Paella anyone? I bet you haven't heard that in a while. And honestly, who knew it was such a Portuguese thing too? We all know Spain made it famous, but Portugal? INSANE. Back to why I do this. I'm endlessly curious about food, people, and the magic that happens when great meals meet good music. Friendships just seem to evolve naturally around a table. And thank you, E, for another incredible photo -- your choices are always perfect. Mercado on St. Clair is a hidden gem. What was once beside my mom's flower shop downtown has now found a home in a slightly more industrial setting on Caledonia -- and somehow, it works perfectly. Cozy seating inside, a great covered patio outside, and that village-style European restaurant vibe you hope to stumble across. First off, the waiter was phenomenal. He walked us through the menu, explained everything perfectly, and genuinely elevated the whole experience. The menu is massive -- meat, seafood, everything you could want -- but we came for the paella. We were told it takes time because they make it the proper way. Not overly crispy, just authentic, rich, and layered with flavour. Worth every minute of the wait. To start, we had the gambas / shrimp in a rich red garlic and herb sauce plus extra toasted bread for dipping, per our waiter's recommendation. Absolute rockstar move. The other appetizer was a delicious beef stew served over crunchy rustic bread. Simple, hearty, and top notch. Now... drum roll please. This may have been the best paella I've ever had. Okay okay, maybe somewhere along the coast in Spain I've had one fresher... but this was absolutely off the charts. Zero fishy smell. Just beautiful saffron-infused rice with that perfect slight crisp, loaded with mussels, clams, octopus, calamari, shrimp, and more. Built for two people to share and completely unforgettable. A few glasses of house white later and bam - there was absolutely no chance I was going back to work. And dessert? I kept telling myself: "No dessert, Frank. No dessert." But there's a rule in life ; if you see crème brûlée on a menu, you order it. This wasn't exactly crème brûlée, but a cheesecake-inspired version of it. Two spoons, four bites, and thank you very much. Favourite meal of the year so far. Completely blown away by this place. Mercatto -- go now. Go fast. read more

I was there for my birthday and this place didn't disappoint, even on a Monday. The atmosphere was calming and refreshing with an upbeat fun whimsical garden. Service was friendly and prompt. The food was delicious. We were a party of thee and ordered a plater that served us well. All ate from the Beira Mar platter and all meats and seafood were cooked well to order. Fantastic place for a night out or a get together with other friends family or special occasion. read more

This is the stuff that dreams are made of! Situated in the design district, in a place you would never expect, amongst the furniture stores and industrial landscape, is a remarkable Portuguese restaurant. Everything was splendid, from the ambiance to the food. The patio itself is simply stunning, with chandeliers dangling from the ceiling, mosaics and mirrors - the European atmosphere is nice to see in Toronto. This place has lots of soul and character. The food is melt-in-your-mouth delicious and decadent! We had the warm bread, the ribs, the steak and crème brûlée. I loved every morsel! The blueberry sour drink was heavenly. This is a super star restaurant! It packs a mighty punch. We will be back! read more

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We had a lovely dining experience here celebrating a family birthday. I would recommend sitting in the patio space, as the green trailing trellis and multiple chandeliers create a magical dining space once the sunsets. We shared one of the boards, which included two steaks, octopus, pork belly, sausage, squid, prawns and mussels. It was plenty of food for four, especially with the addition of rice and veggies. Each item was delicious and well prepared, with the pork belly and octopus being my favourite. We finished the meal with the hazelnut chocolate cake, and the lemon cake, both were really good and the perfect way to end the night. read more

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Mercado Negro is a family run Portuguese restaurant and it did not disappoint! It is a bit on the pricier side and its probably better to go with a larger party to try more of the tapas style dishes. The food was delicious! We shared the mixed bbq meat platter that came with octopus, beef, sausage, and more. The meats were very well cooked and well seasoned. We also had a side of tomato rice which was equally tasty. It also came with complimentary bread and a nice mushroom spread. The wait staff were great, it was raining prior to arrival, but they have a roofed patio and were able to sit us outside and made sure we stayed try and taken care of. This restaurant was very reminiscent of my experiences in Portugal! read more

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Love the atmosphere here. They have both inside restaurant and outside section, and outside portion is closed off with heater so it's not cold during winter time. With a group of 4, we were able to share 3 appetizers, 3 main courses, and a side. Appetizers (cod fish, grilled scallops, and foie gras); all are good. Main was not bad too especially the grilled octopus and grilled sea bass (whole fish). But the special today (Mahi Mahi with risotto) was just alright; the Mahi Mahi was kind of overcooked I think, but the risotto was tasty. The potatoes pave was good to accompany with the food. Overall, it was definitely a good experience having dinner here. Loved their friendly service and good food. Recommend this place for gathering. read more

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My wife and I chose Mercado to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary because she is Portuguese, and we were excited to enjoy what we hoped would be an authentic and memorable meal. Instead, it became one of the most disappointing dining experiences we've ever had. I have medically diagnosed celiac disease and other food allergies. These are not food preferences--they are medical conditions that require careful attention. When I politely asked about safe menu options, the waitress was dismissive, rude, and made me feel like I was an inconvenience. Her attitude lacked empathy, professionalism, and any willingness to help. Rather than feeling welcomed, we felt embarrassed and unwelcome. We were so upset by the interaction that we made the difficult decision to leave without ordering any food. Having our 25th wedding anniversary end this way was heartbreaking. This review isn't about expecting every restaurant to accommodate every allergy. It's about treating guests with dignity and respect. If a restaurant cannot safely accommodate a medical condition, an honest and compassionate conversation is all that's needed. No guest should ever be made to feel like a burden for trying to protect their health. For anyone living with celiac disease or serious food allergies: always advocate for yourself and never ignore warning signs if staff seem dismissive of your medical needs. Your health is more important than any meal. I sincerely hope Mercado invests in training its staff to understand the difference between food preferences and medically necessary dietary restrictions. A little compassion and education would have turned what became a ruined anniversary into a positive experience. read more

Thank you so much Mercado Portuguese Restaurant...amazing Food Presentation and Ambience. The Food dishes are out of this world fabulous. Stunning Restaurant. Incredible service- special thank you to Carlos and Jason for making our Holiday Dinner Party so special. read more

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Not located in a neighbourhood where you'd expect to find a great restaurant but it's definitely worth the drive. The decor is eclectic and patrons are generally dressed smart casual, giving the place an upscale but not stuffy vibe. The semi-covered patio looks really cool with all the greenery, but with the massive storm that night, it wasn't usable. Conversation in the main part of the resto is lively (but a bit loud) but it's a great place for couples or groups. Unlike what a few others have said, service for us was great, and we were treated well despite not being locals/regulars. They also have meat dishes too for the carnivores, but if you like seafood this is a great place to go. After starting with a few tapas -- a pork dish (plumas -- oh so tender and tasty), and a salad, both very good, we got one of the seafood platters -- it was called Sinfonia I think, it included orange shrimp, about six grilled prawn that were huge, a giant octopus tentacle that was really really tender and not chewy at all, as well as some clams. With a pitcher of Sangria, some grilled veggies, desserts and coffees, it all came out to $330 (all in) for two people. Definitely not cheap (it was my birthday) but easily the best meal I've had in a long time. And, we took home left over seafood that I tossed into a seafood linguine at home the next night, which was totally awesome, and also rated 5 stars (can I rate my own cooking on Yelp?). Would definitely go back, but will have to save up a bit for the next visit! read more

Beautiful Portuguese restaurant with equally delicious food. We sat on the outdoor heated patio and it's a stunning space. The food is really good and the portions were enough for 4 people. The service was also great - they didn't rush us (we had reservations for lunch but stayed until dinner, catching up and no one rushed us or made us feel pressured to leave). Highly recommend and will definitely be returning. read more

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If you are looking for a cozy and family-friendly place to enjoy Portuguese food and drinks, Mercado Restaurant Toronto is the place for you. This restaurant offers a variety of tapas, grilled meats, seafood, and a drink menu that will satisfy your taste buds. Mercado Restaurant Toronto is located in the Castlefield Design district, and has a folksy and rustic vibe that will make you feel at home. read more

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Really enjoyed this Portuguese restaurant, the shrimp appetizer & octopus salad was good, ceviche was not pleasant for me, out of place for the very tomato/grill based menu. Very impressive meat/octopus platter arrangement, good for sharing with large group. Seafood bowl was decent, found the protein to be overcooked, but the bowl looked very impressive, I'm not a clam or muscle fan, but others enjoyed the sauce & rice. Very comprehensive wine list, unfortunately I was not familiar with many, since LCBO does not carry many upscale Portuguese wines. Server provided good recommendations and we enjoyed them. We were celebrating a birthday, opted to have a cake at home, when we didn't order deserts, the waitress turned disinterested. They had arranged for a candle & cake to sing a birthday, but didn't happen. Everyone was pleased with their meal. read more

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Came for a girls night to celebrate some birthdays. Wanted a change and something different. This was a true winner! A beautiful spot with quaint decor. The menu was so good but the taste was just amazing! I will come again and bring my parents. A lovely lovely place for a nice dinner! There were people celebrating an anniversary close to us, all dressed up and having a wonderful time! read more

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Absolutely amazing Portugese food, Stunningly presented and ohhh sooo Tasty. Impeccable service !! read more

It's been a long time coming since I've wanted to eat at Mercado Negro and I finally had the opportunity to last night. It was my brother's birthday and he also appreciates food so I made a reservation. I've dined at their former location on St.Clair and was excited for the new and beautiful aesthetic as well. We were offered a choice to sit on the heated, enclosed patio under a canopy of greenery, eclectic chandeliers and artwork. You can't beat this vibe. The staff were very attentive, however too attentive at some points where one server would check in on us and then 5 seconds later, another staff would check on us again. There is such a thing as overdoing it especially when you are trying to eat and have food in your mouth. The music was perfect and added to the ambiance. As for the food, we ordered neck clams which made for a great sauce to dip our bread. They were cooked perfectly. I ordered the octopus dish that came with veggies and a delicious orange sauce and my brother ordered the short rib recommended by the chef himself. My dish was delicious, the portion was very generous and the flavours were fresh, crisp and authentic to the Portuguese culture. For me, there wasn't enough sauce for the whole tentacle and some parts were quite tough to cut through and to chew. My brother enjoyed his short rib, the flavours were there however he wasn't a fan of the squash purée as it was too sweet for him and he's not a sweets person to begin with. I found it tasted delicious but the sweetness notes didn't pair well with the savoury meat dish. It reminded me of papas (a Portuguese custard like dessert). Our waiter was nice and attentive however didn't know much about the food or wine menu and left us waiting for answers in two occasions. I expected that staff at a prominent restaurant like Mercado would be more knowledgeable in the food and drinks they serve. Also when we ordered our nightcap he seemed to be struggling to remember two simple drinks without his pen. I made it easier for him by pointing out that it was the first two drinks on the menu. Also, he arrived with one drink and not both and again kept us waiting. Opportunity for improvements here. We ended the night off with drinks. I had a Whiskey Sour which was very smooth and I savoured it because it was so delicious! My brother had a Negroni. Overall the experience was above good. We would come back to try other dishes especially their surf and turf board. Their food is exceptional, you can tell the owners and chef have a passion for food and quality service and they definitely stick out above the rest. Thanks for having us. read more

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Our server Van was absolutely amazing. She was so polite and provided wonderful recommendations. I definitely recommend going to this restaurant. 10/10 read more

Horrible! The floors staff had way too much attitude. It ruined my appetite for the food. There are much better Portuguese restaurants in downtown Toronto that much friendlier staff. read more

Probably the best Portuguese restaurant in town. The foie gras, ceviche and duck were just perfect. I did appreciate the small gesture when they heard it was my birthday (desert here is tiramisu, another 10 out of 10). I highly recommend this restaurant read more

Mercado Negro - Tiramisu - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

One of the best Portuguese restaurants in the city. The menu is quite extensive with a wide variety to choose from - from wooden boards to main dishes and tapas, perfect for sharing. Portions are pretty big and are meant to share. Portuguese cuisine is known for their seafood, and seafood is done exceptionally well here. Our food experience (based on the items we ordered): The Robalo Inteiro (fresh sea bass grilled on bone, served with Portuguese bean ragout) we had was very tender and flavourful. Camarao de Mocabique (pan-seared tiger shrimps with garlic and fresh herbs) came out as MASSIVE jumbo prawns. Pequena Sereia (grilled squid & octopus in garlic oil) were nice and tender. The sides and salads were delectable and came in good-sized portions as well. The Chef's Green Salad was particularly unique because it contained some granola and small veg chips, which added a nice crunch. The Rustic Potatoes are a must-get for the side - they were like potato wedges, but very crispy on the outside and covered in garlic sauce (super delicious!). Vegetables of the day included zucchini, bell peppers, and onion. They were nice and crisp, not overcooked, and nicely seasoned with some yellow sauce. Service is very attentive and excellent. The servers are super friendly and knowledgeable about the menu, and able to provide recommendations. They go above and beyond to make sure that you have a great dining experience! (such as putting out a second table to accommodate all our orders). The chef even came out to ask us how the food was. They have a pretty spacious and nice patio. Half is fully covered (not to worry if it rains!) and half isn't. The half that isn't covered has nice colourful umbrellas floating overtop, which is great for picture-taking. The interior of the restaurant has a nice retro European 1960s / 1970s vibe. Overall, this restaurant scores 5/5 in all fronts: the food, service, ambiance, atmosphere, both the interior decor and patio, authenticity (makes you feel like you're in Portugal), and everything in between. read more

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I had the best restaurant meal I have ever had in my entire life. The restaurant is lovely with a very nice ambiance. The music playing in the background was very pleasant. The service is friendly and very professional. But it's the food - the glorious, glorious food in this restaurant that sets it apart. I went there with a friend. We started with a brioche with a tasty olive tapenade. She ordered the steak. It arrived cooked exactly as she had requested. The portion was so large she couldn't finish it. I ordered the lamb chops. The very generous portion of lamb chops, also cooked exactly as requested, was presented on a bed of delicious vegetables like mashed sweet potatoes, small new potatoes, broccoli (which I normally ignore, but somehow the chef made it delicious). I had Ambrosia - dark chocolate ice cream and a portion of chocolate mousse for dessert. Everything was perfect. Everything. read more

I am utterly flabbergasted by the behaviour of this restaurant! My husband and I had scheduled a reservation for Saturday night, unfortunately he fell ill and we were unable to go out for out for the dinner we were looking forward to. I phoned around 1 PM to cancel a reservation for that night at 7:15. The woman I spoke to on the phone was extremely rude and told me I would be charged. I said I don't understand how you would charge somebody who cannot come due to an illness? We didn't simply not show up!? I phoned and tried to give the Restaurant as much notice as possible and frankly if you can't fill a table for two people on a Saturday night with 6 1/2 hours notice you must have bigger problem than our cancellation! fast forward the restaurant did charge us for the cancellation and then went on to trash me on Instagram and blocked my husband. I am completely disgusted that a restaurant would behave so unprofessionally, but since this happened to us, I looked through some of the past reviews and see the owner clearly has a few screws loose and often comments inappropriately back to his customers! They keep deleting the response I left to their message on Instagram so I decided to leave a review here explaining my experience. In the day and age with so many people struggling and working hard at making a living please don't support such a nasty place! read more

Mercado Negro - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Generally, there is a pleasant and professional manner to deal with a mistake that was made and there is a rude arrogant and bullying way to make a point. The staff of this business that we encountered favoured the former. That isn't an effective way to deal with public. read more

Hidden gem in midtown for Portuguese food. We've been searching for authentic Portuguese food in GTA for a while. Been to many expensive Portuguese restaurants but they're not what I've tasted in Portugal but THIS IS THE REAL PLACE! They have a large variety of food, seafood/ meat/ tapas. I was craving for seafood that night and wanted to try all seafood. Our server was so nice and he asked me not to order single tapas for each, and suggest us to just get the seafood platter with all kinds of seafood. It comes with prawn, shrimps, squid, octopus, and big clams. I'm in love with every single one of them, very good texture, meaning super fresh, the clams, they used butter and white wine to cook, very very delicious, in love in love Had to go home for dessert with family so I didn't order anything, but I'll definitely come back again to try other food here. Hidden gem in this area! read more

Mercado Negro - Seafood platter $92 I think, love it - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Everyone helps out, service is good. Amazing food. Drinks amazing. Shout out to the Margarita and espresso martini, my favourites! Ambiance is absolutely amazing. If you can eat outside during patio season, do it. Will be back again. read more

Mercado Negro - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Mercado is a hidden gem in North York. It is a Portugal restaurant and specialized in seafood. We ordered Arroz de Marisco and Cabrito. Arroz de Marisco is seafood in spicy tomato sauce with rice. Very delicious and lots of seafood including whole lobster, crab legs, jumbo shrimps, mussels and clams. It is enough for two people. There are reviews saying $130 is a bit overpriced, but I think it is reasonable pricing considering the amount of seafood. I definitely recommend this to everyone. Cabrito is grilled lamb chop. The quality of lamb chop is good, but I ordered medium cook, and ended up almost well done. We finished up with Semi-frio de Bolacha, a typical Portugal dessert, but it is not my favorite. The cake is not soft enough in my opinion. Maybe it should be like that, however it is my preference. I would highly recommend this restaurant to people who love seafood! read more

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If you're looking for authentic Portuguese eats, look no further, this is a great family run spot which specializes in these delicious boards filled with seafood, charcuterie, meats and more! I've been here in the past and only ordered their meat and seafood boards so this time decided to try a few other items from their menu! 1. The classic seafood board has always been their main highlight, filled with clams, tiger shrimp, baby shrimp and some octopus. I like how their seafood is cooked with minimal seasoning to really bring out the natural flavors, which is just like how they do it in Portugal! 2. We were recommended the "Alhiera Nest" which was supposed to be a sausage dish, but was more like a chopped meat dish mixed with cooked veggies and little fried potato slices. It was visually appealing and topped with an egg however I felt it wasn't what I expected taste and presentation wise. 2. We also tried the pork belly which was I thought was tender but flavor wise nothing special 3. Additionally we ordered the salmon tartare, which I found to be bland and the sweet/sourness of the pomegranate topping did not complement the fish. The ambiance, decor and authentic Portuguese wine selection are all great, so I would still come back for their delicious meat and seafood boards in the future. read more

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Both the outdoor and indoor environments are very nice for friend gatherings and romantic events! A lot of food choices. read more

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A little pricy but food was good. Service was good. The restaurant is tucked away in a corner but plenty of parking and nice cozy ambiance.

A little pricey but OMG their food is delicious. I believe it's a family owned restaurant and you can really tell they make their food with effort and love. I've never been a fan of seafood besides sushi and salmon but I took a leap and tried their seafood platter. It was phenomenal. I thought octopus, squid, clam/oyster wouldn't be good (also basing this from personal experiences) but it was SO delicious. Great selection of food, so many amazing options to try and not your usual basic meals, they're very specialized in these unique dishes. One in particular which id thought I'd dislike was Pork Cheek but that ended up being one of my favourite dishes of all time. And they have a nice variety of wine which every girl can appreciate when dining read more

Mercado Negro - Variety of their amazing dishes and a glimpse of their their delicious wine - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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One of the best Portuguese dining place in the town. Yummy food, excellent services (the staffs kept telling us the stories and introduced the food to us) and amazing decoration for photos. Worth to try and I will visit there again with no doubt. read more

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Rude beyond belief, it's only beautiful inside with plants everywhere you look but I'd rather have nice people to deal with than look at a bunch of pretty plants. I called the manager to voice my concerns and all she had to say for it was, "ok, ok, if you wrote us a review already I don't know what you want me to do" if you can't run a business properly, don't run i read more

Am I in Portugal or am I in Toronto?! Places like this why I enjoy the Toronto food scene. A very authentic experience, reminded me of my trip to Portugal. Loved everything from the food to the presentation to the very nice staff who explained what I was eating :) I got to try the three meat platter (chicken, pork belly and steak) as well as the alheira egg, Portuguese sausage, rapini and potatoes) Check them out if your around stclairwest $$ ~ read more

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This is a very authentic Portuguese restaurant with surprise specials not always on the menu - so deff ask the server prior to ordering ! We ordered the seafood stew special which was very tasty and rich in flavour ! We also ordered the grilled squid which was cooked to perfection and marinated in oil and lemon. What was very delicious was the alheira Nest which which was a chicken sausage mix with other beautiful grilled flavours topped with a fried egg! Very creative and flavourful menu ! Sangria was also well done (ordered it unsweetened) and it was still very well marinated !- -- very friendly and kind servers who always checked in to see if we needed anything read more

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The ambiance is nice and service is good, but the food is "meh". The balcalhau a bras was SO disappointing! How can you call yourself a Portuguese restaurant and not make this traditional dish properly - they used matchstick potato chips instead of REAL POTATOES! Too lazy to cut them up I guess?! For the price, they should use real ingredients. And they had tiny pieces of dehydrated (or something?) olives that barely added any taste. What a shame! read more

Hidden gem. Unique menu - flavorful, carefully crafted dishes not to be found elsewhere. Worth your money. However, I hope the owner will reconsider the name. Regardless of origin, definition, or pronunciation, usage of the term is uncomfortable. read more

First time to this place. Is a hidden gem! Balcauhau highly recommended and the octopus salad read more

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Food is very good and tasty , plaster are nice ! Servers are very good advisor for the wine. Décorum is fantastic ! We loved this dinner read more

Mercado Negro - Sinfona mar - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

"All Day Goodness" indeed. Mercado Negro is one of the best St Clair West has to offer . Everything in the menu is as tasteful as it is amazingly crafted. Mercado Negro is the creative space where Carlos Oliveira brings his visions to the world , in the way of culinary gifts. 5/5 read more

Mercado Negro - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

The food was pretty amazing but the prices are a little hefty. I would go again but be more careful with my choices. They do have a kids menu if you ask, but they didn't tell me the price. When they brought out the 2 chicken fingers and fries for my kids I knew right away they would never finish it as it was huge and I wish they had said it would probably be too much (esp for a 2 year old) we took the leftovers home but not too happy it was $15 each for kids meals (expensive compared to other places for the same thing). It was good they had the option as the kids would not have enjoyed the grown up food. Only other issue was the artwork in the mens bathroom. My 6 year old told me it was inappropriate. Apparently, not a very tasteful nude. All in all good experience, staff we very accommodating with bringing outside cake for dessert since it was my mothers 70th celebration. Good wine selection. It's a tight spot and so they want all large parties out of there by 7pm which they tell you on the phone so you have to book for 4:30-4:45pm. Reservations are a must! This restaurant is inside of another restaurant Casa Portuguesa which has takeout only. read more

Mercado Negro - Platter with meats and seafood. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Me and my partner had reservations for today's dinner. Other than one time when we sat a very spacious patio in a bar, this was our first night out at a restaurant since the pandemic started. We went to Mercado Negro because it looks cute, romantic and we heard that the food is delicious. But we didn't ha d a chance to check it out. Once there, our server had mask on, but 2 other servers did not. I noticed that one of the unmasked servers was inside the bar, preparing drinks, so when our waitress came to the table I asked her to be the person preparing our drinks, since... COVID. A couple of minutes later a guy that might be the manager, but probably the owner, came to our table, with no mask and said that Ontario don't require masks on patios, so masks were not mandatory for staff, unless they were serving inside. I said I have asma and can die from covid, so I would prefer that my server uses mask and he said that, if I have that condition I should no leave my house. By than we were preparing to leave. The owner continue talking saying how people are annoying them with this whole mask stuff (I guess I know why) and if I don't feel comfortable I should leave and said again that if I have asma I should not be leaving my house. I was pissed at this point. I was being polite, but when he said that for the second time, I told him to stop telling me how to live my life which he answered that I should not say to him how to run his business (Like, what?!). Anyways, he was an asshole and all I left saying "good Luck, sir". I wrote this whole story because I believe this man might be an anti-mask person. Or just behaves like one. He and one of the servers were in and out of the restaurant, mixing drinks, bringing food, sitting people and arguing with clients without any PPE. If you are a person that is aware of the WORLD PANDEMIC and want to go to a restaurant that really cares about your health, DON"T GO HERE. If you think Covid-19 is a conspiracy and it's caused by 5G towers and is not transmitted from person to person, I believe you will love this place. read more