The atmosphere, vibe, and decor of Woods are outstanding. The fear with places like this is the food itself doesn't live up to expectations. Happy to report that isn't the case here, as we really enjoyed the meal itself too. - Cold Smoked Ontario Elk Tartare: Was worried it would be a tad gamey but that wasn't the case at all. The cold richness of the elk was nicely cut by the salty potato crisps. - Seared Foie Gras: Milky and fatty like the best foie gras are, complemented by the tarty fruit. - Bison Short Rib: Really tender though also hearty at the same time. Loved the red wine reduction taste. - Burger: The special during Fridays. The patty was really juicy and tender, almost to the point of crumbling. - Smores: Pure indulgence. Like how, despite the whipped marshmallows and delicate layers of chocolate, it wasn't overly sweet. - Donuts: Heavy yet somehow also light. Get why this is a crowd pleaser. Bonus points for the whole experience. The place makes you feel like you're in an upscale garden, and the service is absolutely top notch. Can see why this is a popular weekday spot to wind down and enjoy. read more

We came for a team dinner - and, upon seeing that the restaurant was basically empty, feared for the worst. The meal started out well, with some solid appetizers. Service was decent, albeit slow... it took roughly 1.5h to serve all the appetizers. We got a charcuterie board (nothing extraordinary, no special cuts of meat or anything), compressed watermelon salad (tiny), scallop three ways (this was my favourite thus far - bright and interesting flavours, such as corn, grapefruit, and bacon), foie gras (the fruit compote helped lighten it), and oysters. Since the service was painstakingly slow, we asked them to quickly serve our mains. That's when things started going downhill... We shared an elk ragu, braised bison short rib, and New York striploin. The striploin was the best, but that's not saying much. The bison was super underseasoned and quite underwhelming. The elk ragu... was not good. They had a clump of pasta-like substance that tasted uncooked / raw. When we asked, it turned out it was some "coconut pasta". It had such a weird gritty texture and was kind of gross. We left it all untouched. We opted against dessert, and simply asked the servers for the bill. One of them, when clearing the steak knife from my colleague's seat, accidentally dropped it. The knife fell, point down, just centimetres from my colleague's thigh - hitting his phone. We were appalled! We wanted nothing more than to leave at this point. When the bill arrived, we were shocked and confused to see a $12 charge for dessert. We beckoned the servers, hoping to inquire about the charge - when they came out holding a dessert (some smores cheesecake). They claimed it was "on the house" - and we snorted, since they had charged us for this "free dessert". But since we were eager to leave, we said nothing about it. TLDR; service is too slow, food is not great. Poor attention to detail. Would not come again. read more

See all

Woods Restaurant really leans into its name--the space is stunning, with dim lighting, trees, hanging lights, and floral touches that make you feel like you've stepped into an enchanted forest in the middle of downtown. It's romantic and intimate, perfect for a date night or a special dinner. We started off with cocktails: the Canadian Manhattan and the Niagara Peach. Both were pleasant but a little watered-down for our taste--especially for a place at this price point. Before our meal arrived, we were each given a complimentary slice of bread and a small pad of butter to share. It was a nice touch, though a bit minimalist--we wouldn't have minded an extra slice or two. For appetizers, we tried the Heirloom Beet Salad and the Cold Smoked Ontario Elk Tartare. The salad was fresh and vibrant, with the goat cheese mousse and candied walnuts adding lovely texture and richness. The tartare was well-executed and nicely plated--rich, savoury, and with just the right amount of texture from the foie-dusted potato crisp. For mains, we had the Halibut and the Braised Bison Short Rib. The halibut was tender and paired nicely with the crispy quinoa and warm tomato salad, while the bison short rib was a comforting dish, complemented by sweet potato puree and tangy pickled cauliflower. That said, the portions were on the smaller side and the pricing a little steeper than I felt was justified. Service was friendly and professional. We would've loved to end the meal with something sweet, but didn't have time. Overall, Woods delivers on ambiance and creativity, and the food is thoughtfully prepared with quality local ingredients. Just be prepared for a leisurely meal, slightly higher prices, and smaller plates. Still, it's a beautiful space and a great option if you're looking to celebrate something special. read more

See all

What a great surprise! I set a group experience for 25 last week and had heard some good things about this place. It is a little off the beaten path in the best way possible. You feel you've discovered a little gem. Each and every person that I spoke with after the meal bragged about their particular dish. We chose from full menu. Vibe perfectly Toronto cool. read more

Gorgeous. Just stunning interior. This place was recommended to us when we were in the area looking for some late dinner eats. I'm visiting Toronto so finding this place was a bit of an adventure. The door is hidden and the street it's on looks like an alley and it's no labelled well. Once you walk in though, you're greeted with beautiful interior design. They have trees in a few spots just making it feel magical. Our server was great- quirky dry sense of humour but I loved it. He recommended any elk dish. Apparently that's what they're known for. So we all had the elk steak and we all loved it. I didn't care of the dehydrated mushrooms ( I think??) on the dish. It has a funny flavour and I love all mushrooms usually. Would love to come back and dry another dish next time! read more

Ok simply put Food=lame, service =terrible. Staff lied to us about the food that was available at the restaurant. When we got there, at this wild game restaurant, they had no wild game. They said that their delivery person did not deliver any wild game that day. Then we ordered bread, not only once but five times. For 45 minutes they misled us about the availability of bread. They had no bread. When they delivered our food order 80 minutes later, they ended up not having a potato side dish to go with the meal, they said they ran out. This place is a joke and the staff intentionally misled us all night. Avoid at all costs! This place is a ridiculous excuse for a restaurant. Such bad behavior by the staff, they should be fired! We could not wait to get out! read more

Spectacular food in lush ambiance great drinks and wine list service impeccable we loved our visit to Toronto and will definitely come back to Woods next time we are in Toronto! Highly recommend! Plus fabulous saxophonist! read more

Woods Restaurant & Bar - Woods restaurant - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

You won't find better service or more exquisite food anywhere else. The restaurant itself is stunning between the decor and the live piano music creating a comforting atmosphere. The service is beyond exceptional and welcoming. A unique menu with delicious items. This is one of the best restaurants in Toronto easily. read more

Great service. Delicious food! Came here with work colleagues. Had the window table with a set menu for the group. read more

See all

Do not reserve a large group here! We went for a business dinner and experienced the following 1) Reduced menu was pathetic 2) Took FOREVER for the food to come out; over 90 minutes for appetizers to arrive!! 3) Food portions were pathetic! 4) Those who stayed for the food were eating the plates of those who left because of hunger and terrible service/lack of preparation on The Woods part. The Woods ruined our last night in Toronto. Wish we had never gone to this overpriced restaurant; we will never be going back!!! read more

It's a solid 3.5.. I don't know what it is... Foods delicious service was great, Patrick's a good man, but there's MISSING something, I just can't put my finger on it. Maybe it's the area, the people... Really can't figure it out. The only thing they didn't have was prime rib burger which we did want to try but there were other great options The server surprised us with some crispy kale and it was delicious. Some favourite dishes was the foie, scallop, steak and for dessert the smore. Oh and they make a nice espresso martini. The girls and I love a place that makes a good Marini. Overall worth going for a tasty dinner and the atmosphere is nice, a little dark but nice vibe overall read more

See all

Good location. The owner seemed nice. That's pretty much all positives I can think of. The food was very underwhelming, boring dishes and not cooked very well. For the price we paid I felt we got ripped off. The service was slow. Such a shame as I really wanted to like it. Sadly I won't be returning read more

One word to describe my overall experience here is -SALTY. Don't get me wrong, the dishes were delicious, but just very salty. I was thirsty for the remainder of the night. Service here was great, minus we felt extremely rushed to order with the waiter coming back 3 times to check if we were ready. I would understand if the restaurant was busy but there were only 3 tables total when we were seated. They served bread and it was a thin baguette slice and a thin small slice of focaccia per person. While I think it's great when restaurants offer you bread to start I think it's a bit ridiculous to give you so little. You might as well not serve any bread at all (or maybe I'm just being greedy lol). To start we shared the organic Ontario green salad and honestly nothing special to report. Just literally a regular salad. We also shared the wild digby scallops which are normally $24 for TWO scallops. While I find scallop appetizers are expensive in Toronto, this is a bit much to charge $12 for one. Perfectly cooked but salty. For my main I had the squash ravioli. Perfect al dente and the ravioli had a lot of squash inside which is always the best! However, this was ruined by the EXTREMELY salty sauce and spinach that was part of the dish. Also, the AC is poor here. We were all hot and sweating - the July weather outdoors was less hot than inside the restaurant. read more

See all

It was snowing out. We wanted to find a nice place close to where we were staying to walk to. Wow what a wonderful surprise!! The charm and atmosphere of live piano started the mood. The hosts hooked us up with Drinks and charm. But the best part was the Food!! It was mouth watering! Amazing beet salad, if you like kale chips don't pass these up they are melt in your mouth good. I had Elk a first for me and it didn't disappoint! Hubby had the scallops. We definitely recommend this quaint restaurant. read more

Woods Restaurant & Bar - Elk dish and kale chips. Both amazing! - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

Cozy restaurant hidden in the bustle and hustle of downtown. The decor is wood-themed and gives a bit of countryside vibe. It is spacious and great for group dinners. Came here with a group of friends on a weekend and we were seated towards the back of the restaurant. The servers were friendly and attentive. Only half the table ordered appetizers and they brought extra salad for the rest of the table. We were impressed. Overall everyone enjoyed the food and will definitely consider coming back. read more

Beautiful interior. Loved the carpaccio and scallops. Service was perfect. Would come back here anytime I'm in Toronto!

Lovely and very intimate. Hard to find though if you do not know what you are looking for! We had the foie gras, frites, cordon bleu and beignets with chocolate sauce! Excellent food, very good service! read more

Fantastic experience at Woods Restaurant last night. The restaurant space is beautiful. Located in a historic post-war building in the St. Lawrence Market area of downtown Toronto. The server was professional and very attentive to everyone's needs; never an empty glass and allowed us as much time as we needed throughout the night. I knew when I previewed the menu online that it would be fantastic and I will say that I was not disappointed! I chose the wild digby scallops to start, and the halibut as my main. Both dishes were prepared perfectly and the visual presentation beautiful. The wine menu offered a good selection of wines, and the price ranges very reasonable. For dessert, I had the carrot cake- which although a little dry- the flavor was good, and presentation beautiful. I would highly recommend Woods to anyone and I will return again in the future! Thank you Woods! read more

This place is the WORST dinning establishment I have EVER been to. I made a reservation with my boyfriend for an 8pm dinner. We arrived at 7:45pm to make sure we were early. We were greeted by a man who told us to sit at the bar. The Irish man behind the bar gave us two beers to drink. After 30 minutes of waiting, we asked were our table was. The Irish man said that we were next to be seated. Fast forward after 3 walk-ins were seated, We were still pissing around at the bar. Finally I asked the host where our table was and he said we had to make a reservation... I was pissed. How the hell are you that stupid that you don't realize that your 8pm table who arrived at 745 that you sat at the bar...ISNT a rezo. After complaint after complaint we finally got seated around 9:15... And yes the close at 10pm. We ordered our food, and out came out charcuterie board that had no-frills level of deli meat and 3 pieces of kraft single slices and a 2 week old piece of bread.... The butt end too. I was like this..... We get this for $35!!! I can't wait to see what my $60 tenderloin looks like. 10pm came and went. Finally it was 10:15 and they asked us if we wanted the bill... I said WHAT HAPPENED TO MY DINNER? he's like....oooohhh you wanted that? I'm like excuse us while we both take our coats to go to the bathroom.... How in the EARTH do you treat your customers like that I think it's ok. 0/10 won't go back and would never recommend read more

Woods Restaurant & Bar - This was the bread we were served after a 1.5 hour wait past our reservation time we made - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

Restaurant was cute, & service was great, but my chicken cordon bleu was bland and mostly raw.

Have been meaning to come to Woods Restaurant (@woodstoronto) since AKS event here and I had change our reservation several time due to our schedule. We finally made it there the day before Ben's birthday this past Friday. Somehow they have been following me on twitter and learn about his bday, Chef Bruce Woods (formally Brasaii, Centro & Modus) kindly greeted us with Sparkling Wine as we sat down. With a quick one-month renovation from the former Colborne Lane space, the high ceiling, exposed brick with wooden theme throughout the space. The space was very inviting especially with the large windows that bring in some natural light. Very elegant and yet has an organic feel to it The wine list range from local to imports and are all very reasonably priced form $10-15 a glass and most bottles from $40-75 while some pricier ones like a $380 Tuscan Red is also available. While the beer list are mostly local Canadian microbrews. Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Crew (Ontario) $65 We originally wanted to go with a safe one from Tawse that we had before but our server suggested this one saying that it's one of his favorite. I am surprise that he notice that we wanted something local and suggest an Ontario wine to us. Never heard of this winery before but love the strong robust flavor of this wine with a rather chewy tannis finish. Loved it so much that we are tempted to go to the winery one day. Yes, I know it's a boring picture of a piece of bread but I just wanted to mention that they made their this sour dough bread in house and it was so good that I think I had at least 3 slices. Seared Quebec Foie Gras $19 ~ Purple potato puree, lobster mushrooms, bacon crispy confit, Saskatoon Compote ~ I can never resist ordering foie gras each time I see it on the menu and this was no exception. ~ Not only was it cook perfectly but doesn't it look so pretty with the purple potato puree, the greens on the blank white plate... it's like a piece of art work. Venison Carpaccio $16 ~ Black Trumpets, Wild Leek, Corn Nuts, Seedlings ~ We were pleasantly surprise at how tender this venison can be, it was perfectly seasoned with the right amount of gaminess to it which was further complimented by the trumpets and the crunchiness of the corn nuts. ~ Ben is having a really tough time forgetting this =P The most delicious Mini Hot Dog you can ever have.... perfect crispy casing, perfect flavor, perfect sweet relish and a perfect toasted soft pillowy roll. Thanks Chef for this amazing fun amuse. Roasted Muscovy Duck Breast $28 ~ Tatsoi, shallot, sourdough croutons, crispy confit, dried cherries, duck egg béarnaise ~ This was cook so perfect, just how I like it since I do find it overcook and chewy in a lot of places. ~ The duck itself was very lightly seasoned which work here so that I can taste the natural duck flavor which was further complimented by the tart cherries and slight mustard-y kick from the tatsoi. Chicken Cordon Blue $26 ~ Prosciutto cotto, monforte paradiso, chicken jus, Jerusalem artichoke, roasted pepper & black olive salad ~ Ben was so tempted to order the steak and chose this one instead since chicken tends to take more skills to cook than steak. ~ This was no disappointment, although being all white chick breast meat it was tender and juicy with a thin crispy outer layer. ~ It was perfect with the intense chicken jus and the olives salad on the side. Buckthorn Pavlova $11 ~ Buckthorn curd, milk chocolate ganache, black sesame ice cream ~ What a cute presentation and thanks for doing this even though I didn't requested it (^_^) ~ Even though it was so pretty and we weren't sure if we should dig in, we eventually did after admiring it for a minute and everything on this dish (except for the candle) was so delicious. Raspberry Macaronnade $11 ~ Mascarpone mousse, basil ice cream, macaroon, raspberry tuile, texture of raspberry, salted pine nuts ~ The smooth and light mousse was interlace with raspberry coulis was just a beauty in the Manson jar with all the raspberry seeds peeking through. ~ I also love how the use the jar lid to hold the ice cream but presentation aside, the basil ice cream can easily hold it's own ground and need I say extra bonus point from me since I love basil (yes, I love it so much that I can munch on it). ~ This is the perfect summer dessert, light and not overly sweet with a fresh outdoor airy feel to it. Verdict : ~ Haven't had such a fantastic meal from start to finish for a long time. ~ Great friendly, attentive and knowledgeable service ~ Great tasting and Great presentations ~ Great spacious settings, def no listening to next table conversation. ~ I already miss this place and hopefully I will go back soon. read more

See all

I am so glad that I found this restaurant! I was looking for a nice restaurant to celebrate my anniversary while I was in Toronto. After a long stressful day, I was able to unwind with a nice bottle of wine and excellent meal. Our waiter Loren was awesome! He gave excellent recommendations on the wine and helped guide me in my selection of my entree. As a visitor to Toronto, I asked about things to do in the area. Loren gave us some great tips and places to visit too. I am so glad that I've been able to dine here! The artisanal charcuterie was so goo! Excellent selection of meats The watermelon salad was so refreshing. The lamb chops and chicken cordon bleu were so good. If you have room for dessert, order the the donuts and chocolate sauce! Will be back next time I visit Toronto. read more

See all

We had a large group from my work come here for a holiday lunch so we had a prix fixe menu which contained items from their regular menu. My meal consisted of the organic Ontario green salad, Pacific black cod and cinnamon sugar donuts for dessert. The service was very professional and classy, but didn't feel stuffy like some fancier restaurants. The atmosphere was bright and shabby chic. Most importantly the food was delicious! The cod melted in my mouth! The donut serving was huge. It was too much for me to finish and I have a big appetite. The other options were chicken cordon bleu and the lamb burger. Nobody had a bad thing to say about their meal. Highly recommended! read more

See all

This is my first visit to this restaurant. I was brought here for my birthday dinner after our happy-hour drink at Pravda Vodka Bar. What a coincident, both places are running by the same owner. It is a very cozy restaurant. The server was kind enough to bring us to a corner table at the back, so we could quietly enjoy our dinner. However, I would say that was possibly the darkest corner in the whole restaurant. Reading my menu was not fun. It was also too dark to even take a nice picture. It is my only complain about the whole experience. Besides, this place has good food and good service. The restaurant was even nice enough to give us two glasses of complimentary champagne once we sat down as my birthday celebration:) The cake was nicely decorated with a birthday candle (so at least I could take a photo of my cake lol). The nanaimo bar cheesecake was very special and yummy! read more

Woods Restaurant & Bar - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

I heard great things about Woods Restaurant so I was very excited to try this place. When we got there around 6 pm the place was pretty empty. We're thinking it's because it's early. Nope, the entire night the place was pretty much empty. I seriously do not know why!! Our server was amazing I think he might be a chef on the side. The way he was describing each item on the menu it's like he was cooking it himself. We ended up going with his recommendation, the best duck I've ever had, ever! We started off with the charcuterie board with had a mixture of different smoked meat, some crackers, and duck pate. So yummy. They gave us complimentary bruschetta but it taste way better than normal bruschetta and more flavourful. Our duck was perfectly cooked at medium rare on a bed of leaves and small croutons with fried duck meat. Every slice was tender and flavourful and melted in your mouth. Amazing!! We had the woods donuts with chocolate sauce for dessert, so good. My friend had the woods s'mores. Amazing! They gave us some complimentary mint infused marshmallows. Also complimentary Pinot Grigio wine and they even offered to pay for our first round at the Pravda Vodka lounge down the street which they apparently own! I really can't stop raving about the food and can't wait to come back again. The service was above and amazing. There were 2 servers always there to explain what the items were. They change our cutlery after every course! All in all Woods exceeded my expectations and then some. Seriously not sure why this place is not packed. Even the price is reasonable for what you get. If I can give this restaurant a 10 star out of 5 I would. Thank you Woods Restaurant for going above and beyond for your customers and making our dining experience an amazing one:) I will be back soon! read more

See all

Robyn greeted is at the front door and was super nice and inviting. 5 star Amazing service and wonderful dishes. I had the elk which was done perhaps a little over but it was still so flavorful it didn't even matter. Smores dessert was awesome! read more

My friend and had a wonderful lunch at Woods Restaurant at the end of March. We loved the elegant yet earthy decor and the attention to detail. It made for a very pleasant dining experience. We shared the scallops and foie gras to start. The scallop portion was on the small side (3 on a plate) but they were delicious. The foie gras was amazing! Some of the best I've ever had and the portion size was surprisingly generous. My friend had the roasted Muscovy duck breast and I had the Pacific Cod. Both were excellent - perfectly prepared and beautifully presented. We had a little room left for dessert so we ordered the Pavlova (a work of art on a plate - I posted a picture) and the maple tart which was so rich we couldn't finish. We will most definitely be back to Woods. read more

Woods Restaurant & Bar - Buckthorn Pavlova - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

Woods was the place we went this week. Solid 3 stars... good service, good appetizers. They can't shuck oysters properly, turned out all messed up. Mains could be hotter but still enjoyed the dinner at woods. Great deals on barolo and brunello. One time kinda place... read more

Woods Restaurant & Bar - Duck breast - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I liked this place without loving it. I came here with work and we were placed in a private room. This part was great - music choice (jazzy) was excellent and the service he was terrific. The food was only ok though. We have a fixed menu with items chosen from the main menu. The best part for me as the beef tartare - normally I prefer my tartare with ground beef rather than cubes but it was still delicious, especially because the wasabi flavour mixed with the home made sour and cream chips terrifically. For my main I had the tuna. It came seared and served on a bed of potatoes. There was nothing wrong with it per se, only there was nothing special about the presentation and the potatoes were just kind of ordinary (I've had hash browns at brunch that were better). In short, I'd i had been paying for this meal myself I'd have called it overpriced. For dessert we had a choice of raspberry flavoured moose with basil ice cream or mini donuts. I give credit for the basil ice cream - I didn't like the taste of it personally but withers did and I admire the ambition. The mini donuts were dry. In short, Woods is a nice place to eat. The food is good but not spectacular given other choices nearby. ten years ago this place would have been considered great for Toronto standards but given the other options I would say it is simply good. read more

Woods Restaurant & Bar - The tuna main. - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Great presentation, decor and service but for the price I would have expected more balanced dishes. The duck was served on a bed of something deep fried and there was no sauce or complementary flavors of any sort. One could barely taste the dried cherries. My boyfriend had the steak which was decent but the sauce and accompanying veg were somewhat pedestrian. I probably wouldn't come back. Service was really amazing though! Congrats to the front of house staff! read more

See all

Came here for a networking session and dinner, not really knowing what to expect. I cannot say enough good things about the service here. I was helped with my coat and bag as soon as I got here, and handed a glass of wine (always a good thing in my books). During dinner, drinks were constantly flowing, and the servers left us to our conversations but were always helpful if we needed anything. For food, I decided on the Ontario Green Salad for my starter, the mushroom risotto for my main, and the Woods Smores dessert. The dressing for the salad was an ice wine vinaigrette, very Canadian and very creative. The risotto was pretty good (although I would have ordered the cordon bleu if I had read other Yelp reviews haha), but I have to give a shout out to the S'mores dessert, which was truly a chocolate-lover's dream. Although I thought it would have been more authentic to its name if it had more of a fire-roasted taste, I definitely enjoyed it thoroughly. Thanks Woods for the great first visit, I will be saving up my money to be back! read more

I love the minimal scandinavian interior (and green accent pieces). The staff was fantastic - very welcoming. Food was quite good (scallops, tuna tartar, carpaccio and spaghetti), but it didn't blow me away. The table favourite was the carpaccio. The portion sizes on the mains was on the small side - particularly the heirloom vegetable dish, which was a joke. We thought they had made a mistake. We complained to our waiter and he handled it very well. Because the service was so good, I'd give it another shot in a few weeks once they've settled in. read more

Woods Restaurant & Bar - Front table with $5500 branch chandelier. - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

Clean and stylish decor. Professional staff. Delicious dishes. It's not the hardiest of portioning, but really how much duck can one mow down? Especially after charcuterie apps and an anti-gout salad. We had a private room in a surprisingly cozy basement cavern ... And streamed the money fight boxing, and cast to their big screen. I must say we rocked very well on this fine evening. read more

This restaurant has calm atmosphere. Vegetables on salad were sweet and nice. Tuna was good as well! The amount on each plates were just right so I was also able to enjoy a dessert. read more

Woods Restaurant & Bar - Salad - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

Have been here twice before in the private dining room. Had dinner last night and it was again fantastic. Had a few starters and the special which was short ribs. my partner has the striploin. Service was a ten. They also gave us a round of wine on the house. Really one of those places in Toronto that is hard to come by. read more

Mediocre and uninspired dishes made only worse by the size of the portions and high price tag, should rank Woods as your top 10 to skip while in Toronto. My first Yellowfin Tuna was served so well-done that it no longer resembled fish; how this even left the kitchen is beyond me, as they seemed to think I was crazy for not liking it this way. The second attempt, while cooked properly, had zero flavour and the sides (poignantly touted on the menu) were no where to be found. I paid $30 for two meagre slices of tuna that could have been a sashimi appetizer at your local sushi joint. My girlfriend got served cod despite ordering duck, and aside from the over cooked duck breast she eventually received, her plate was bare aside from a few butter drenched croutons. Highly disappointing and ridiculously overpriced for pub fare. read more

I visited in Dec. 2013 with 3 other friends for our annual Christmas dinner. The Woods Restaurant and Bar is an up-scale restaurant featuring many Canadian classics showcasing local ingredients all prepared beautifully. The food is crafted by Chef Bruce Woods and Chef Anthony Davis with menu items that include seared Quebec foie gras, Lake Huron pickeral, and wild Digby scallops. The location of Woods is on Colbourne St, just off of King Station. Inside, there was a Canadian themed décor with a stunning large tree bark chandelier, large mirrors and dim lighting which provided a cozy, yet classy ambience. We were seated at the back of the restaurant, which seemed to have less lighting than the rest of the restaurant. My friend had trouble seeing the menu clearly and had to bring out her flash-light to view the menu. I had to use flash on my camera for all my food pictures, so I hope my pictures will do the food justice. Food: I started off with the prime steak tartare for the appetizer which was accompanied with onion chips. The raw egg created a smooth consistency when mixed with the steak. It was simple, delicious and fresh. The Dijon and shallots was not overpowering. Only thing was, the portion was a little small for me and I wanted more of it! Good thing the main course made up for the small appetizer. For the main, I ordered one of their daily specials, which was the pappardelle (freshly made in-house) with wine braised venison, chestnuts and topped with a bit of goat Gouda and lots of shavings of black truffles. It was my first time having black truffles and it did not disappoint. The combination of ingredients created a rich, flavourful, hearty and delicious dish. It really hit the spot! I highly recommend this dish and I would go back for more. My friends all enjoyed their meal as well. They ordered the tuna tartare (also a daily special), roasted Muscovy duck breast, yellowfish tuna and Pacific cod. My friend mentioned the cod had a nice sear, yet the meat was tender and flavourful. The drinks were well mixed, and accompanied my meal wonderfully. I ordered the cognac martini, red wine (I think it was with Ironwood Shiraz), and a bloody Caesar (I order a Caesar at almost every restaurant I go to!) The straws were cute, as they resembled the trunk of birch trees. After dinner, I asked to see their private room. To my surprise, I was greeted by the Chef/owner, Bruce Woods. He was such a pleasure to meet as he was friendly, approachable and informative. The private room was gorgeous and was consistent with the décor of the restaurant and would be perfect for a special occasion. It seats about 14 people comfortably. Now, I need an occasion to book this room! Sorry, I forgot to take a picture. Overall: It is worth going to Woods Restaurant. I enjoyed the food, service and atmosphere. If I had to make one suggestion, it would be to make the portions a tad bigger, especially for big eaters like me. read more

Do I have an option to give zero or negative stars? We had one terrible server who would make condescending remarks every time we had a request. If you don't enjoy working with people or with food, get a job with revenue Canada! The steak looked like it was M&M meat shops and the server left me with only a butter knife to cut the beef jerky....I mean steak that I ordered until I was almost finished eating my steak. When we received the bill, it was full of errors, and it got very tense trying to fix the error that was double billed on the servers end. If you have a large group of 15+ people, highly recommend that you're better off getting better service at Tim Hortons. read more

Perhaps my expectations were too high. I read about Woods on a list of the top ten Toronto new restaurants of 2014; I was really excited to try it out. My boyfriend and I liked the atmosphere. It's Rustic Chic. Distressed wood, modern lights. The tables are a comfortable distance apart. The music was a bit on the loud side, but we were sitting under a speaker. The service was just okay. Our server took our order for appetizers and we told her we needed another minute. She didn't come back for ten minutes and we were surprised to learn she hadn't punched in our appetizers during that time. The menu was a bit confused. Are these fancy tiny portions or is this comfort food? We had: The steak tartar - nice and spicy. I didn't love that it came with sour cream and onion chips. French onion soup - Good broth. Not to cheesy, which I like, but I don't know if it would appeal to most. The Spaghetti and meatballs - This was very tasty. Pure comfort food--I don't know how well it jived with the other dishes on the menu. Also, I don't think it was worth the $22 price tag. Yellow fin tuna - This was not nearly tasty enough to justify the tiny portion. It came on top of a mashed sweet potato patty, which was nothing special. The tuna itself was fine, a bit on the bland side. Nothing stood out about this dish. My boyfriend and I both agreed Woods was nothing special and we don't think we would return. Had I not read hype about it, I still would not have been impressed. read more

I had the pleasure of dining at a restaurant that I've been meaning to try for so long, and it didn't disappoint!! Woods has excellent service and food, and the ambiance is beautiful! My dinner companion had a zesty Caesar cocktail garnished with a fried pickle that looked incredible! This was followed by a beef carpaccio appetizer that was beautifully-presented, and a halibut cioppino dish that was quite generous. My own meal included seared scallops with a frisee type of salad; the scallops were cooked well, although with the addition of bacon on top, it was quite a salty dish overall. The seared Ontario Elk with sunchoke tortellini was the standout dish! It was perfectly cooked! Our servers were knowledgeable and attentive, and provided excellent recommendations! I love the earthy decor of the place, and overall I'd sum up the experience as whimsical! read more