Barberian's Steak House

7 Elm St, Toronto
(416) 597-0335

Recent Reviews

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Robert Fraser

Amazing experience for a birthday celebration. Wonderful attentive staff and friendly atmosphere.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

Goldy Wong

Classic old steak house in heart of Toronto! Good cooking! Onion rings fantastic!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

David Lee

Had chateaubriand, oysters Rockefeller, vodka martinis. Chateaubriand was good although usually flambés at table. Was not done for some reason. Oysters Rockefeller bore no resemblance to dish. Hard to find oyster in shells. Mostly spinach burned black. Don’t ever order this. These were cocktail oysters at best. Go to Dianas for Rockefeller at $24 for 3 huge bc fanny bay oysters rather than 6 cocktail oysters at $38. In general this restaurant is way overpriced. Go to the keg 2x for each barberians outing. A disappointment.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 2

Service: 3

Chris

Since 1959, Barberian’s Steak House has defined the classic Toronto steakhouse experience.

We started with one of the best steak tartare’s I’ve ever had, freshly seasoned, alongside an outstanding Caesar salad topped with thick-cut seared bacon that added the perfect smoky richness. The massive onion rings were golden, crisp, and a meal itself.

For mains, the 16-ounce rib steak with fries was cooked exactly as ordered — deeply flavorful, tender, and beautifully seared Chicago style to my liking. The side of mushrooms was rich and buttery, pairing perfectly with the steak. The half rack of lamb was equally impressive: super tender, melt in your mouth and cooked to a perfect rarity.

Dessert finished the night with a chocolate mousse layered in a rich white and dark chocolate shell, alongside warm apple beignets served with vanilla ice cream — the perfect sweet ending followed with an espresso.

Overall a fantastic, one of one special experience.
Well done!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Cindy Hum

5/5. Food was absolutely delicious. We tried the Chateaubriand and the meat was cooked to perfection. As a tenderloin cut, it was so juicy! Fries were well salted and perfectly crispy. French onion soup was packed with melted stretchy cheese. Garlic bread was garlicky and crispy as well. The complimentary pickled vegetables was a perfect combination to cut through any greasiness throughout the meal. While it’s a pricey meal, I’d say worth what you pay for.

Atmosphere was decent - there aren’t any windows in the room we were in, but adds to the rustic feel. Tables are decently spacious and there was staff everywhere - food was served decently quickly, water was constantly filled, and plates cleared quickly. Staff was attentive and friendly. We mentioned we wanted to share the French onion soup - and it was served in two bowls. Great service. Would absolutely come back! Great spot for a special occasion or if you’re looking for a good steak night.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Chris P (My Rock and Roll Heaven)

Absolutely amazing all around. Steak cooked to perfection (highly recommend the 32oz Porterhouse to share for two). Everything is made in house including all the desserts (killer cheesecake!). Wine list is spectacular.
Top notch attentive service.
Huge thanks to our server (Aaron I believe- hopefully that's his name, who gave us a great little post dinner tour of the beautiful wine cellar).
Highly recommended a must visit for steak lovers.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Kaitlyn Jung

Came here for an anniversary dinner and the service and food was amazing. The decor was filled with historic items and it was really cool to see. For it to be the oldest steakhouse it Toronto it was cool to see a little piece of history.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

beetle

rachel mcadams and lindsay lohan were here 🍸

E L

Amazing food and service, especially for special occasions. I can totally see why Elizabeth Taylor got engaged here. In this economy, I hope we can keep supporting their business to keep this little piece of history alive for generations to come.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Anthony Castro

This place is a throwback, but in all the wrong ways. Ridiculously overpriced, the slowest service I have ever encountered, decor that looks like it's stuck in the 70's and sub par food. My favourite part of the meal was the pickled carrots and celery they gave us while we waited a very long time for our meal. The only side offered with my steak was baked potato or fries. No salad, no vegetables other than the pickled ones, and no bread. I ordered my steak medium and it came out medium rare. I'm actually glad because the outside of the steak was almost black so the pink inside made it edible. I've had better steaks at the Keg, and I know their steaks are not great, but at least there I can order a full course meal with bread, salad, veg, potato, dessert and a glass of wine for a lot less this place. Not recommended unless you love to overspend for a meh meal.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 3

Service: 1

Shinya Hayama

Was worried about this place not living up to the name or the price but it was absolutely amazing. I admit that I am not a regular steakhouse diner but these steaks were the best we have ever had in Toronto. We had the rib steak and pastrami short rib were especially delicious. The pickled vegetables were also a fun way to start the meal.

I will note, however, that the bar is a bit of a weakness at this restaurant. While the wine list is impressive, the cocktails we ordered were extremely mediocre.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Kirandeep Kaur

Food was below expectations. The steak (Ribeye bone in) was good but not worth the price. Brussels were burnt. French onion soup was bitter.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 1

Service: 4

Carlos Gonzalez

Garbage place with absolutely repulsive customer service. Guys it’s not worth spending the money at this establishment. They don’t even take the time to give you , the customer , a good experience. I hope this place becomes a condominium sooner rather than later.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Shawn D

Barberian’s has that old-school steakhouse charm—dim lighting, historic vibe, and a reputation as one of Toronto’s longest-running spots since 1959. I went in with high expectations for a solid charcoal-grilled steak experience, but unfortunately, it fell short in several ways.
Service started off rocky: we weren’t offered a drink menu at all, which was odd for a place famous for its massive wine list and cocktails. Then came the sides—my dry baked potato arrived with a busser who clearly fancied himself the next Salt Bae. He went full dramatic flourish sprinkling the bacon bits, sending dry bacon flying everywhere across the table and even onto my plate. It was more chaotic show than helpful service, and quite messy.
The steak itself? Cooked as ordered, but honestly not worth a fraction of the hefty price tag (steaks here easily run into the $60–$100+ range depending on cut and size). It lacked the tenderness and flavor punch you’d hope for at this level—more average than exceptional. The seasonal vegetables I ordered never showed up with the main; I had to remind the server, and they arrived late and underwhelming.
On the positive side, the atmosphere is cozy and nostalgic, and the place has character. But for the cost and hype, the execution just didn’t match—missed opportunities on basics like timely sides, attentive drink service, and value for the steak. I’d give it another shot if prices were lower or service tighter, but as is, it’s a middling experience in a city full of great steak options. Probably better for tourists chasing the “classic Toronto” label than locals expecting bang for the buck.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 3

William Douglas

A truly one of a kind steak house which served excellent steaks and delicious sides in a historic venue dedicated displaying all measure of “Canadiana”. Group of 7 paintings and newspaper clippings from the day of confederation adorn the walls of the cozy and atmospheric building which itself is a historical site. We have the porterhouse rare which was cooked and seasoned to perfection, alongside Rockefeller oysters, loaded baked potatoes, frites, and complimentary picked vegetables, all of which were excellent and individual highlights of the meal. Garlic bread is a must have both for its quality, steakhouse tradition, and frankly being the best value-‘indeed pick on the menu. Old fashioned was unadorned but good, as befits a steakhouse of its calibre. Prices reflect both the quality and unique setting, but I would still highly recommend everyone living or visiting Toronto try at least once for a special occasion.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

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