favourite part was the ice cubes. Now any lush would never have ice cubes, because that equals dilution. Brioche came up with the genius idea of freezing red wine with apricot brandy to create a booze cube, perfect. For lunch my sis and i split two sandwiches, the first was the RARE ROAST BEEF with BRIE AND GARLIC AIOLI ON A BAGUETTE. The sandwich is small but there is no filler, each component was executed perfectly. The homemade baguette was the perfect vehicle for the rare and tender roast beef. The melted brie pairs so well with the garlic, and it dint overpower the beef, it was delicious. The next was a daily special, the prosciutto sandwich with spinach, tomato, red onion, smoked provolone and mayo. This sandwich was opposite of the first, it was full of fresh vegetables and topped with meat and cheese. The original sandwich was suppose to come with salami, and i was disappointed but the prosciutto was a delicious substitution. The smoked provolone was a great choice of cheese, its presence was noticeable but not overpowering. The sandwich did come with a side salad, and my only complaint about Brioche is i find the salad is consistently overdressed and inconsistently mixed. Overall, i continue to be blown away with the originality of what they are producing, the specials are always inciting and delicious. Plus there are not many places in Toronto where you can eat out with a drink, tax and tip for under $20. read more

Bonjour Brioche - Rare Roast beef Sandwich with brie and garlic aioli. Proscuitto sandwich with smoked provolone, tomato, spinach, and mayo - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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To me, the popular neighourhood brunch spot Bonjour Brioche is overrated. On every weekend, rain or shine, there's ALWAYS a bloody long lineup, for crying out loud! Sometimes you can barely squeeze through the sidewalk and be on your way because the lineup is thick. Ugh! So one sunny free weekday, I did what any curious sucker would do: eat here for once and find out for myself. No lineups, for once. Phew! I had a peameal bacon sandwich, and it was a mouthful of fresh flavours on a tasty bun. But it didn't quite blow my mind. It's not something I would line up nearly an hour for. What really had me on a sour note was the service. Walked in and found an empty small table at the patio bench. Already I felt lonely. And it took maybe 10 minutes (at the verge of me walking out on an anticlimactic note), before a staff noticed that someone new had just conjured up and should be offered a drink and a menu. Whereas other parties in the patio were being attended to regularly, including two Japanese girls that sat beside me before I was even given a menu, I was largely ignored, even when I called for a server. I don't know; was it because I was dining alone? It took them 10 minutes to produce the bill, which I promptly took to the front to pay. Was going to bring it up with a manager, but I was running late. Comme ci, comme ça, I guess. Not a place I would be ecstatic to line up to eat again at. {TTC: any Queen streetcar to Saulter St/Boulton Ave.} read more

I love the food at this place. Simply tasty, well put together, unique and no fuss food. The croque madam and quiche lorrain are by far my favourites. But I have tried many other items on the menu and never have been disappointed. The baguettes and baked goods are one of the best in Toronto. You get much better quality food in this place than most 4-star pretentious places on King/Queen west and Yorkville hotels (Four Seasons included). The draw back is the place is very small, but that would not be a big deal if the service was not so poor. The only reason I am not giving them 5-stars is their utter lack of respect for customers. They are (the owner included) consistently rude to customers and treat them as if they are owed something. I even flat out asked one of the girls at the counter why she was being so rude (I caught her in a lie telling me at the end of the day that they had no sandwiches left for take out, because she did not want to bother to even take my money and ring it in!) she I asked her: seems like you guys are not that big on service? Very dismissively she shook her head and said: no, we don't care. read more

I love the ambiance of Bonjour brioche, especially in the summer months, with perfect lilting jazz. Brunching alfresco or inside, the place has the perfect cozy feel to it which instantly relaxes you, and puts you in a "i-have-all-the-time-in-the-world" conversation mode with your fellow brunchers. I really like the hot chocolate(which i've ordered every single time i've been here), the quiche & french toast. The salad can be a bit soggy from dressing overload at times, but its easily fixed by just ordering dressing on the side. Overall one of my favourite brunch spots, more so for the laid back cozy ambiance than just for the food itself. read more

Five star brunch brought down a star by weak service. The Eggs Benedict was excellent, hot chocolate in a bowl was good, and they have a nice patio. The bad news is that the service was lacking. The woman running the joint was straight up rude and gave the impression she really didn't want to be there; she fully rolled her eyes and sighed when I asked if it was possible to sit on the patio. Our server was alright but not super friendly and she seemed like she was in a ridiculous rush, which was odd given that there were plenty of servers and the place wasn't that busy. I got a few croissants to go and they were phenomenal. read more

Regardless of the packed space, the poor set-up/line-up during winter and the sometimes pushy staff, Bonjour Brioche is undeniably the stalwart of the Leslieville brunch scene. If you love a good bistro brunch/lunch, this is THE place in Toronto to go. The tarts du jour range from figs with gorgonzola, to anything sweet and enticing. The omlettes are always fluffy in a way that Julia Child would approve and their croque monsieurs knows no rivals. Traditionalists will love it for the lightly dressed salad and proper cafe au lait bowls, and everyone else will love it for the intimate space, fresh ingredients and consistent quality. Whenever my girlfriends and I go for brunch we wait for the moment that we set down our forks, about 80% through our meal, and as if telepathically-inclined, a beautiful server will walk by with a big plate of dessert tarts and a twinkle in her eyes, offering us the most delectable chocolate tart, which always gets packed up, smooshed from transit and devoured at home. Bonjour Brioche to me is a magical experience that gets better every time. read more

While I can't stand to wait in line for brunch, they do have an excellent peameal bacon sandwich if you're inclined to sit-down and eat. But as tasty as it is, I wouldn't wait more than 15 minutes in line for it. You can, however, skip the line and pick up one of their awesome croissants to munch as you go. Their croissants are good - light and flaky as they should be. And grab a baguette for later! The baguette has a nice chew to it and is best with a simple smear of butter. Both are worth getting. read more

This cafe-bakery already gets enough praise so I'll keep it short. Go for brunch, go get a baguette or just go eat a doughnut. I do all three. Bonjour Brioche makes these sinfully delicious jelly doughnuts called the Brioche Royale. If you're lucky you can get there in time to eat a fresh one. Timing is everything. Regardless, they're so good I thought about buying clothes one size up to compensate for the added weight. I enjoy their doughnuts that much...they are dirrrrtyyy good. read more

This is my favourite brunch spot in the city as it reminds me of the European patisseries I frequented while living abroad. The pastry selection is seriously dangerous in the best possible way: croissants, cookies, tarts, baguettes, breads, spreads, you name it. And I dream about the spicy bacon and avocado sandwich. Even the side salad with the basil vinaigrette is delish! They always have a dozen daily specials (highly recommended) and some interesting fresh juices. You can always expect a bit of a wait, but it's so worth it! read more

I was actually planning to go to Lady Marmalade just down a block for brunch, but it was way too busy on a Sunday morning. Bonjour Brioche wasn't a lot less busy either, but my sister and I opted to sit in their "heated patio" to avoid waiting for 30 mins. However, when it's -20C, the outdoor heater could only do so much. So we were in agony the whole time we're waiting for food. When my food finally arrived, it's all worth it. I had the salmon egg benedict - the egg was poached to perfection. My sister order a chicken sandwich, and it's very bland and flavorless in contrast. The bread was hard and chicken breast was very tough. Not sure if it's worth the price. The pastry she got afterwards made up for the bland sandwich though. The service was just okay. Our server tried to move us to a table further away from the heater to accommodate a larger group who came after us. I mean I understood why, but c'mon, it's -20C out there. It's good food, no doubt, but I'm not sure if it deserves the "best brunch" title. read more

We had: croissant: I don't see this place having the best croissant in Toronto. It is good, but not stupendous. Just normal. Brioche: dry. The crust makes it taste like the same dough as the croissant. Their brioche makes me feel bad for paying 1,90 for it. French toast: shameful called as French toast. A chocolatish bread that they did something (??) and dropped some fruits so they can charge 10,50 for it. Tasteless unless you cover (more like soak) with the syrup. The crust on the top of the bread (probably 5% of the slice) is ok, but that is it. Cappuccino: average. We also paid additional 50 cents for the butter, a shame triangular unsalted measuring approx 2cm x 2 cm (isosceles) that we needed to ask 4 times to get. We almost walked away for the waiting time (and the place is not full), and we should have. My advice: if you are following the lists of "places to try" and are willing to pay for anything, go ahead. If you want the best food, look elsewhere. read more

Possibly THE most cramped space to have bunch, but 100% worth it. Everything is beatifully done, I dont' have much more to say other than BRING CASH to avoid the fee @ the ATM and strike up a conversation beside the uncomfortably close table beside you. Note on the pastries: They look so very lovely but I'm sorry to say they aren't THE best in the city. They ARE very very good, but they are always just shy of amazing for me. A darn shame because they are fresh, the entire restaurant smells wonderful and the pans of freshly baked pastries just make my mouth water. but, to the taste, I'd honestly rather go to a dedicated bakery than get deserts here. On the croissant- really not that spectacular. Not enough butter, the flakey factor is low. It was disappointing because it looks SO good and smells SO fresh. It's just a personal preference on the recipe I suppose. read more

VIBE I'm going to sound like a cliche but this place really is quaint and charming. Their patio, though, a bit shoulder to shoulder is a nice little alcove outside of the restaurant. I also love that they have little blue blankets if you get cold. See? Charming! More charming: those flowered fabric table cloths. See? Quaint. I love the French flair. The service is a bit hit and miss. Maybe the waiter wasn't a good multi-tasker? I don't know. But if you're in a rush, forget it. Make sure you have some time. They don't greet you at the door. It's too busy so find your own spot. I ATE Their poached eggs on salmon with hollandaise on top of a croissant did not disappoint. It was a bit of a carb overload with baguette with butter but such a fantastic indulgence. The baguette and butter are fresh, fresh, fresh. I've had their croque madame before and it's pretty good. I'll have to remember to take a few croissants home with me next time. OBLIGATORY CATCHY REMARK I highly recommend gorging after an intense spin class at Quad down the street. Plus, these guys say "Bon Appetit" when they serve you. Magnifique! Remember: if you're in a rush, you'll be disappointed. read more

We ordered croissants and coffee for take out. The service was fast, staff was friendly and the food/coffee was amazing! We will definitely be back again. read more

PROS: - lovely, lovely pastries and croissants. grab a croissant and meander down Queen Street to the Dark Horse to get a coffee on a nice summer day. perfect! - the wait isn't ever too long. that being said, there is ALWAYS a wait...it's just not that bad of a wait - patio! - decent prices. $8.75 for the croque madam, the tart du jour and the quiche du jour (which all come with a salad and baguette w/ butter). - light, refreshing meals. i don't ever feel heavy after a meal at bonjour brioche. especially good for hot summer days when you just want to have something light but still filling - there are always three tart du jour choices and three quiche du jour choices. lots of variety to choose from! - always really friendly and helpful service. always. CONS: - the space is small, which means it's squishy in there. be ready to bump elbows with the people next to you - because there is always a wait and the space is so squishy, i feel compelled to eat quickly and get out fast. i know this doesn't have to be the case and that i can take my time, but that's how it feels to be in there FAVOURITE ORDER: the croque madam! packed full of flavour (the ham and the gruyere make that happen). it's brioche that the sandwich is made on, which is so buttery and heavenly. (if you are looking for something lighter though, i would choose one of the tarts du jour!) read more

*3.5 stars Today was my first day having brunch here. We decided to go with the daily special, poached egg, with smoked salmon or peameal bacon and hollandaise sauce. (that's right eggs benny, without being called eggs benny). I had the smoked salmon, and my bf ordered the peameal bacon. It was delish - there were lots of different flavours so its was hard to tell what was going one. Pros: the eggs benny came on a fresh butter croisant, and not an english muffin. Also came with some pickled celery and caramelized onions, which sweetened the dish. The salad with their house dressing was amazing. Cons: The hollandaise sauce was thinner than most places and a little bit more lemony, the side of baguette with butter (a super huge pat of butter) was a bit of overkill. I couldn't help myslef and ordered their savoury tart du jour (fig caramelized onion, and blue cheese). It tasted like a small quiche. It was ok, I would try a different flavour maybe next time, or maybe I was just full. I ordered the pecan tart to go. This had a nice consistency, not to runny, and caramelized butter tart filling, yum. Overall 3.5 stars b/c they did some things really well, and other things not so much. BTW we got a seat inside and it was boiling like a sauna, and it was so loud it was hard to have decent conversation. It was also pricey, with tax and tip it came to over $50. read more

Let me be the first to admit that I am a big fan of French bistro-style breakfasts - I rank Keller's Bouchon and Francois Payard's options as well as Butler and the Chef amongst my favorite breakfast/brunch spots of all time. With those things noted and the fantastic reviews of Bonjour Brioche listed on myriad Toronto review sites the decision for Sunday Breakfast was easy - especially since Bonjour is closed on Mondays. Staying only a half-mile west of BB's Queen East location and waking as early as ever I first decided to go for a run in order to build up an appetite and then after a quick shower I found myself at the restaurant's side entrance only 5 minutes after the doors opened at 8am. Making my way into the small space I was surprised to find the restaurant already half full - and by the time I left at 9:00 there was already a line of 10 waiting outside. Taking a seat near the window I browsed the small shop's interior which features approximately 15 tables, a delectable looking pastry case, a chalkboard of specials, and a small coffee cart full of newspapers and magazines - towards the back was a kitchen with doors wide open where one could see two chefs working dough while another manned the grill. Greeted by my pleasant server I received the small menu and coffee was poured (this time only equal was available, unlike A+U's where only splenda can be found.) A relatively standard blend for which I was originally double charged I must admit that given the plethora of coffee shops in Toronto, the restaurant coffees could use some work. Browsing the specials I have to admit some sounded interesting - particularly the chorizo bread pudding and the fig tart, but given the wonderful sounding options on the standard menu I instead opted for one sweet and one savory. Placing my orders and receiving a refill on my coffee I picked up a copy of one of the local music magazines and read until my orders arrived - only approximately 15 minutes, impressively, given the hustle-bustle of the restaurant. Served piping hot and direct from the kitchen my server asked if I needed anything else and after getting a glass of water and a third mug of coffee I was left to enjoy. Starting with the savory - a small but succulent croque madame was presented and featured a few thin slices of black forest ham and Gruyere cheese atop a buttery brioche and topped with a single fried egg. Adequate but certainly nothing to write home about the dish was largely a success due to the quality of the brioche while the other ingredients did their job merely adequately. Served along with the sandwich was a very nice green salad topped with a mild oil and vinegar. Having had incredible croques at Bouchon, B+C, and Payard I have to say I'd not order this sandwich again or recommend it to others - it was simply too ordinary and small. Somewhat disappointed by the croque I next delved into the Baked French Toast - and I most certainly was not disappointed. Having had a number of excellent French Toasts - both "normal" and "bread pudding style" - in the past couple years I can say without a shadow of a doubt that this ranks in the top three along with the version at Brenda's French Soulfood in San Francisco and that at The Country Club at the Wynn in Vegas. Featuring the same buttery brioche as the croque but absolutely saturated with cinnamon and an eggy custard the toast was served with a wonderfully flavorful and warm side of pure Canadian Maple syrup and the layers of flavor simply melted together forming a singular flavor that harkened a cinnamon bun, but better. Crisp on the outside, spongy within and ample in portion due to the density and decadence I slowly enjoyed this dish and rather wished I'd have opted for two sweets instead of the croque - really, an astounding dish showing that when done right something "simple" can actually be sublime. After the great French toast I briefly considered picking up some pastries for later in the day but instead decided to show some restraint given my later eating plans. Paying the modest bill after the double coffee-charge was removed I was pleasantly surprised that I felt in no way rushed to pay the bill or leave despite the line. Finishing up an article in the paper about The Swell Season I made my way to the door and was bid farewell by two of the servers who appropriately offered a au revoir from Bonjour. read more

Menu was smaller than expected, with daily specials written in chalk on the blackboard. Debated the omelette of the day (chorizo, asiago, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions), but ended up getting one of their signatures, which immediately caught my eye when we finally squeezed ourselves in 20 min later. The croque madam: lightly toasted brioche layered with ham & gruyere, topped with an over easy egg, sliced baquette and fresh greens... ahhh, why people rave about this place. For dessert, snuck in a few bites of the thick french toast. Sweet deliciousness. Could not get over how GOOD it was...and I don't even like french toast. Honestly, if we could've captured that first moment. According to the couple sitting next to us, the quiche was the best quiche he had ever had. Wow. Ok, already planning next visit. And though there was a line-up, we weren't rushed out. In fact, we were offered a platter of decadent-looking cakes & tarts. Twice. Declined once, almost accepted the second. Charming & tiny - seating less than 30 ppl - this Leslieville brunch spot is a clear favourite. Couldn't even tell you when a good time would be to go. Ask the morning people. read more

Great place for brunch/lunch. The bread is amazing. I recommend getting their fresh fruit juice, its the authentic stuff with a juicer. Stay away from Baked French Toast, it will own your stomach with it's deliciousness.. I never thought something could be so insanely good that it's bad. I guess what I'm trying to say is if you are there for breakfast it's the wrong way to start to your day. Also Bill Cosby has been there and signed an autograph... So like thats worth something right? read more

This review is solely on the croissants. Specific to the almond croissants. I looked up BlogTOs review of the best croissants in the city... This rates number 1. However the reason I looked for the best in the city was I was curious to compare to the THE outstanding croissants at Cherry Bomb... Which happens to be such a trek for me to go to and is a bit pricey. But alas, Sorry Bonjour.... Cherrys almond croissants still rein the best ... No idea why they were rated 10. The croissant at bonjour was still pretty good flakey and crispy outside and softer though a bit dry inside. Not too much distinct almond taste. But it was still good. I haven't had brunch or lunch here though I've heard it is good... I have yet to review that. read more

Having previously heard good things about this place, and having recently moved up the street, we thought it would be a great place to try for brunch. Not so much... The service is slow, and the server we had seemed a little lost, as if he'd never worked a busy brunch before. Not exactly the charming service I'd expect from a mom&pop type place. We ordered our drinks, which didn't take too long to come - underwhelming coffee, and super sugary watermelon-lemonade. Then we ordered our meals off the daily special board (with no prices, yes our bad for not asking). Our meals finally came after the table of 4 beside us (who arrived/ordered about the same time) were already done eating. Oh, and our cutlery was dirty. My partner ordered a savoury French toast, which wasn't bad, but more bread pudding than French toast. I ordered the 'bonjour benny' which was supposed to be poached eggs (with the smoked salmon option) on a croissant. The place is supposed to be known for their croissants, so I was excited to try them. After a long wait time, our meals arrived. Hers seemed fine. Mine arrived on brioche, not a croissant. When I asked the waiter about this, his reply was 'Oh, was it? Hmm, I'm not sure why then. Maybe they ran out of croissants. Is that okay?' I was hungry so I said it was what it was and decided to make the most and dig in. The brioche ends I was served were dry and almost burnt tasting. I scooped my egg off the second piece. The only saving grace was the salad and baguette pieces that were served with. At no time was I asked if that would be okay before my meal was served, and I didn't want to wait another 30-45 min for another dish. And at no time did the server come to check on our meal. I assume he could sense our displeasure as we weren't even offered dessert. The bill for all this was $37, $14 of which was for the disappointing meal I had. The thing is, a little measure of caring by the server, or the owner (who was well within earshot) could have salvaged this experience. I don't see myself retuning and don't recommend the place - it's not remotely worth the hype. read more

Love this place. The food is traditional French fare. Quiche, bread salad . Simple and delicious. Owners are lovely and the staff amazing. Holiday pies (traditional meat pie at Christmas, and pumpkin pie at thanksgiving, will make you look like a hero if you take them to your family) read more

I really wanted to like this place but sadly I can't. I dined in once & ordered take out three times. I can say with certainty that service is consistent. It's horrid. I expected to wait as this place is always busy. I just didn't expect the attitude - at least treat your customers like you want them to be here. When I ordered take out, I'm ignored me in favour of people behind me. I was a little taken aback the first time and thought maybe I wasn't standing in the proper place. The second and third time? When I dined in I was expecting to have a nice, relaxed lunch with a friend. My soup was barely warm when served. I was willing to let it pass but thought I should mention it to the waitstaff so they would know. She acted offended and stayed that way for the rest of our meal. It's a shame really as I enjoyed (most of) the food but hate the service. read more

Bonjour Brioche, I want to wake up to your croissants. Buttery. Flaky. Delicious. Crunch. Mmmm. I have to say, I didn't miss lining up at Lady Marmalade at all. The menu has brunch items along with quiche and other great lunch items. I ordered smoked salmon with scrambled eggs on rosti. It was heavenly! The salmon and creamed horse radish and caviar was a magical combination. The rosti was hot and crispy and added heartiness to breakfast. I found my breakfast light and there was still room for dessert! ...Dessert that they bring to your table! The waiter brought over a small but impressive showcase of their desserts. I gave into temptation. Bonjour, creme brule tart! Served up with creme fresh, it was my favourite dessert in tart form. It even had a crackable crispy caramelized sugar top. What a perfect end to a fantastic brunch! Ah Bonjour Brioche, a la prochaine! (kiss, kiss) read more

We had brunch there on a Sunday morning. Portions are huge! French toast was delicious as was the eggs benny. Wait staff are fast and friendly. I would recommend this place to anybody who likes brunch! Just get there early. Line up happens fast and continued until early afternoon when we drove by later in the day! read more