Bar Isabel Reviews

splendid meal. our new favourite spanish tapas bar in toronto!

Food was unbelievable! Wasn't a fan of their lighting, way too dark. Service was excellent

Very nice. Waiters are very kind and friendly. Food is amazing.

Fantastic spot to spend an evening. Delicious food and great wines. Quite obvious why the place is so popular.

Great food and nice environment. Portions a little too small but excellent quality. The octopus is exceptional.

Don't do the taster menu Just order. Fairly loud good atmospher Salt and sweet is what we experienced. Fair amount of bread cheese dough. Sweet underlined Get ready to get dirty going through the shrimp prawns. Wish we experienced more salads. Lots of grease to be expected. Fairly expensive for what you get.

Great place, delicious tapas, nice service and great atmosphere ! I highly recommend this place for drinks and supper. We had the $80 degustation menu and everything was delicious even the bread and the olive oil.

Food : *****
Drinks : ****
Service : ****
Atmosphere : *****

Suggestions :
- octopus
- ceviche
- foie-gras toasts

It's been a while since I got great service like this. The restaurant ran like it was a very efficient machine- never felt pressure to eat super fast and get out. It was like they intentionally paced out meal to enjoy the food and conversation at our leisure. Food was super good. We enjoyed the salt cod, patatas bravas, pork blood sausage, and bone marrow. Seasonal cocktail I could have twice a week.

This was an amazing dinner. Went with a large group so they put together a tasting menu served family style and it was amazing. The octopus is a must have.

Dimly light but very lively Spanish style tapas. Our server put together a tasting menu for us and it was an unbelievable meal! Quality and quantity.

Incredible food and service. You will never be disappointed!

Fantastic anniversary dinner. We had high expectations and they were all met. The quality of the food was exceptional and authentic. Everything was cooked the way it should be. Service was attentive and catered. The flake salt on the table was a nice touch. Looking forward to our next visit already.

A truly fantastic meal! I regret not coming here before the pandemic. The food is truly amazing, the staff I'd great. I will visit again and again.

Great time here, had about 6 dishes for two people and it was the perfect amount with some to take home. The menu is tapas style and everything was amazing! The staff are very helpful if you need anything and drinks were delicious as well.

Expensive but worth it. We tried a few things (beef heart with salsa verde, some cheese, the grilled octopus) and they all tasted great. The service was great too, they were helpful with the menu (since the menu isn't fully in English) and they made a delicious custom drink for me too.

Recommend the tasting menu - its all good and worth a try!

Came here multiple times. Their service is first class. They have a seasonal cocktail menu which never disappoints. Most dishes are tapas style which is perfect for a group of friends.

Been here once before. Very trendy tapas place. This particular visit the device was not uo to par. Went on mothers day 2018 and got a new and inexperienced server who choose sort of spoiled the moment. Very poor staffing decision made by restaurant. Lots of staff aroynd yet still hard to flag one down fir assistance, everyone is too busy to notice. Wait staff is really good on refilling water glasses! Food was on spot, everything was delicious. Great atmosphere and ambiance, would definitely recommend and probably will return.

It was ok. The wine was excellent, as was the service and ambiance but overall most plates left something to be desired. Perhaps I ve just had too many tapas in Spain but each dish seemed to be missing something. Would give it another try if pushed.

Most of the menu is in spanish so we asked out waiter to reccomend some dishes. He said he would look after the ordering just asked us if we had any prefrences. The meal was great, we were all happy, just suprised when we got our bill because he had ordered the octopus which is the most expensive thing on the menu. I just hope in the future, if the waiter puts a $65 plate on your bill he would run it by you first as most things on the menu are tapas and therfore in the $15 range. The meal was good, a heads up would have been much appreciated, because that would NOT have been the route I would have choosen.

Great seafood. The seviche ls the best and the cake is good.

It can cost a lot if you want it too but it's not necessary to have one of the best meals on town. Allo, look out, I can actually get a table here on reasonable notice.

If you only hit one restaurant in Toronto, make it Bar Isabel!

When I asked my friends for Toronto recommendations, this was the only one that showed up (twice), and it did not disappoint. The atmosphere is elegant but relaxed, and the food is outstanding quality. The prices are a bit high (especially the wines -- and especially the sherries, unfortunately... so we opted for cocktails), but overall worth the pricetag.

My favorites were the shishito peppers (so good), gooseneck barnacles (seasonal special), grilled mushrooms with celeriac (fantastic), and patatas bravas with boquerones (I really enjoyed and felt like only moderate heat, but too much for my wife.) I wasn't as wowed by the octopus (it was fine, but I've had better, especially for the price.)

Enjoyed the outdoor patio experience and attentive service.

Ah, okay so, DELICIOUS food. Excellent service. Cool vibe. I would have given them 5 stars but you know when you go out for dinner and everything is so good and then you get the bill and you re like oh... but it wasn t THAT good ... Well, that s what happened here. It s REALLY pricey.

The food is amazing and the service was great too. They have a wonderful selection of wine as well. Don't leave without trying the octopus, cured pork shoulder and the patatas bravas.

Spanish tapas in Toronto? Yes please! I visited this place many times and it is consistently good with their food and service. Oysters were always fresh, tapas were creative and tasty. Fantastic ambiance and great location.

Food is meh...(had better for that hefty price) wine list is great & service.

OMG, this place rocks!!! EVERYTHING is out of bounds: staff, cocktails, apps, tapas, prices given the exceptional quality and dining experience. You will be SO VERY GLAD you checked this place out.

Seriously one of my favorite restaurants in the city!! And I have tried most of them! This place never disappoints!!! You actually will be surprised!

Great food, drinks and customer service. Very attentive staff!

Delicious and well-thought-out tapas, and prices that won't make your ears bleed. Try the croquettes.

The octopus they serve here is some of the best I ve ever had in my life. Worth the visit.

Toronto staple for a modern take on Spanish tapas. Great cocktails and wine/beer list.

Food was delicious but the service fell short. Pompous attitude from the staff. Wouldn't go back there or recommend just because of that. Highly overrated.

Great menu, and delicious food. Our server Manuel was fantastic.

Impeccable service, super knowledgable server (right down to the regions of Spain the wines came from), and superbly prepared dishes - don't miss the grilled octopus ... the mushrooms ... or the shaved foie gras: incredible!

Amazing experience. Great food and even better drinks

Worth the wait if you don't have a reservation. A go-to spot for my friends from near and far!

I'm very late to the Bar Isabel party, but glad I made it. My wife and I went here shortly after it opened and the place was already packed. We managed to grab seats at the bar, so it made for a lively albeit tight/crowded dinner experience. The server/mixologist was friendly and helpful, offering up tips (she said they do seafood and pork really well) or a customized tasting menu. We ended up getting individual dishes:
- Housebread: Why even call this out as a dish? Because it was good! Soft at the centre, properly crusty on the edges.
- Cecina ala Casa: This was slivers of beef buried in a mountain of greens. Meh. Beef was nondescript and the greens were a bit limp.
- Sobrassada and Foie Gras: Sausage and foie gras patte like spread on bread. The mixing of these strong flavours really worked well.
- Grilled Octopus: Wow. I get why this is one of Bar Isabel's signature dishes. Excellent cook, excellent flavour.
- Cauliflower and Almond Romesco: The cauliflower was a bit dry/tough, but the almond romesco tasted like the best homemade sauce.
- Suckling Pork Belly: Tender, with almost a sweetness to it. Really good quality pork cooked really well.
- Basque Cake: I get why people go gaga over this. The cake is soft inside but slightly crisped on the outer edges, and the hot sherry cream they pour on it gives the dessert some contrast.

Bar Isabel is pricey but worth it. Let the hype live on.

Wonderful service. Excellent beer selection. Great atmosphere. Extremely pleased to be served here.

Had an amazing time at bar Isabel. Lighting is concealed and dim which makes a difference. Feels like fine dining. Quite busy in the evening. We didn't have to wait but there was a queue afterwards. Try the absinthe which is an experience in itself. The way sugar drips in the glass is something to see. I had never seen such thing before. Definitely coming again to try it again.

Such a wonderful restaurant. All the food was incredible but the octupus stood out. Don't be dumb like us and order a big portion!

The tapas and drinks are fantastic, and the ambiance cannot be beat for those looking for an intimate and cozy spot. We had the tasting menu with wine pairing and it was delightful! The bartender took his time carefully explaining each wine and why he selected it with our dishes. Bar Isabel is definitely worth a visit!

This is an amazing Spanish restaurant. The tapas are amazing but the menu lacks some more traditional items like paella or Sangria. Overall amazing service, cool atmosphere, good food, and as you can guess expensive. Good for a romantic outing! Not good for kids.

Spanish influenced tapas restaurant. Small shared dishes. Octopus is my favorite dish here, but the oysters were tasty too. Its not only a place for seafood, Chorizo, ribeye steak, and plenty of vegetable based dishes are offered. Great wine list and good cocktails and beers are on offer. Not a cheap dinner option, but the food is solid. Located on the fringe of Little Italy accessible by streetcar.

Hands down best restaurant in Canada for food and stellar service. Sit at the bar, get the razor clams (off the menu), rib eye steak Chicago style and old fashion cocktails.

Bar Isabel is a treat. The food is fantastic, the wine selection is awesome and the service staff professional and friendly. I didn't know what to order so I just said "Bring me food and wine that goes with it." Our server did an amazing job, she brought us exactly the right amount of food and perfectly matched the wine to each course. It was a magical evening.

Sizes are small and overpriced for the food quality

Phenomenal food experience every time I come. Food and service are both on point. The basque cake with sherry sauce is by far the best desert I have ever eaten and each time you order it, it tastes better than you remember.

The last time I was there my wife surprised me and took me here for my birthday. All the staff knew it was my birthday which was a very special touch.

Great spot! Love the decor and overall bar concept - the bocce, shuffleboard and table game were all super fun! Drinks are reasonably priced - I will definitely be back!

Amazing service. Incredible food. loud fun atmosphere. Get the cake for dessert!

Great food.
Good drinks
Uptight, hipster, grumpy service!
We spent a 1000.00 for 6 before tip. A smile and a few words would have gone a long way.

One of the most consistent and excellent restaurants in Toronto.

It's Grant van Gameren-I went in expected great, instead I got amazing. The smoked sweetbreads in particular were phenomenal.

Good vibes, good variety of food, recommend the croquettes, the pork jowl, the shaved fois gras on top of serano and bread, and the basque cake for dessert.

Make resos to ensure a table.

Very hard to get a reservation, though there's a reason. Delicious food, great service. Loved the cheese, chorizo, and foie gras. Patatas bravas were a disappointment though. No sangria.

The bread and Octopus were amazing. Small selection of wine by the glass however pair well with the meal. Chocolate desired was quite nice paired with pieces of blood orange . Service was great. I did fine the oyster were a little old. I have had raspberry pointes oysters many times and these tasted... off. The experience was ok hence the 4 stars.

Had dinner here last night. Food is incredible! Staff and manager were attentive, kind, and efficient. There was a tiny bit of a hiccup with the timing of our food coming out but the manager resolved it immediately. Overall definitely worth eating here!

This is another place that will take you straight to Spain at the first bite. Everything we ordered was delicious and well-crafted. A couple of items to go for:
- The charred Mushrooms and Peas
- The patatas-bravas, a simple dish but probably the best I had so far

- The garlic shrimps are so good we asked to keep the plate to drench our bread with the sauce. Speaking of bread, it would be better if comes warm and crispy.
The bill will be pricey but believe me you won t be disappointed at all.

Hands down my favorite place in Toronto. If I could bring one place to every city I move to it would be Bar Isabel.
Alessandro and his team are super friendly and attentive, while decor makes us want to never leave this awesome place.
The Food? It s worth 60 stars. Try everything - from their amazing bellota ham to the scrumptious octopus and ribeye steak I would recommend the whole menu.
Thank you for existing Bar Isabel.

Cocktails are nice. The vibe is good. Sometimes there's a bit of a wait, but it's worth it.

Excellent Spanish style tapas! This place fills up fast so it's best to make a reservation especially during peak hours. The staff is passionate and attentive. The portions stay true to tapa style plates and the quality behind each dish is impeccable. There is a true attention to flavour and dedication to the culinary arts.

Amazing bean stew that was seasonal. Very friendly staff also.

Great cooking. Octopus is delicious. Razor clan is excellent too

The gentleman at the door was great, service was great. Even asked about allergies. Nice place to be! Food was delicious

I love Spanish tapas ever since I've came back from my honeymoon back in 2008. This is probably one of the most authentic place (in terms of food and atmosphere) in TO for Spanish tapas! Good job!

Cool place. Gets fairly loud. I had no idea how to order here. Asked the waiter for suggestions. If you aren't open for fish heads,beef tongue or whole octopuses then just say that. Biggest bar menu ever! The flavour was unreal. Worth exploring

If you ever have the opportunity to go here. Do not hesitate. Device and food 5 star.

Amazing restaurant. Best tapas in the city and the best costumer service. The ambient music is incredible including Caetano Veloso and another genius.

This place is a hidden gem. Seems like an old building from the front but once you get in it's like going back to the past. And the food is made to match too. Great attention to detail.

I've been to bar Isabel twice now....... And had the best 2 meals I've ever had in my life.
If you haven't been here before......... I implore you to go at least once.
I really need to frequent this place more than once a year. I love it.