I love La Palette for lots of things. The ambiance most of all but that is because of the melange of the people food wine music smells and tastes of the open kitchen and the almost always armours ambience of a Paris Love. Those are in no order because they swirl like waves on the Seine, all together, all at once. I look forward to each time I go to this community center for the soul because the journey is so complete, just like good poetry. I will be back. Another note, I was discussing with a new friend on how he never dines alone. I told him I learned how to do it in my travels. You get used to it and you get used to spotting places good for that. The Parisians have that so much. Perhaps it is that love of liberté and egalité that comes before fraternité. In Toronto, for raison d'etre, La Palette is a marvelous place to dine alone. You have so many choices. I would vote for this Bistro and one of the Best Places in Ontario in which to write a novel. Indeed take that on as an assignment. Then.. if you talk to the staff deeper than just ordering pleasantries, ask about the Drom, and Radio Free Toronto, your welcome ?... I am Rob and I am a builder. Je faires Les Rêves.Vegetarian options: It's French food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Salt Spring Island BC Mussels White Wine Garlic Shallot Chilli Roasted Tomato, Duck Confit, Steak Frites
Matt
One of my favorite places to go to in Toronto. The wine the food the staff. To me, this what a restaurant should be. The perfect combination of food and drink and good vibes. The only thing I dislike is that I don't go here enough.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Frites
Ray Morrell
I never tire of La Palette, for they who tire of it are tired of life.I have been coming to La Palette since it was in a tiny Victorian in Kensington Market, when I lived around the corner, and the "cheval" was off-menu. It was always a charming and delicious treat back then, and I'm so happy it survived the dark Covid days -- so many restaurants did not.The Queen St W version is more spacious, the kitchen is right there in front of you, it has the vibe and atmosphere of a Paris bistro, though I admit I've never been to Paris. The staff are efficient, knowledgeable and helpful. The menu is a delight. Tonight it was fromage fondant, a clean and sensible charcuterie, and finally a perfectly cooked steak frites. Creme brulée to finish, and our stomach were well satisfied.This is not my first time here, and won't be my last. Though we had planned on trying another new spot nearby tonight, by happy accident it was full and my memories of La Palette reassured me we'd be well looked after here.
Food was amazing, we had fromage fondant, escargo, fois gras, and horse tartare. The fois gras and the fromage were my two favourites! For my main I had the Riostto, it was lacking a bit in the texture but the flavour was great. Definitely would recommend this restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kateryna Tsykalchuk
As always very friendly and accommodatingGreat food and
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Escargots La Palette, Duck Confit, Beef Tartare
Kris Kopansky
We only came in to kill an hour before dinner. We stumbled on this place.Small, vibrant culture around food and drink. They are serious but not. Bartender cares.I will go back for dinner as the vibe and menu were really great. Kitchen is intimate and professional.Great just B from your Winnipeg friends.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Carmary M
Duck was amazing
Nektarios Tsakos (Nick)
Had a great meal with friends. Everyone I was with really enjoyed their meal.
Not worth it! Very disappointing experience. The service felt like I was in parts of France (poor) while the food didn't! There are other options of French restos at similar price points. I'd pick those instead.The restaurant has been around for some time but I had never been until this past weekend. Small space, open kitchen which could have its charm but not in this case. I'll spare you the details but even the french posters on the wall are crooked and faded.We had a mix of entrees which were average. I had the steak frites as a main and one of my friends as well. The fries were over-salted, like someone forgot they salted them and did it again. When we told the waiter, the answer was "it's to make you drink more!" and a laugh. Rude! Only offered a lame apology when he took the plates away with the fries nearly intact on them and we repeated the complaint. No offer to replace the fries or a free small token of apology.
I went there for drinks and was so happy to discover endless wine options and the bartender was so lovely explaining us about each wine we tried 10/10The only thing I don’t like is when they cook food, expect food smell to get stuck into your clothes :(
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Diana McGill
One of the most pretentious french restaurants ever, the food and service is abysmal and nothing close to french cuisine. Also, when we tried conversing with the management, turns out the manager is drunk and only knows how to communicate in an obnoxious manner. Save yourself the money and effort and go visit a true french restaurant who know how to honor french culture and cuisine.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Tanvi Bisht
Had the most wonderful experience last night! Our waiter helped us pick out amazing wines (red and white) and digestifs; both exactly to our liking. We had a side of fries, fromage fondant, mushroom risotto and chocolate ganache. So far it’s my favourite mushroom risotto in all of Toronto.All in all, the food and the service were outstanding, would highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mac
Worst valentine dinner I have ever been through.TRAUMATIZED.DON'T GO.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Liz
Truly the most disappointed Ive ever been at a restaurant. My boyfriend & I went here last night for Valentine's Day and we were so excited. Upon making a reservation, they failed to let us know that it is ONLY pre-fixed menu available on this day, with no option to order a la carte. This would have been fine however their selection was so limited to the point where steak tartare was not even allowed to be a choice of appetizer (which is 50% of the reason why we wanted to come here). The other 50% was to try their steak frites. So we opted for another appetizer, I had oysters (3 pieces) when I had originally wanted to have their oysters that came in 6. Basically, everything was lower portions, less choices, no room for flexibility. When the steak frites came, it was so tiny ... not at all what the google photos had shown from people who had visited in the past. Dessert was not good at all and of course, tiny... Keep in mind, we are paying $100 per person, which in my opinion would have been more than what we would have spent had we just selected the items we wanted on the menu.It was so so disappointing. Not only this, the server we had (young guy curly hair) was so terrible. You have to ask multiple times throughout the night just to get your water filled, took 20 minutes for him to clear our plates and move on to the next course, it took another 20 to order another drink (which they forgot about), and wouldn't clear the empty glasses of drinks on our tiny & crowded table.This was such an awful experience that it made me write a Google review (I don't do this at all). I felt robbed of my evening & paid more than deserved. I will not be recommending this place ever.
I love La Palette for lots of things. The ambiance most of all but that is because of the melange of the people food wine music smells and tastes of the open kitchen and the almost always armours ambience of a Paris Love. Those are in no order because they swirl like waves on the Seine, all together, all at once. I look forward to each time I go to this community center for the soul because the journey is so complete, just like good poetry. I will be back. Another note, I was discussing with a new friend on how he never dines alone. I told him I learned how to do it in my travels. You get used to it and you get used to spotting places good for that. The Parisians have that so much. Perhaps it is that love of liberté and egalité that comes before fraternité. In Toronto, for raison d'etre, La Palette is a marvelous place to dine alone. You have so many choices. I would vote for this Bistro and one of the Best Places in Ontario in which to write a novel. Indeed take that on as an assignment. Then.. if you talk to the staff deeper than just ordering pleasantries, ask about the Drom, and Radio Free Toronto, your welcome ?... I am Rob and I am a builder. Je faires Les Rêves.Vegetarian options: It's French food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Salt Spring Island BC Mussels White Wine Garlic Shallot Chilli Roasted Tomato, Duck Confit, Steak Frites
One of my favorite places to go to in Toronto. The wine the food the staff. To me, this what a restaurant should be. The perfect combination of food and drink and good vibes. The only thing I dislike is that I don't go here enough.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Frites
I never tire of La Palette, for they who tire of it are tired of life.I have been coming to La Palette since it was in a tiny Victorian in Kensington Market, when I lived around the corner, and the "cheval" was off-menu. It was always a charming and delicious treat back then, and I'm so happy it survived the dark Covid days -- so many restaurants did not.The Queen St W version is more spacious, the kitchen is right there in front of you, it has the vibe and atmosphere of a Paris bistro, though I admit I've never been to Paris. The staff are efficient, knowledgeable and helpful. The menu is a delight. Tonight it was fromage fondant, a clean and sensible charcuterie, and finally a perfectly cooked steak frites. Creme brulée to finish, and our stomach were well satisfied.This is not my first time here, and won't be my last. Though we had planned on trying another new spot nearby tonight, by happy accident it was full and my memories of La Palette reassured me we'd be well looked after here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Charcuterie, Fried Camembert, Steak Frites
Food was amazing, we had fromage fondant, escargo, fois gras, and horse tartare. The fois gras and the fromage were my two favourites! For my main I had the Riostto, it was lacking a bit in the texture but the flavour was great. Definitely would recommend this restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
As always very friendly and accommodatingGreat food and
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Escargots La Palette, Duck Confit, Beef Tartare
We only came in to kill an hour before dinner. We stumbled on this place.Small, vibrant culture around food and drink. They are serious but not. Bartender cares.I will go back for dinner as the vibe and menu were really great. Kitchen is intimate and professional.Great just B from your Winnipeg friends.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Duck was amazing
Had a great meal with friends. Everyone I was with really enjoyed their meal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Escargots La Palette, Duck Confit, Beef Tartare, Steak Frites
Not worth it! Very disappointing experience. The service felt like I was in parts of France (poor) while the food didn't! There are other options of French restos at similar price points. I'd pick those instead.The restaurant has been around for some time but I had never been until this past weekend. Small space, open kitchen which could have its charm but not in this case. I'll spare you the details but even the french posters on the wall are crooked and faded.We had a mix of entrees which were average. I had the steak frites as a main and one of my friends as well. The fries were over-salted, like someone forgot they salted them and did it again. When we told the waiter, the answer was "it's to make you drink more!" and a laugh. Rude! Only offered a lame apology when he took the plates away with the fries nearly intact on them and we repeated the complaint. No offer to replace the fries or a free small token of apology.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 2
Amazing food,wine and
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Charcuterie, Escargots La Palette, Steak, Venison Tenderloin, Steak Frites
Restaurantji Recommends
I went there for drinks and was so happy to discover endless wine options and the bartender was so lovely explaining us about each wine we tried 10/10The only thing I don’t like is when they cook food, expect food smell to get stuck into your clothes :(
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of the most pretentious french restaurants ever, the food and service is abysmal and nothing close to french cuisine. Also, when we tried conversing with the management, turns out the manager is drunk and only knows how to communicate in an obnoxious manner. Save yourself the money and effort and go visit a true french restaurant who know how to honor french culture and cuisine.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Had the most wonderful experience last night! Our waiter helped us pick out amazing wines (red and white) and digestifs; both exactly to our liking. We had a side of fries, fromage fondant, mushroom risotto and chocolate ganache. So far it’s my favourite mushroom risotto in all of Toronto.All in all, the food and the service were outstanding, would highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Worst valentine dinner I have ever been through.TRAUMATIZED.DON'T GO.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Truly the most disappointed Ive ever been at a restaurant. My boyfriend & I went here last night for Valentine's Day and we were so excited. Upon making a reservation, they failed to let us know that it is ONLY pre-fixed menu available on this day, with no option to order a la carte. This would have been fine however their selection was so limited to the point where steak tartare was not even allowed to be a choice of appetizer (which is 50% of the reason why we wanted to come here). The other 50% was to try their steak frites. So we opted for another appetizer, I had oysters (3 pieces) when I had originally wanted to have their oysters that came in 6. Basically, everything was lower portions, less choices, no room for flexibility. When the steak frites came, it was so tiny ... not at all what the google photos had shown from people who had visited in the past. Dessert was not good at all and of course, tiny... Keep in mind, we are paying $100 per person, which in my opinion would have been more than what we would have spent had we just selected the items we wanted on the menu.It was so so disappointing. Not only this, the server we had (young guy curly hair) was so terrible. You have to ask multiple times throughout the night just to get your water filled, took 20 minutes for him to clear our plates and move on to the next course, it took another 20 to order another drink (which they forgot about), and wouldn't clear the empty glasses of drinks on our tiny & crowded table.This was such an awful experience that it made me write a Google review (I don't do this at all). I felt robbed of my evening & paid more than deserved. I will not be recommending this place ever.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1