Marben Review

Love the bar at marben beautiful mocktails for dry January

Friendly staff, great cocktails, we ate the Ploughman s board which was delicious.

Visited during lockdowns and felt very safe and like the staff were taking things very seriously. All wearing masks, QR code for menu, well spaced tables on the patio and recording patrons details in case they needed to inform us of an outbreak. Will definitely return again this summer.

I'd passed by and always wanted to check it out. I finally did and was not disappointed. Food was great and good options for vegetarians! Rotating taps of local beers - try the pilsner! Will definitely be visiting again!

Locally sourced and beautifully planned menu. The wine list is also killer

Amazing brunch. Amazing Sunday Roast. I wish I could eat here everyday!

I went to Marben on Friday to sample their John burger upon reading some excellent reviews online. The burger is cooked medium-rare and is quite juicy a napkin is definitely needed. The cheddar and coleslaw toppings complement the burger superbly. The bun, however, was stale and the outer crust to hard. The accompanying fries were excellent, though the arugula salad was tardy as it was bland.

The customer service was excellent from the staff and the bartenders. The hostess, however, was condescending and unhelpful. We were 30 minutes late to for our reservation and she made no effort to find us seats we managed without any assistance to find some seats at the bar.

I heard a lot of good things about this place, so I was in the area and decided to stop in for dinner. I forget what my partner ordered, but i had the burger, and it was about as good as any bar burger, but the cost was much higher.

Amazing food. Service was slow for a lunch but I believe they only do lunch on Fridays so maybe not surprising.

Nothing too crazy but the staff are nice and the food is pretty good. Loved the burger.

Sat at the Chef s pass, the service was amazing and the food incredibly delicious!

First time coming here and ordered their burger. Fries were delicious but I can't say the burger was. It was a large piece of meat that was super filling, but it lacked flavour and was pretty dry.

Wouldn't recommend as you can spend $22 for a better burger elsewhere.

Mediocre and disappointing. Had a steak but it was far from a good cut and it wasn't even warm. The service was also slow but the saving grace is the atmosphere which is rustic and relaxed.

Great for Brunch and dinner.
Small menu, but all items are delicious.
Also has one of the best burgers around!

Went there for Sunday brunch with friends. Amazing food. There was live music. Place is very cozy. Price is little bit expensive but totally recommend

I visited Marben about a month ago and had a very poor experience. I went with a group from work for dinner and drinks on a relatively quiet Tuesday night and the restaurant managed to disappoint on all fronts. First off, it took over 15 minutes for a server to muster up the bravado to take our drink orders. Then it took another roughly 10 minutes for our drinks (mostly wine and beer) to arrive with no apology or reason for the delay. The restaurant was not busy on this night so this sluggishness was surprising. Our food orders were processed in a reasonable time and our meals all met our now lowered expectations. The real surprise came later on in the middle of the night when I woke up, violently ill for several hours. I wasn t quick to assign the blame on what I had for dinner that night but the next day it was confirmed when several of my other colleagues also had the same terrible food poisoning, which based on our own process of elimination seems to have been caused by the burger. A colleague and I both sent emails to the restaurant to notify them and hopefully save others from eating the same spoiled food we had been served. We were shocked to get no response from the restaurant, which is completely unacceptable from any restaurant, especially a supposedly higher-end one based on the prices charged at Marben. A restaurant that does not care for the safety of its customers must be avoided at all costs.

I had been to Marben several years ago and remember my experiences being quite good but it seems its time has come to shut the doors and move on. Once the staff has lost interest and passion for what a restaurant is doing, it s only right to close up shop rather than continue to offer subpar experiences under the guise of a name that was once respected.

Best brunch in the city. Food, service and atmosphere is outstanding! Also, if you get The Fry Up for brunch you can purchase a jar of the marmalade. It's delicious!

Came here for brunch and it was alright. I wouldn t say that the food is necessarily mind blowing, but it was good and substantial enough, if perhaps a little overpriced for what you re getting.

Ahmed & the team that catered to my Fiance and I were absolutely fantastic. Thank you. We will definitely be attending regularly for the foreseeable future!

These guys know their food. They have passion, and the preparation show. I love everything about this place.

I came to have the burger. Let s break this down. The overall flavor was balanced, salty and sweet with the juicy texture you want out of a medium rare patty. Sponge Bob would be proud. The bun was also quite enjoyable, softer than a morning pillow before work. You can t say I m wrong. Simply put, I ate this as slow as possible to enjoy this moment for as long as I could. I d love to bring someone here. PS. Your playlist was great. Turn it up!

Avoid it! I'm not one to write restaurant reviews often but the experience I had at Marben was just so awful that I just had to warn everyone else not to waste their time with it. I was with a group of 6 other friends from out of town and I made reservations 1 week in advance for a table for 7 at 8:30pm. Upon arriving to the restaurant no later than 8:40, we were informed that our table was not ready yet and asked us to wait by the bar. They made us wait over 40 minutes for a table that had been reserved 1 week prior! When we finally manage to sit down and after spending all this money on drinks at the bar, they put the 7 of us on a table for 6. It was so cramped up we couldn't even breath without elbowing each other, let alone eat. It doesn't end there tho. I had personally chosen to take my friends to that restaurant because their duck dish looked amazing. Guess what? As soon as we sat down the waiter told us they were all out duck. The next thing even remotely close to have the same appeal on the menu was a bacon wrapped rabbit that cost over $10 more and didn't quite impress in any way. In addition to that, the risotto my friend ordered was disgusting with 3 little pieces of scallop and the stake another friend ordered was so bad hat he could not finish it. I have to say though they did try to make up for the wait by giving us some free appetizers on the house but by then the night had been ruined. I just wanted to be done and over with it. One of the waiters (the twinky hipster guy) was also rude and indifferent all night and tried to take our appetizers away before we finished it. Never again.

Great food, the burger is especially great. Nice atmosphere. Excellent service. Make sure to order the chilli oil fries! (if you eat spicy, but this is Toronto so of course you do)

I cannot say enough wonderful things about this restaurant! Marben hosted my bachelorette in July, and I returned last week with my fiance for dinner. Both experiences were amazing. The servers were so thoughful and attentive, each taking the time to congratulate me during the bachelorette. They took turns checking on us during dinner and made sure we were well cared for. Even the manager took some time to chat with us during both visits!
The food both times was wonderful and the chef deserves all the credit! I tried bites from every brunch at the bachelorette, and tasted my fiance's meal as well. Everything was so flavourful and balanced. I am already planning my next visit!

Marben is one of our favourite spots, and they never disappoint. My partner and I recently ordered the tasting menu. It was spectacular, and the wine pairings were so fantastic! We can t wait to go back.

Good quality but a bit pricey. Vegetarian but no vegan options

Food was tasty but temperature control issues. Half the table's meals were cold.

Had the burger...was very good
But on the pricey side but worth a try

I dined here for my friend's birthday as a party of 9. She was informed on her way to the restaurant that our table had been booked for 9pm, our reso was for 6:30, which was cutting it a little close considering the size of our party. Our server was really pleasant and our food came about 20 minutes after ordering. After we finished dinner we asked if we had enough time to order dessert, and were told it was ok. Shortly after, a staff member came by and informed us we had to clear the table for our next booking but that we could sit by the bar for our dessert. Our party of 9 walks over to the bar, and there are no seats for us. We're all standing by the front and are made to feel like we're in the way of the service staff. Since we have nowhere to sit, someone from our party asks them to cancel our desserts. The server then arrives with one bill, and says it's not possible to split it. So we stand there for another 20 minutes trying to figure out the bill, and each one of us has to walk up to the bar to pay at the counter. After spending over $600 at this restaurant, I would've expected to be treated much better, not like a huge inconvenience. A tip for Marbel: don't treat your patrons like cattle after you give a large party such a small time frame to sit and enjoy their meal.

I ve been here two times recently,both experiences were amazing.
Perfect spot for one-on-one dining,loved the patio and staff

Dinner and Service where over the Top. Since recently moving here this is one of the finest establishments we have the pleasure of enjoying. Sadly you ran out of Captain Morgan's but you did assure us it would be stocked for next time !! Job well done !!

I've been here a couple of times and always get the same thing: John's Burger. It's a different type of burger patty (thick and made of braised rib). The portion may seem small but it's satisfying :)

Easily the best service and food I've had out in a long time. It was everything I wanted out of dinner service: prompt service that took my desires into account, some of the best risotto I've ever had, and gorgeously plated dessert that they customized for me. I wish I could keep this place to myself so I always have a table, but they're so good that I want everyone to experience something like that.

What are you waiting for? Stop reading this and GO!

Dined for the first time for a friend's birthday party and our server was amazing, but we were rushed out and I felt thier only concern was turning over the table. For the price that we payed for dinner we should have been treated better.

Very poor experience at Marben for a friend's birthday. Service was non-existent. We had planned for a set menu for our group, but upon arrival were given a regular menu and asked to pick a la carte. The ricotta and fried cauliflower dishes were decent, but the steak was an absolute disappointment. It had no flavor and I would not want to guess how long it had been in the freezer. Total garbage. The waiter disappeared for 45 minutes and someone else showed up with the nerve to serve us the bill with 20% gratuity, while our waiter drank at the bar. I would avoid this establishment and go spend your money elsewhere.

Food wasn't that great - it was as if they tried too hard to make something unique but ended up with dishes much too complicated and overpowering. Atmosphere was very nice as was the service though.

Great food, drinks and service. They pay attention to details and the experience.

Unbelievable burger, new patio looks good and food is on point!

Always outstanding service. Incredible talent behind the bar as well as in the kitchen. A lovely group of staff.

Excellent vibe and knowledgeable staff!

Classy joint

Amazing staff and the food is good. Music is great and the atmosphere is quite nice.

So good, love this place.
Consider yourself lucky if you get there and there's still loafs of bread for sale. Their sourdough is so good!

I tried Marben with friends the other day to finally get that John's Burger everybody's talking about. The Waitress was very nice and knowledgeable as she took our orders. The restaurant has a chic appeal and has a nice warmth to it. The burger most definitely did not disappoint. As the goodness ooze out of every bite, I just wish it had more quantity to it to match the quality.

Very nice Sunday brunch. The patio is nice. I love the vintage look inside. Bathroom is gorgeous. Really recommend

Really interesting looking bar. They had a great list of craft beers. Everyone in my group was pleased with the taste of our food, but the plates do run on the small side. So if you re really hungry you ll need some appetizers. They had a great looking patio but it was too cold he night we went to sit there.

Great place to go with friends. not much on menu but its okay

I love this place, keeps me coming back. The menu changes a lot so every time I come back I get to try all new delicious things. It can be deceptively pricy though, but worth it.

I recently went with a bachelor party of 9 people. From the moment I made the reservation, the service was outstanding to ensure my group would enjoy their experience. When we arrived as a group, the staff were so accommodating and helpful from drinks all the way to explaining the intricacies of each dish. Every appetizer and main dish was beautifully plated, tasted spectacular and the entire group was left blown away by the experience. Every one of us from the group would definitely recommend coming here! Next chance we get, we'll be back too.

Only tried brunch but they had some interesting options. Nice choice of cocktails, and the cardimin cold brew was really nice. The space is well designed too. A bit pricey but not outrageous.

The atmosphere in this restaurant was very nice for a Valentine's Day dinner. When we showed up the reservation we had wasn't in the system. We had booked through open table so it was a bit strange and that had never happened before. The hostess searched my name and found my name I guess. We ended up getting a nice big table. It was however by the door so it was a bit drafty. We ordered some red wine and it was very nice. The main course was the duck egg and ricotta ravioli with brown butter. I was expecting a lot of flavour but it was disappointing. We ordered the sticky toffee pudding and it was so delicious! I feel like I would go back just for the pudding.

Bit of a mixed experience.

On the one hand, the decor and service were great; two of us walked up on a friday evening without a reservation, it was just starting to get busy but they still found us a table promptly and let us choose inside or outside (we chose the latter). The staff seemed busy but not harried and never left us waiting once we asked for something.

On the other hand, the atmosphere, menu and even some of the reviews here made us expect we were about to get a hearty, rustic meal which would have been great since we were starving - it seemed like a ritzy-er take on the irish pubs the neighbourhood is full of. However the food was about as far as I can imagine from "rustic" and "hearty", with the focus seeming to be mostly on presentation to fit a trendy upscale restaurant. It still tasted good but left us with a "well this was interesting but I wish there was more to it" feeling (and both of us usually struggle to finish a serving at most places, so it's not like we were expecting giant american portions or anything). We happened to both order the same thing so not a representative sample unfortunately, but while tasty enough, I wouldn't call it particularly memorable. The cocktail was great though, and ordering a bunch of appetizers would probably have helped.

I'll still leave them 4 stars and a hopefully hearty tip since it's only our own fault for having picked a place without finding out a bit more of what to expect, but just be wary of the picture painted by the reviews and self-description.

My boyfriend and I had an amazing experience at Marben. We shared the chicken dinner which was perfect as he has the appetite of a giant and I don t. The serving size was great but even better was how tender and juicy the chicken was. He even mentioned it was the best fried chicken he s ever had- which means a lot from a guy from Grenada! Beyond the food being amazing both Dan and Julie took care of us. They had perfect timing, knew the menu and clearly genuinely enjoy their jobs and taking care of people. Will be back for sure!!!

Cool spot - didn't astound but was rather nice. There was a cod dish in particular that would be worth reordering, whilst the burger was especially on point.

Service was great. The steak is amazing! They do something incredible with cauliflower. I'll be back.

Solid option for a special dinner or after work drinks.

A nice restaurant, good location, with a warm ambience. There is a very nice patio in an oddly unbusy street of downtown. The food choices are limited. The quality of food is good but not extraordinary. The toast is so delicious. Not too kids friendly. They only had one high-chair and they took ours away because another table booked earlier.

Very welcoming staff. Meticulously well thought out menu and decor. Music was great. Beef cheeks, lobster and roots, breast of lamb, and the burger all highly recommended.

Excellent restaurant! I came here for their Summerlicious offering and am super delighted that I did! We went on a somewhat nice day and was able to enjoy their cute patio. What I love about this small street is that, it's somewhat hidden and sitting outside is wonderful - you can actually enjoy your food and company sans the annoying car noise.

For the summerlicious menu, I had chosen a delicious starter whcih i unfortunately can't remember what it was , a dish with fish and mussels cooked in a savoury coconut milk broth and finished with an ice cream cookie for dessert. I remember enjoying every bite out of each dish and wishing there were more of them!

One of the things that i remember most about this restaurant is the bathroom. It's probably one of the most beautiful restaurant bathroom i've ever seen!

Very good food and ambiance, excellent service as well and not too pricey. Would definitely recommend.

A real dining experience. We ate at the chef's table and were very pleased. (Sous) Chef Justin clearly enjoys what he does and made sure we had a great experience. The food was super delicious and service was second to none. We loved the whole eating local with British influence experience. Definitely will be back.

Always incredible food here. Made with love, sourced local and paired with great cocktails.

I wish I took photos but we just dove in!

Food and drinks were a complete joke but the icing on the cake was when I went to the restroom and saw watery feces all over the floor this place is extremely disgusting it needs to be shut down immediately

I decided to give this place a second chance my coworker wanted to come hear really bad even tho I told her about my bad experience once again the bathrooms we're a complete mess took about 30 mins to get my food and once I got it it was cold my seafood had a sour smell to it I didn't eat my food I gave it back I wanted a refund they gave me a really hard time about that I will never ever come hear again I don't recommend this place there are tons of other good restaurants in Toronto mine personally is Frings but hey enter this place at your own risk.

Marben is good but I ve never found it to be incredible. The menu is quite limited and the dishes are a bit fancy (except the burger which is fantastic). The croquettes were okay. The beef was good but not a standout.

The cocktails are amazing, so might be a good place to pop by for a drink.

The server was extremely awkward and was not helpful at all when we asked for recommendations. I expected more for a higher end restaurant. I would only return if someone else happened to pick it.

Delicious food, portions are a tad small. Good wine selection.

Great place. Professional staff, great wine selection. Food was also delicious

Great restaurant for a more formal occasion. Good privacy and discrete

The essence of hospitality is about going above and beyond....
Imagine, having a martini on my own at Marben, waiting to take my goddaughter out for dinner to her favorite buffet restaurant ....the manager saw me alone and brought over a taste of this delicious snack.

Wow...being in the business for 20 years owning my own restaurants and catering company, I am Impressed.

Well done Marben!

Wonderfully designed space, good drinks and fantastic food.

I've never written a review for anywhere but felt like this was such a let down that I needed to warn people. I don t mind paying for good food but we basically got no food. We had a large group so we got the family style brunch which is $35 dollars each. Out first came doughnuts which each person only got a half of a small ring doughnut. They tasted amazing but the serving size was so small. Then after a considerable wait to the next round which was a side bowl of Marben Cobb salad which was basically a bowl of kale. Along with a platter to be shared amongst our section of the group which was six people. I'm really unsure on how they considered this enough food for six people. It was one piece of Smoked Salmon on squash fritters, with a poached egg on top. One
piece of mushrooms on toast again with a poached egg on top. Then a part called the fry up which was two sunny side up eggs, one sage and apple banger, bubble and squeak hash, some mushrooms and baked bean. When you consider it was four eggs between six of us and a single sausage. It again had amazing flavour but we felt like we only got half of it. Where was the rest of our food.

The running joke after brunch was apologies if you had to sell a kidney to pay for the Marben food. None of our group minded paying for a quality brunch as it was for a celebratory lunch. What we did mind was paying for lunch that we really didn't get.

Amazing food, tables nicely spread out, friendly staff. We had a great time!

I used to love this place. Rated it 5 stars before. Had to edit to 3 stars based on the new menu. Their family sharable steak was amazing. Steak on top of fries topped with butter sauce served with Brussels sprouts is no more... Please bring it back.