A really lovely meal and great addition to the neighbourhood. Started with oysters (wonderful and fresh as you would expect), scallops (less excited by these drenched in buttermilk sauce) and pate with brioche- can't go wrong with that. All accompanied with the warm, salty pretzel pieces. Spent most of my time eyeing other tables to see if they had any left. We had the Eurobass which was perfectly cooked - moist, flaky, well seasoned (it does pick up a bit of the salt from the crust but not overwhelming) and a big portion. Duck which again was very good - rich, perfectly cooked and well seasoned. The portion was huge - a really big duck breast almost too much. Trout was similarly perfect - well seasoned, reasonable portion and a bit lighter. Sides of mushrooms - woodsy and taste like real mushrooms and brocolini - crisp , warm and well cooked. Make sure you make room for the gateau. Warm, moist with a light crisp exterior and warm rich interior. Elegant and perfect with its minimalism. We had with the salted caramel ice cream, which I would skip next time (strong caramel, a bit on the toasted side and aggressively salted) Good wine list. Attentive and informed service. Loud place for conversation - we were at the front, looks more intimate at the back. With drinks and some good wine not hard to drop $500 for four ($$$$). read more

There was a big group of us and they were able to serve us all perfectly. We did a set menu with four courses, and everyone at the table was impressed with both the food and the service we received. Both the seafood and steak were delicious and their cheesy mashed potatoes were an unexpectedly pleasant surprise. For dessert, taste-wise, we much preferred their banana cake to the instagram- worthy hand-painted egg. That said, the truffles inside the chocolate egg were delicious. As well, they brought us chocolates at the end of our meal. I suggest asking for the orange blossom if they have available. Overall great experience and would definitely go again! read more

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Food was great, it's a good thing the portions are small as the salt content in the dishes is quite high. The Pommes Aligot was amazing, the Eurobass was also amazing so were their Oysters, and the Tuna. The cocktails are very good. The service was a little slow, but otherwise great ambience and dining experience. read more

Flawless experience every time. This is a bustling restaurant--make sure to book in advance. For a more private experience, ask for a table either at the front or at the back seating area. The food is simply outstanding. Having dined at many traditional French restaurants, I feel La Banane is the perfect blend between traditional and modern. Make sure not to miss these dishes/plates: oysters, wagyu beef, pommes aligot (a must! incredible!), albacore tuna, beef tartare, and the impressive eurobass-en-croute. Yes, the chocolate ziggy stardust disco egg is tres cool and highly instragrammable, but I felt that it was not worth $50 and just too much chocolate for two people. read more

I had been craving seafood and this place delivered. The mussels and scallops were my favourite but it was all good. Portion size was good. Price is reasonable imo. And the baked Alaskan dessert was very good too. read more

Thoroughly enjoyable experience here. Food and service was top notch. Modern takes on French classics. I had shrimp cocktail for an app with steak au poivre And pommes aligot while my girlfriend had the pate with brioche and baked crab in the shell. For dessert we had local handmade chocolates. The food was terrific and the servers attentive but not smothering. Not cheap certainly but one of the best restaurant experiences I have had recently read more

I was so excited to try this restaurant, and it didn't disappoint. Some dishes were better than others. The raw scallops and albacore crudo was out of this world. The ambience was awesome. Don't let the dark entrance deter you, it's not stuffy. You can definitely walk in, sit at the bar, order a drink and a few nibbles or a full dinner and be very comfortable. That's what I plan on doing next time! I'll go for a bottle of wine and the scallop and albacore dishes and have an amazing meal. read more

Absolutely wonderful! Atmosphere was nice, lively without being too loud. Service is also fantastic but the food is the absolute highlight here - we loved everything we tried but our absolute fav's were the eurobass en croute and the beef tartare. Can't wait to come back! read more

A little pricey. The food and cocktails were delicious though. Great for date night. Great service.

At the end of dinner, my friend remarked "I think that was the best dinner I've ever had in Toronto." Everything was excellent. Appetizers: bouillabaisse surrounded by puff pastry was like art and tasted even better. Veal tartare was good. The oysters were the best my friend has had (and he always orders oysters). The mains: carved steak, duck confit and the veal were only interchangeable, for the fact that they were all delicious. The steak and veal were expertly cooked. The steak was accompanied by a delicious sauce. The duck confit was - again - the best I've tasted in the city. The sides: my review will be boring because they too were all good. From the charred broccolini in a delectable sauce, to the too cheesy mashed potatoes (not a criticism), to the flavourful hearty mushrooms, to the perfectly seasoned roast potatoes. Service: fantastic. Equal parts fun and professional. I wish I got my server's name, to mention it here. Unfortunately, I can only refer to him as the blonde guy with the mischievous smile. Space: very cool and chic, without being standoffish. There's a long, beautiful bar, with banquettes (try and get one), and tables in the front. I'm already looking forward to going again. read more

Nothing special about this restaurant except their seafood platter. I'm still thinking of the shrimp. Sweet and so fresh. Awesome! I have to admit the service was impeccable. I would rate the service 5 star, unlike the food. Entrees we ordered the duck breast, eurobass, crab shell and sweetbread. DO NOT ORDER THE SWEETBREAD. Awful taste. So awful there's no way of describing it. The duck breast was moist and good. The crab shell was baked and decent. The eurobass was overhyped for sure. Also order the fois gras... it was not bad. At the end, since everyone said you should order the Chocolate Egg ($50) we did. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY!!! We were told it takes 2 days to make and I was expecting a big surprise when you open it. NOPE! All you get inside are 2-3 chocolate balls. THAT'S IT!!! LOL You'd rather buy some Godiva chocolates from a supermarket and save yourself that $50. Decent food but great service. Another over-hyped restaurant from Yelpers. read more

This was a pleasant surprise. I love French food but don't appreciate it being mucked up and trendy. The restaurant decor is tasteful but this is not where it stood out from all of the other pretty restaurants along Ossington. The food was delicious and very well prepared. My friend and I started with the fois gras and it was a generous, thick and tasty start. We had the sweetbreads and eurobass- both delicious. The service was great- not fussy but helpful when required. The sommelier was excellent and her wine selection was perfect. We ended with a cheese plate and then complimentary truffles. When we started fighting over the salted caramel one; our waiter just brought us out more! Now I understand why this place takes so long to get into- worth the wait. read more

Food did not match the quality of service. We were greeted by Chris, the floor manager. A friendly guy who will be an asset to any hospitality establishment. Very friendly and efficient waiters. The staff saved the day but not the food. I ordered Crab Back Gratin. The delicate crab meat was drowned in breadcrumbs, heavy cream, butter or whatever and above all over salted. At $45, I would give this preparation 3 out 10. This preparation reminded me of those Surf and Turf places in Florida. There were 4 of us and all of us tasted this preparation and the decision was unanimous. Not good. Our friend ordered Duck Breast. She sure does know her duck. Her verdict. The food was average. Oh yes, I will be remiss if I did not mention the serving of bread pretzels, instead of the regular bread. These were,indeed, great. Hats off to the Chef. The wine list is challenging. The list of wine is non recognizable. But the wait staff is very helpful in answering all questions related to the selection. We took a chance and were pleased with the selection. Would we return for another try? Perhaps not. Our 3 Stars are awarded to staff and service. read more

Again, any restaurant of this level is bound to have a whole lot of haters. I've been reading everywhere of these haters, bringing forth nonesense discussions about portion sizes, simplicity, etc. We were here for a birthday celebration and it was the first alone time we had since we had a baby 15 months prior to the visit. The expectations were high, we were tense and ready to have our night go to waste with an emergency call. Let me get to the point; none of these happened. We sat down, beautifully greeted. Place filled up completely in about 20 minutes. Service is incredible, the servers (I believe we have to call them associates or something) are so knowledgeable, you'd feel they cooked up the recipe. I could write a bunch more about their love for the food, but I'll stop here. The food is amazing, don't listen to the haters, the simplicity is KEY. The flavours are so well paired that I, with all my rudeness, took a small piece of bread and WIPED my plate clean! I feel no shame. DO have that ridicilous ziggy stardust chocolate piece, who cares about the dollar value in the menu, you are NOT on a budget tonight, if you decided to come here, enjoy the experience. One of the best nights of my life, with the beautiful person I fell in love with so many years ago, in a great atmosphere. You will NOT be disappointed! read more

Fine dining but not too pretentious. We had the chefs menu and it was impressive. A selection of the best of the menu. We started with a plate of delicious oysters The baked whole fish baked in salt crusted pastry was something special. Even the cocktail to start was a perfect study in complimentary flavours. read more

I would give this negative stars if I could but unfortunately I have to give it at least one star. I honestly don't know how this place got such great reviews. We were a party of six and all of us agree that these reviews must have been written by their friends/family/employees because no way could anyone think that this was an amazing, or even edible, meal. Had this been made by my 10 year old daughter after watching some food network I would appreciate the effort because she's a kid and because I'm her mom. Other than that, no one who calls themselves a "chef" could put out food like this at a restaurant with such great reviews and think that this is good. The pretzel was not warm and it came with regular squeeze bottle mustard (very underwhelming). The only edible dish was the raw oysters and scallop (thank you for not tampering and ruining these ingredients) which came out next. The fish was so salty (no I did not eat the salt crust) and flavourless, the duck felt like it was still alive I had to spit it out and the steak was juicy but lacked any actual flavour but managed to be so salty. The raw tuna with some dill mush came out and after a nibble was left untouched by everyone at the table. Not gonna lie, we were intrigued by the egg and that's what drew us here. It was beautiful but again, salty. An overpriced kinder surprise but kinder surprise has better tasting chocolate. I told my friends who wanted to go here for the egg, I'll send you my photos of the egg for the gram and save you the horrible experience and $750 (our total bill). I feel like my body is dehydrating and preserving itself after that meal. This was by far the most disgusting meal I have ever paid for. read more

La Banane - Pretty egg, not worth the money. - French Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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I ordered the duck confit meal for two to be delivered. The food arrived still warm, with a lovely personalized printed menu and precise, easy instructions on how to reheat the warm dishes. The meal also arrived exactly on time. Everything absolutely delicious - perfection. What a wonderful service, I'm so pleased to be able to support such a special restaurant, bravo! read more

This is a horrible restaurant. You are immediately judged based on whether or not you choose tap or sparkling as well as the price point of your bottle of wine. Waiters are snotty and, to make matters worse, the food is abysmal. The flavour combinations are just off. It is not French food. At all. Yet another pretentious Toronto restaurant with complete delusions of grandeur. I absolutely would avoid this restaurant and would recommend others do the same. read more

Ambiance: Lovely! From the moment you enter you are in a French Bistro. We were seated at a very nice (but kind of uncomfortable) green velvet banquette and oval marble table. Good location at the front of the restaurant since it was quiet enough to have a conversation. Service: Excellent! Several waitstaff attended to our table. They were very accommodating and met all our requests. Not one refused when we asked for a special food preparation etc. They did not rush us but each course was timed perfectly once we had ordered. Food: Quite delicious. The salted fish special was tasty and not the least bit too salty. The duck was a bit too chewy but good. The sweetbreads were so good we placed a second order! All the vegetables were done to perfection. The pineapple cake and floating cloud were both a perfect ending. One small suggestion to the management: Offer black napkins as well as white. The lint from the white napkin was all over over black pants by the end of the evening. read more

Perfectly cooked appetizers, main dishes and sides, perfectly presented by a professional wait staff that had personality and charisma. Scallops from the raw bar were delicious, as was our steak,, eurobass and broccolini. One of our new favorite places in TO. Would eat there again and again. read more

I've been here twice. Although super hard to get a reservation that's not at the bar table it's worth it if you get a chance to come here. Always a great dining experience ~ the fish is great and the appetizers (oysters and crab - are great). We had a steak option, the fish and omelette which were all delicious. The salad is good and the side of mashed potatoes is more like a side a ooey gooey goodness (cheese) blended with a bit of potato. And the chocolate egg thing is great ~ way easier to share amongst 6 guests than 3. The service and wine list were great too. read more

The atmosphere is good. Stylish, elegant, hip, whatever. The kind of décor where rich people feel comfortable and people like me roll their eyes in judgment at the pretention. It's not a huge departure from when it was The Saint and I am exaggerating for dramatic effect. It's nicely decorated; pretty much the polar opposite of Montgomery's down the street. They hung a rug on a wall at Montgomery's. I will never go back to a place that can't get that right. Rugs go on the floor people. Anyway the service is excellent. The drinks list very good; a really nice selection of beer was on offer, though they had nothing on tap. So far so good. But the food was just okay for me. The omelette was delicious but for $15 it had better be you know? But nothing else really did it for me or lived up to the promise that a price tag makes--if you're charging $28 for a duck leg on veg it had better be life affirming and call you back the next day. But if you're poor like me you probably feel the same way I feel when I order a Big Mac. Like it's no big deal. It didn't cost a lot, relatively speaking. I didn't spend a lot. It tasted okay. Life goes on... Can we talk about the three cheese plate for a minute? It was really underthought. They don't serve it with anything. It was just three pieces of cheese lying naked, exposed, and vulnerable on a plain white plate. There were no crackers. No bread. Neither honey, fruit, figs, jam, nor jelly were there to lend a hand. Instead they upcharge for their brioche which they are only too happy to repeat to every table and probably every random person walking up Ossington who passes the door, is made daily in house. Overall this is a good place and I knew it was pricey going in so it seems wrong to complain but you can't help what you're good at. Probably if you like The Chase or Canoe you'll like it here. Above average food with awesome service and drinks in an atmosphere where you can feel like you made it. The disco egg is ridiculous. read more

This place was off the charts in terms of every metric of restaurant success. We could not believe it has only been open two weeks. The staff were all incredibly lovely and professional, and as we watched them, they struck us as a team that had been working together for years. Service was impeccable. The ambiance is lovely, with three distinct spaces, all a little bit different in nature. We were celebrating an anniversary, and were placed in a perfect corner table in the rear section, which is defined by lovely velvet banquettes and chandeliers. The middle section is across from the long bar, and is rounded leather banquettes, with a cleaner, simpler decor. At the front is a more homey section, more like a cafe. Together they make this large space intimate, and suitable for any night out. Now, the food. AMAZING. This is a French restaurant, and the pricing reflects the quality of the food. We tried a lot of dishes, starting with oysters from three different areas. Next we tried the herbed omelette. Then the Albacore tuna, followed by the duck with the frisee salad and pommes Aligot (this dish was SO decadently good we ordered two!). Our last main was the eurobass, a beautiful and flavourful dish. For dessert we splurged on the Ziggy Stardust Disco Egg. The chef owns a chocolate shop, too, and this hand-painted egg was simply a work of art. When smashed it was filled with ancho chili and apricot, some coffee beans, and 9 truffles. WOW. Just WOW. All in all we had a spectacular evening and they should be very proud of what they have created. read more

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Went here for our anniversary. A rare instance where the hype is warranted! We did seafood all the way - lobster was easy to get into and the butter sauce gorgeous. Seared tuna with a gremolita and more butter (butter is a theme here in an excellent way). The eurobass of course. Service was exceptional, wine list great mix of French standouts and local gems. Pretzels and mustard as the bread option kinda odd for a French restaurant but delish. Check it out, especially if you are a seafood lover! read more

Everything I hate in the "new" Toronto! Home hipster-pseudo-cool but in fact arrogant. Ambitious but amateur cuisine (it starts from the appetizer that evokes a poor mustard dip) Surrealist prizes ($ 13 for a bad "Aligot" in a saucer that would make any Auvergnat cry _of despair_) We ask for bread to try to mop up the sauce (made of rare ingredients of course); We were brought you two slices of white bread toasted and buttered (and that's extra). And then the dessert ... an Easter egg with three truffles inside !! Really?! $ 300 for two with the cheapest wine. In fact a restaurant for "Nouveaux Riches" who do not know French Cuisine and get easily mystified. RUN AWAY!! read more

Simply delicious. A little pricy but worth it. We asked them if they accept mobile pay because my boyfriend forgot his wallet they said as far as they know , they don't but they can try after we finish our meal. They did not judge us. We tried the mobile pay but it didn't work. So we ended up asked the waiter for my jacket front he coat check to get my wallet for the bill read more

Fantastic service, wine, decor. You can make your own seafood tower, and the fish is all prepared in unique and delicious ways.

everything was so amazingly delicious and the atmosphere was great. Our waitress was a gem and the whole staff was so kind- not to mention one of the waiters was HOT!!. Definitely will be back and definitely one of my favourites! read more

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Great restaurant and atmosphere. Service is on point and knowledgeable. Recommend the king crab from the raw bar and the omelette. Those were my two favourites. Will definitely come back again. read more

Amazing food, great environment. You can really tell that the chef's really have passion in what they are cooking. This place is a must for anyone who loves food! read more

Best front of house!!! I didn't catch her name but the hostess is the best in the city bar none!!! And it just kept getting better, the food, the service, they comped some drinks for my daughters birthday . Even the coat check was great!!! read more

La Banane is both delicious and consistent. The seafood platter is my favourite in the city; the fish is fresh and overwhelmingly delicious. The dipping sauces are fantastic, the flavours are exactly what you'd hope for, and every dish is extremely well crafted! Wine + Cocktails are both excellent too! Highly, highly recommend! read more

What an extraordinare evening. This was one of the most enjoyable evenings I have had in a long time. The food was outstanding, the service the most attentive yet friendly service I have ever had. Kate is extraordinaire by helping with a special request. Olivia followed suit be seemlessly integrating a vegetarian. Both made our entire group feel special and welcomed. These ladies made every guest feel special and I salute them. Keep it up... I'll be back. ***** read more

This restaurant is exceptional. We had an absolutely wonderful dinner on Saturday. Daniel, our server and sommelier, knew the menu and wine list inside-out and and set us up with some brilliant pairings. Get seated with him if you can! I would give six stars if Yelp would let me. read more

My wife and I came Sunday evening for her birthday. We just finished a busy weekend with friends and family so we we were a little low on steam. The atmosphere at La Banane was Goldilocks zone perfect for us: the restaurant was very busy, but not overly loud, just a casual energy that kept the evening fun and interesting. All of the staff were fantastic - we counted 6 people who looked after us throughout the evening - the pace of service couldn't have been any better. Great first impression as we were greeted immediately as we walked through the door. We shared three cocktails which were a little on the pricey side, but no complaints regarding flavour or strength. From the kitchen we started with tuna and capers and duck terrine, and when you add the pretzel bread the came to the table it was easily enough for 3-4 people to share. The portion sizes were quite generous. I almost ordered something from the cold seafood bar as well (everything looks so delicious), but that would have been too much food. For the main courses we shared sweetbreads and lobster, grab gratin, and a side of artichokes. The crab gratin was presented in a stuffed crab shell and was completely full of crab meat. Sweetbreads and lobster was delicious and the sauce was seasoned beautifully. Main course portion sizes were, like the starters, very generous. We had absolutely no issues with portion size or seasoning, as others have indicated in their reviews. They had a nice selection of cheeses and deserts, which we would normally be all over. Unfortunately we were absolutely stuffed. We were told they were out of the ziggy stardust egg. We saw a few eggs served while we were enjoying our main courses. Not sure if they have a limited number of eggs each night..? Our reservation was at 7:30, not late, and they were out of ziggy eggs by 9:00 or so. Try to get there early if you want to be sure to get the egg. Maybe there isn't a lesson to be learned here. It didn't matter to us since we had no room for dessert. They brought us two beautifully hand painted chocolate bonbons after the meal. When I booked the reservation through OpenTable I added a note that it was for my wife's birthday. When the bonbons arrived after dinner they presented them with a birthday candle. I'm confident the birthday candle would have arrived with a dessert course if we had ordered one. The candle and bonbons were a very nice touch. We had a wonderful evening and will definitely return. read more

Really cool vibe, very polished and knowledge staff, portions are great, food was exquisite and service was top notch

I completely forgot to post a review when my boyfriend and I had first enjoyed our experience at La Banane (we were probably too busy telling all of our friends). But I feel the need to explain how amazing everything was (in detail)Firstly, I made the reservation for two, a month or two before we went. It was for my boyfriend's birthday, and I had a few requests. 1) To sit at the chef's table. 2) To experience the tasting menu and 3) To be accompanied by wine pairing. When we arrived we were seated at a table near the front, originally wanting a chef's table and being that there isn't one, we obliged, but the host could tell we weren't too happy. She immediately switched some things around and sat us at a wide yet intimate booth that faced the bar. A view of the action is what we were looking for and she kicked the night off on a high note by accommodating us! I would also like to add that everyone from the host to the server assist knew when a table had made requests and I appreciated that so much as opposed to repeating to everyone. Menu tasting, yes wine pairing... etc... making a long story short, our server was phenomenal. She asked questions about our likes and dislikes and we were truly blown away by her recommendations and beverage pairings. One being a sour beer that was on point! The food was flawless. The pace was perfection and though we also received a beautiful chocolate egg. We enjoyed a banana caramel something and it was DIVINE. I cannot say enough good things and I am SO glad we chose La Banane as our night out! read more

Over and beyond. This place has a lot of energy which is great. My wife and I ended a week-long vacation in Southern Ontario with a meal at La Banane. The tuns starter was amazing and the veal and lamb were very good and beautifully presented. Service was good - but my meal arrived before my wife's which - not sure why that happened. But the real story is what happened after - I left my prescription sunglasses there and didn't realize it until we had arrived back in our hotel in Vaugn. I contacted the restaurant -they had found them and I said I could swing by and get them - it was already around 11:30 - the manager called me and wanted to save me the inconvenience of driving back and forth - so he made arrangements to mail them back to me in Ithaca NY! Amazing! Chris and Bianca went over and beyond in trying to get something as small as my sunglasses back to me! I hope to come back many many times to thank the wonderful management and staff. read more

Our new favourite restaurant in Toronto! The hubby took me there for my birthday because I had been dying to go. We got the $80 carte blanche with a bottle of champagne and everything was absolutely delectable. We were immediately transported back to France with the flavours and cooking techniques, save the service which was impeccable! Such attentive and knowledgeable servers; it made the whole experience nothing short of perfect. read more

Pretentious. Reslly poor service- we waited 2 hours for our meal without a word from our server. And the food is really not that great. I've had way tastier food from a diner. My advice- don't bother coming here. read more