Alma always delivers, never fails. It's one of our favourite place in Toronto. The food is excellent and innovative. And the service is friendly and attentive. A perfect evening out. Plus they play great music.
Melinda
We chose the the trust Alma and the selections made matched us perfectly. The server took the time to ask us what we liked and didn't like. All the food was amazing!! We cannot wait to go back !!
Ben
Fantastic little place up on Bloor west, the Chinese fusion works great, the wine list is interesting full of organic wines.
Monique
The service was great and the food was delicious, but there was one item we ordered that was quite expensive and we were surprised that the portion size wasn't a bit bigger. We would return but we definitely would not reorder that particular item.
I came in excited because Alma is Michelin Guide listed. For me, Michelin is not about “expensive food.” It is about the complete experience. From the moment you walk in, you should feel seen, guided, and taken care of. That feeling should build all the way to the end, where you pay and leave genuinely fulfilled. Unfortunately, none of that happened here.
The service lost us within the first five minutes. The greeter was noticeably inattentive and seemed mentally elsewhere. When we asked for suggestions and clearly stated what we do not like, those preferences were ignored and we were still directed toward the exact things we said we did not want. That is basic listening, and in a Michelin Guide restaurant it should be automatic. The rest of the service followed the same pattern. It was not warm, not detailed, and not proactive. We did not feel hosted. We felt processed.
Now the food. I can appreciate the creative twist and presentation, and you can tell there is intention behind the concepts. But the flavors felt filtered for a Western palate in a way that stripped away the cultural identity. As someone who grew up with Asian food, these dishes read like “Asian inspired for white taste buds” rather than a confident expression of the cuisine.
The nasi goreng was overly moist and lacked the depth, fragrance, and texture that makes it satisfying. The char siu pork steak was the biggest disappointment. It missed the hallmark qualities of good char siu, like proper caramelization, aroma, and that balanced sweet savory richness. Honestly, it was worse than what you can pick up at a basic supermarket counter, and that should never be the case in a Michelin Guide context.
A Michelin Guide restaurant does not need to be formal. But it does need to be intentional, attentive, and coherent. Here, the hospitality was absent, and the food, while creative, felt like it compromised authenticity to appeal broadly. I hope the team takes this feedback seriously, because the concept has potential. Right now, the Michelin level experience simply is not there.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
Bhavneet
Our experience was good but one of the ladies at the bar was not the most pleasant. Tone of voice when speaking to your customers matters a lot.
Nourah Bee
My partner and I have been eager to try Alma and it did not disappoint. We started off with a glass of Dirringer Virose and Plageoles Contre-Pied which were both excellent. We got the Hokkaido Scallop Crudo which I believe was one of the specials that evening. It was fresh and refreshing, I would’ve loved more. For our mains we chose the Tripe Noodles and the Skirt Steak Bordelaise, both were excellent and flavorful. We ended our meal with dessert we got the Cruller and the Pandan Castela Cake, personally I would skip dessert next time and maybe add an appetizer or a main instead. Overall, the food was excellent and the flavor profiles were super unique. I would definitely come back.
I will say that it’s on the pricier side, our bill came out to $238.43 before the tip. If you’re looking to make a reservation I would skip the bar seating and opt to for a table instead.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chris Martin
Had an incredible meal at Alma. A highly rated restaurant but if you’re wondering if the food tastes actually good -rest assured it’s good.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Rithvik
We ordered the tapioca fritters, the bao, the endive salad and the wonton/noodles. Everything was oily and greasy. Understood that the fritters but the bao was flavorless (just dough), the endive salad was overly bitter with a very simple dressing and finally the wontons/noodles were absolutely not worth the price. Overall, food was super mediocre - no idea how this place has a Michelin Star. Now the trickier part - service: 1) our waiter recommended all the above but then when he saw our food was unfinished the first instinct should be to push a little bit to see what was wrong. That didn't happens 2) the worst part - we ordered a bottle of wine (almost $100) he doesn't let us try it, instead pours it all and proudly exclaims “that tradition of tasting isn't worth it”. This isn't something your server should enforce. Turned out the wine was super acidic. At the end of the night however one of the other servers were super nice in conversation which was a redeeming factor. In the end, I def do not recommend this place. Not worth the money at all.
Fred Hui
There is no heart or arts into the food. I wonder about the authenticity of all the 5 stars reviews
We had high expectations for this restaurant but sadly it was a disappointment... We started with the radish cake and the dumplings, both recommended by our server, both dishes very ordinary and certainly not memorable; next the bao buns also recommended, totally flavor free! Next we had the chicken wings, tasty sauce but very salty; next we had the noodles with tripe and tongue, good texture and the tripe and tongue cooked to perfection but unfortunately it was too sweet... A couple of observations: the tables are too small, the size of table you'd expect in a coffee shop or ice cream parlour; it was very very loud, and interestingly there was not one single Asian customer in the place... The staff was very attentive and pleasant. We will not be rushing back.
Karla
The food was incredible. Great flavours and th menu is set up for sharing. The service was really great and the staff readily make recommendations. Definitely a gem.
Jon N
Really busy restaurant. The starters were amazing. Highly recommend the fritters and the bao (so fluffy and the cheese to add was interesting). Scallop was fantastic, and wish there were more than two for the price.
The mains were good, but didn’t blow me away like the starters (trout and charsiu). The nasi goreng was interesting and had a nice kick.
The two desserts were good and had more umami than sweet going on. I like the coconut crepe more than the cruler with miso caramel ice cream. The cruler dessert was interesting, and the miso caramel had a bitter/near burnt taste that I think was trying to contrast the cruler.
Staff were fantastic and service was prompt and professional. Fresh plates and cutlery were provided regularly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Frederico
The server was very friendly and the dishes were really good. We loved the parmesan tapioca fritters, the scalion bao and pork wonton noodles. We recommend the restaurant!!
Robb
Very lovely overall experience. Food was very good, and unique....good presentation....noise level was fine etc. I thought that the portions were too small however, considering the price, or not. I had to go home and make a sandwich afterwards, and that should not be the case after spending over $200.
Alma always delivers, never fails. It's one of our favourite place in Toronto. The food is excellent and innovative. And the service is friendly and attentive. A perfect evening out. Plus they play great music.
We chose the the trust Alma and the selections made matched us perfectly. The server took the time to ask us what we liked and didn't like. All the food was amazing!! We cannot wait to go back !!
Fantastic little place up on Bloor west, the Chinese fusion works great, the wine list is interesting full of organic wines.
The service was great and the food was delicious, but there was one item we ordered that was quite expensive and we were surprised that the portion size wasn't a bit bigger. We would return but we definitely would not reorder that particular item.
Michelin Guide expectations, disappointing reality.
I came in excited because Alma is Michelin Guide listed. For me, Michelin is not about “expensive food.” It is about the complete experience. From the moment you walk in, you should feel seen, guided, and taken care of. That feeling should build all the way to the end, where you pay and leave genuinely fulfilled. Unfortunately, none of that happened here.
The service lost us within the first five minutes. The greeter was noticeably inattentive and seemed mentally elsewhere. When we asked for suggestions and clearly stated what we do not like, those preferences were ignored and we were still directed toward the exact things we said we did not want. That is basic listening, and in a Michelin Guide restaurant it should be automatic. The rest of the service followed the same pattern. It was not warm, not detailed, and not proactive. We did not feel hosted. We felt processed.
Now the food. I can appreciate the creative twist and presentation, and you can tell there is intention behind the concepts. But the flavors felt filtered for a Western palate in a way that stripped away the cultural identity. As someone who grew up with Asian food, these dishes read like “Asian inspired for white taste buds” rather than a confident expression of the cuisine.
The nasi goreng was overly moist and lacked the depth, fragrance, and texture that makes it satisfying. The char siu pork steak was the biggest disappointment. It missed the hallmark qualities of good char siu, like proper caramelization, aroma, and that balanced sweet savory richness. Honestly, it was worse than what you can pick up at a basic supermarket counter, and that should never be the case in a Michelin Guide context.
A Michelin Guide restaurant does not need to be formal. But it does need to be intentional, attentive, and coherent. Here, the hospitality was absent, and the food, while creative, felt like it compromised authenticity to appeal broadly. I hope the team takes this feedback seriously, because the concept has potential. Right now, the Michelin level experience simply is not there.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
Our experience was good but one of the ladies at the bar was not the most pleasant. Tone of voice when speaking to your customers matters a lot.
My partner and I have been eager to try Alma and it did not disappoint. We started off with a glass of Dirringer Virose and Plageoles Contre-Pied which were both excellent. We got the Hokkaido Scallop Crudo which I believe was one of the specials that evening. It was fresh and refreshing, I would’ve loved more. For our mains we chose the Tripe Noodles and the Skirt Steak Bordelaise, both were excellent and flavorful. We ended our meal with dessert we got the Cruller and the Pandan Castela Cake, personally I would skip dessert next time and maybe add an appetizer or a main instead. Overall, the food was excellent and the flavor profiles were super unique. I would definitely come back.
I will say that it’s on the pricier side, our bill came out to $238.43 before the tip. If you’re looking to make a reservation I would skip the bar seating and opt to for a table instead.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Had an incredible meal at Alma. A highly rated restaurant but if you’re wondering if the food tastes actually good -rest assured it’s good.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
We ordered the tapioca fritters, the bao, the endive salad and the wonton/noodles. Everything was oily and greasy. Understood that the fritters but the bao was flavorless (just dough), the endive salad was overly bitter with a very simple dressing and finally the wontons/noodles were absolutely not worth the price. Overall, food was super mediocre - no idea how this place has a Michelin Star. Now the trickier part - service: 1) our waiter recommended all the above but then when he saw our food was unfinished the first instinct should be to push a little bit to see what was wrong. That didn't happens 2) the worst part - we ordered a bottle of wine (almost $100) he doesn't let us try it, instead pours it all and proudly exclaims “that tradition of tasting isn't worth it”. This isn't something your server should enforce. Turned out the wine was super acidic. At the end of the night however one of the other servers were super nice in conversation which was a redeeming factor. In the end, I def do not recommend this place. Not worth the money at all.
There is no heart or arts into the food. I wonder about the authenticity of all the 5 stars reviews
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
We had high expectations for this restaurant but sadly it was a disappointment... We started with the radish cake and the dumplings, both recommended by our server, both dishes very ordinary and certainly not memorable; next the bao buns also recommended, totally flavor free! Next we had the chicken wings, tasty sauce but very salty; next we had the noodles with tripe and tongue, good texture and the tripe and tongue cooked to perfection but unfortunately it was too sweet... A couple of observations: the tables are too small, the size of table you'd expect in a coffee shop or ice cream parlour; it was very very loud, and interestingly there was not one single Asian customer in the place... The staff was very attentive and pleasant. We will not be rushing back.
The food was incredible. Great flavours and th menu is set up for sharing. The service was really great and the staff readily make recommendations. Definitely a gem.
Really busy restaurant. The starters were amazing. Highly recommend the fritters and the bao (so fluffy and the cheese to add was interesting). Scallop was fantastic, and wish there were more than two for the price.
The mains were good, but didn’t blow me away like the starters (trout and charsiu). The nasi goreng was interesting and had a nice kick.
The two desserts were good and had more umami than sweet going on. I like the coconut crepe more than the cruler with miso caramel ice cream. The cruler dessert was interesting, and the miso caramel had a bitter/near burnt taste that I think was trying to contrast the cruler.
Staff were fantastic and service was prompt and professional. Fresh plates and cutlery were provided regularly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
The server was very friendly and the dishes were really good. We loved the parmesan tapioca fritters, the scalion bao and pork wonton noodles. We recommend the restaurant!!
Very lovely overall experience. Food was very good, and unique....good presentation....noise level was fine etc. I thought that the portions were too small however, considering the price, or not. I had to go home and make a sandwich afterwards, and that should not be the case after spending over $200.
Loading...