HOTEL OCHO

Fantastic stay. We got upgraded for free to a lovely big king size room which was fantastic. The service was awesome, Chris and the staff gave multiple great recommendations on things to do and places to eat! Hotel room was clean, quiet and the views were great. Location was great, close enough to popular areas where you got some good steps in but didn't feel like you were trekking for a long time to get anywhere. Overall experience was great, would recommend to anyone staying in Toronto!

EDITED to add: contacted hotel again after they posted below. They again did not respond to my email. —— Disappointing stay. I received an email on my way to the hotel from the airport informing me that there was a wedding at the hotel, and the restaurant/bar/lobby would be closed for the first night of my stay. I had checked the website calendar before booking, as I planned to arrive around dinner time and meet a friend for a drink/dinner - no events listed there. I arrived to a loud wedding, and was given a key to a side door leading to a stairway full of furniture to arrive and leave from for the night. There were coat racks stored in the hallway in front of my room for both days of my stay. I sent an email in response to let the hotel know that the information about the event came too late, and I would have made alternate plans for my stay if I'd known. Unfortunately, I received an empty placating chat-GPT response promising to "let the team know." I rearranged my plans to meet my friend at the restaurant the next night. Sadly, was disappointing too. We were the only ones in the restaurant/bar area. We were served calamari salad and shrimp cocktail that smelled so strongly, we had to move it to the other side of the table until the server came back to take the salad away to the kitchen. But, when I got my bill, both items were both there. The salad was removed when I complained, but I still paid for shrimp cocktail I couldn't eat. I was so surprised both weren't immediately removed from the bill, and I regret not insisting further. The room phones in the hotel were also not working. I found out when I found an ironing board in the room but no iron. I tried to call down to the desk, but the room phone was dead. The website had a message that all phone lines were dead. I couldn't walk to the desk because of the wedding, so I finally sent an email - and I did get an iron very quickly. The location is great, the people who work there are very kind, but they need some new processes in place in regards to events, seafood storage and customer response. ----

We had our wedding at Hotel Ocho in May 2025 and had an incredible experience. From the first moment I emailed for a quote, Rish was incredibly prompt and detailed in her responses. We visited the venue, met Rish and knew immediately that the space would be perfect for our wedding and were so impressed with Rish's knowledge and professionalism which continued throughout the year of our wedding planning. The day could not have been more perfect, the staff were friendly, attentive and so helpful to our guests. The food was delicious and the portions were very generous. We loved that our guests had access to all floors (ceremony/dance floor on the first floor and dinner service on the second floor) and the use of the outdoor patio. If you are looking for a place to host your wedding, please consider Hotel Ocho. You will not be disappointed. We are looking forward to spending many anniversary celebrations there.

Dylan hosted our group and did a great job!! Our group of 14 followed up our meeting at CSI with a meal at Ocho and we were treated so well! Good food and drinks! Very pleasant seating and decor. Reasonably priced. Highly recommend!

Had a great time there the service was amazing, Dylan made some great recommendations very professional and also a legend the world needs more of him. The pizzas were amazing out of this world and totally worth coming back and checking out what else is on the menu. Its replaced the local pizzas joints in the area for me

We came here for brunch and bottomless mimosas. The food is delicious and the mimosas tasty. All of this for a very reasonable price. If you're in the city, this is a must try.

Chris and the team have been incredibly accommodating, friendly and kind throughout both of my stays here. i am very thankful for the incredible views and natural lighting in my room. the bar/restaurant downstairs has great specials and $5 bar rail happy hour can't be beat.

Great location, super nice staff, great sized room, nicely appointed, terrible carpet. One teensy thing though/also... Like the lyrics to the song... "Love the one you're with" ... There's no door on the bathroom... 🤷🏻

I've hosted a few events here and I'm a fan. I love the open concept space. The staff are really nice, drinks are made well and the appetizers that I ordered were pretty good. I will be using the upstairs and I'll definitely be back. Keep Eating, Angela

I recently went to a wedding there. Beautiful place but awkward set up to have the ceremony by the service desk. The food wasn't good but the employees were very nice and helpful.

We were't sure where the main door was located the first night and walked over to the lot, no main door or a door that looked like a main door of any sort. It's on the side street. It had a sign there was a private party but to come in for check-ins. A guy met us at the stairs and ask if we were so and so and I said yes. He said the check in was under the stairwell and to my unbelieving self it was under the stairwells, small desk and maps and the makeshift reception desk for this converted "sweat shop", so goes the rumors by the staff. The front desk person took us up to our room and explained the door for the room and one for the side door by the parking lot. He said he recommends people park at the underground lot across the street and a block or so over. We parked off of Sullivan, he couldn't say if our car was safe in that lot or not. We were on the top of 3rd floor. It smelled like marijuana and I told him and he couldn't smell it, but my husband and I definitely could smell it. He assured me the wedding party could not be heard from the 3rd floor. We were told the elevator is shut off from 1pm-7am. If we needed anything to call the night shift person on duty from the phone, he would only be there until 1pm tonight. I suddenly felt like we had booked into some college dorm residency somehow. The heat or air came on and it is fairly loud. Reminded me of the loud in closet small unit at my condo that I have to shut off at night if I ever want to sleep at all. The room is a minimalist haven. No sheets, only a single topper and short enough to not reach down the sides of the bed at all, this should be a fun tug of war at night. The bathroom door is a pocket door slider. The wardrobe is a pole with 3 slim velvet hangers and a small ironing board and iron by the rack. There is a small desk behind the behind for some desk space if needed. City living here for sure. I can hear ambulances buzzing by. I can also hear either people in the other rooms or in the hallway or both. Not well insulated. Also there are a lot of random wood creaking sounds abound. Glad I brought my earplugs, I am going to need it. The bed was hard and slightly uncomfortable and the topper wasn't keeping me warm enough. I was in the restroom and I could hear the baby crying next door and no one came, the kid was screaming and crying so loud, he/she sounded like they were in our room. My husband likes the big raindrop shower head, but learned the top knob turned to the left controls the hand held shower wand and the top control to the right controls the above head shower head. There was yet another wedding on the second and 3rd night on the 2nd floor and the DJ spinning tunes from the 1st floor, so all guests once again were relegated not by choice to use the Spadina Street stairwells to get to our rooms. Makes the rest of the guests feel second class to the wedding party and guests. This morning I could hear our neighbor going number one as if he was in our bathroom. The $4.99 all you can eat breakfast is a few cereal options and that's about it. The full restaurant wasn't available this weekend likely due to the 2 wedding parties this weekend. I tried calling the night supervisor to get instructions on where to put the keys before our checkout, no response 3 times and over a half hour span, then tried the reception right before leaving the room and again no response. How nice that in case of any emergency no one would answer the main line for the hotel. This place should call themselves a co-op or a hostel of sorts than a hotel, it's a sad excuse for a hotel. Luckily there was a man at the desk under the stairwell to check us out and collect our keys from us. We asked if they had any coffee available and did but only regular coffee, espresso wasn't available until 9:30am. Of course we got screwed out of an espresso because we had to leave early, at least it's consistent with the subpar service and hospitality we got the entire time we were here, so at least they are consistent in their thoughtlessness. They need retraining or basic training in hotel hospitality and the basics of running a hotel and to keep the hallways from being used as s staging area for tables and such used for weddings and get a better spot for the cleaning products on the stairwell landing if that's where most guests are forced to use during their wedding season.

Two important things for a hotel to get right: Location location location and Mattress mattress mattress. Ocho nails them both. Plus it has charm and character -- you're not staying in a vanilla Sheraton. It's not flawless (the shower shelf was missing?), but staying right on Spadina in a boutique hotel (12 rooms I think) was perfect. The muni parking garage on the same block was only a short walk and felt safe, we didn't worry about the car the whole trip.

Like the smell of the putrid cleaner Formula 409? If so, make sure you book a room at Ocho in Toronto. A so-called boutique hotel that offers tiny rooms (think NYC) with yellowed sheets. And if you're lucky enough to get a room with a view of the funky street below at Ocho, Jason, the manager might even come up with a tool to crank open the window. Throats burning from the chemical smell, we didn't stay, didn't touch the bed. To Jason's credit, he was very courteous, didn't charge us the $260 (!) a night. Meanwhile, I jumped on the phone and made a reservation at the only traditional hotel I could think of, The Sheraton about a mile or so way. Boring, not cool but perfect. We got a spacious room with a real view, scent free, fresh luxurious bedding. Same approximate price for our three-day escape from the US. And Canadians are super nice!

To be fair, I stayed her during the madness that is Covid19. At first blush the bar looks great, has a lovely selection, and is located in a great part of town. The second floor event space also looks fantastic and like it could host a really fun event. And while I understand that this is a boutique hotel and the rooms are sized as such, and that the idea is that you spend very little time in your actual room and instead sleep there after enjoying the neighborhood. All of that said, the upkeep of the hotel is subpar, the bathroom door doesn't close all the way, there is or rather was, a shelf in the shower that is now missing (though the brackets remain), the hot water and water pressure weren't great, and the TV only had 4-5 channels. All in, it feels as though this was a great boutique hotel the year it opened but as my girlfriend said, it seems like they didn't budget for proper hotel upkeep. Great hood, nice bar, needs a coat of paint and a cable package, but the price is right.

This is a wonderful desert in Hotel Ocho. Lamon Sorbet. Well, the best way to taste it, should mix blackberry and brandy snap basket.

Hotels Tonight coming through for a mini, unexpected luxury. We were planning to book through the app, but I figured why not stop in first and see what sort of deal we could secure on our own. Luckily the receptionist was more than willing to accommodate and we scored the Hotel Tonight price and snagged an awesome upgrade in the process. Our California king suite was quite the welcome surprise. The key situation is very hostel-like (round knobs with actual keys??), but the halls were very well decorated. The room layout was super spacious, with a giant bed in the middle, and an open air bathroom. Romance anyone? The bed was super comfy, staff was really nice, the bathtub easily fit two people, and for a street facing room in a bustling neighborhood, it was decently quiet at night. There were only a few awkward things. The reception is underneath the stairs right by their hotel restaurant and bar. There is no ice machine, and you need to bring your bucket to the bar to fill up. The open air bathroom can be quite awkward when someone needs to poop. (Yes, there is no separate enclosure for the toilet). All in all, I was very satisfied with my stay. All the baseline amenities were awesome and getting upgraded didn't hurt.

Oh, Ocho. I've missed you during quarantine. Your daily drink specials, your small but tasty and reasonably priced menu! When will I once again be able to sit on your loungey couches and spy on all the Spadina foot traffic? This place is spitting distance from work and in "more predictable times" we go there to decompress after particularly trying days. Staff come and go with a few key players sticking around for continuity. An undiscovered gem worth your time.

*3.5 stars* To the point: Good food & atmosphere but slow and sometimes hard to get service. This place opened a bit before I left Toronto so I was excited to finally check it out (I missed those Yelp events...*sad*). Anyway, I came by here for dinner with a few friends on a weeknight. It was quiet and never more than a quarter full of diners. The ambiance is typical downtown-exposed brick (which I really like) and dim lit dining. Our first server was hard to get a hold of - we had to wait about 15 minutes and then occasionally waving our hand to try to get his attention before we were able to put in our order. It looked as though he was too busy at the bar chatting. Service was like that right up to when we tried to flag him down for the bill. Oh well, at least it gave me ample time to catch up with my friends. So onward to the food: Deep Fried Calamari (off the tapas menu) - it came with a roasted pepper aioli which was good but tasted a bit on the generic side. The batter they used for the calamari wasn't very good or maybe they just didn't fry it long enough as the batter was a bit on the soft/non-crispy side. I would pass on this next time. Fusili Pasta - sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms and sauteed beef in garlic balsamic oil. This was pretty good and it had a different spin on pasta since it's not the standard tomato or cream sauce. There was just enough balsamic oil to coat the pasta so it wasn't dry and the beef was tender. I liked it. Overall, it was good but I docked half a star for the lackluster service.

Great place to kick back with your laptop and work on afternoons or weeknights. Affordable drinks and not a sleazy crowd, also has coffee and snacks hat aren't too expensive too. There's a deal every day of the week: $5 wine on Fridays, $6 cocktails on Wednesdays or $5 Martinis on Thursdays, $5 drafts on Sundays. I keep coming back cause it's never too crowded during the day. I swear the staff is getting tired of me showing up on the reg, I've been here three times this week now but I have no home internet at my new place

I had my wedding reception here at the beginning of November and everything went incredibly smoothly. There were two main themes I continue to hear from our wedding guests: 1) Fun factor. The shape and look of the venue just seemed to keep people dancing. It helped that we had open bar and the barkeep was on top of it all night. 2) The food. I know it's only a small kitchen, so I was really impressed that everything came out impeccably...and piping hot. In terms of my experience coordinating the evening, the entire experience was smooth and easy. The venue looked beautiful (hard to screw up that space), and everything was where it needed to be. Highly recommended for wedding reception.

YIKE. I attended a corporate event here and was excited to try their Ribeye (which was pre-selected prior to the event). What I got was some flattened out atrocity that looked like it was chewed up by a dog. It was a straight up sliver of meat, 60% gristle; I ended up maybe having a total of 4 bites, moved most it around my plate before realizing it wasn't worth my time. My friend who had their lamb shank was also disappointed with her protein. So very unfortunate because their Chilean Sea bass looked marvelous, seems like they put most of their stock in the seafood. Service was generally slow. And their servers told us "bar rails only" when we asked for a run and coke :| :| :|

Hate to downgrade my rating of Hotel Ocho, but alas... In a smart move to alleviate some of our wedding day priorities and pressures, we hived off the Chinese Tea Ceremony portion of the festivities and combined it with the rehearsal dinner the evening before. Smart, mom. Looking then for space to muck about, Hotel Ocho presented itself as the top choice. Owners Hamish and Louise are always a delight, and Ocho is a beautiful space. They provided us with a nice private area on the second floor that worked out wonderfully. Roomy seating for 20ish, space for the kids to run wild, and plenty of room for the ceremony itself. Staff were excellent in accommodating our Asian activities. Unfortunately the dinner was less than ideal. We were warned in the pre-planning stage that not ordering off the prix fixe menu would impact service. This is understandable, as pumping out varied meals for a table of 20 is a challenge on any day. However, the prix fixe menus they offered weren't particularly attractive, and I felt were too expensive for what you got. Unfortunately, ordering a la carte did indeed impact service as the food came out in dribs and drabs. We weren't in any huge rush, with plenty of friends and family and booze, but the food came out at a glacial, drawn out pace. It was embarrassing. I was served first by nature of where I was sitting, and easily finished my meal before others had even been served. Painful. Worse, the Seafood Capellini I received was just plain bad. I'm not a picky eater in any sense, so when I grouse about my food things are off: the pasta was room temperature and texturally unappealing; the calamari was undercooked, cold, and had a mushy interior; and overall nothing tasted great - it needed a fair bit of salt. If it weren't for the fact that it was taking donkey years for the food to come out, I would have sent it back (something I rarely consider). Were this review based on food alone, I'd have awarded perhaps two stars; really, the evening was redeemed by Ocho's great interior, and the freedom and flexibility of the space. Ocho will always be top of mind for parties where the menu consists of booze and snacks, but I'll think twice before considering Ocho for more serious dinner events. 16/30

I don't feel great writing bad reviews but this hotel deserves to be called out for its ridiculously bare bones rooms and service. For an average amount of money you too can have a room that has barely any plugs, no door on the bathroom or toilet area (seriously!!), no coffee, no closet (just a wire stand), the elevator shuts down from midnight on so if you have an early flight you need to walk your luggage down the emergency staircase on to the street (and you can't get back in the hotel if you forgot something)The pretense is that they are uber cool but really the only thing good I can about this hotel is that it has soft sheets and it's near Queen St west. I would stay ANYWHERE else for around the same money, I definitely won't stay here again.

Well -- I have not eaten here yet but lots of folks tell me the food is good -- that's next on the list. However, if you want a good coffee - try here. Had a great Americano -- first rate -- and not expensive. Came with a chocolate on the side of the saucer. Great decor -- spacious -- and tables not on top of each other. Check it out if you want to lounge and relax. A little quieter than Dark Horse (at least for now). But both do good coffee.

* This review is based solely on my experience attending an event here. My alma mater hosted an alumni event at Hotel Ocho the other night. Location wise, it's quite convenient. You can access H.O. by going on the streetcars from Queen or Spadina stations. Events/parties are held on the second floor of the building as the restaurant is on the first floor. H.O. is going for a minimalist look with hardwood floors on both levels. I was impressed with the drink options here - they have a few beers on tap. The finger foods here were 'meh.' I'll have to return to try out the restaurant to have a more accurate opinion of the food. Alum events are usually at a pub in the Financial District, but my alma mater chose another good location to meet. Good for: groups, parties/events

Had a terrible experience. I booked the hotel thru the hoteltonight app. I'll lay down the points. 1. There is no ramp for you to take your baggage to the lobby, so you have to go down a flight of stairs carrying it. 2. There was a wedding and it's reception going on at the hotel. 2.1. Because the wedding happened in the lobby and restaurant, I could not use all the facilities as promised. 2.2. While the hotel was taking place, I was told to use a back door, going up three flights of stairs to my room. The stairs are full of cleaning products and maintenance material. The hotel manager denied that someone told me to use the back door, but I had the key to it somehow! 2.3. The wedding went till late in the night 3. The room is not comfy at all! Not a good bed. The bathroom is weird and not cozy. 3.1. Room 33 had lots of stains in the carpet and the wall. 3.2. Not only the wedding was really loud, BUT ALL THE STREET SOUNDS CAN BE HEARD IN THE ROOM. Terrible for sleeping. Street cars, police, and even people talking in the street will keep you up. 4. The manager told hoteltonight that guests were warned about the wedding in the hotel official website. Question is: who goes to the hotel official website to book a room?!?! If they are advertising the room on other websites, it's the hotel's responsibility to make sure everyone knows what they're going to find when they get there. 5. Overall, not worth time or money. Not a foot experience.

I came during summerlicious and had a great experience. The restaurant is very chill and cozy and staff is friendly and attentive. I enjoyed the ahi tuna very much. It was nicely done and the tuna was juicy and soft. The dessert was a great surprise. I got pistachio ice cream and it was special and very delicious. I would come back for the ice cream! I hope it can be kept on the menu even after the summerlicious is finished. Overall, the OCHO restaurant is a hidden gem. I really enjoyed my experience here:)

I came to the restaurant at this hotel for summerlicious with my boyfriend, and the food was really good! We were initially put off by how empty it was in the restaurant, but had a great experience overall. For our appetizers we got the shrimp salad and beef satay. For our mains we got the wonton cups and veal scaloppini. For our desserts we got the mango cheesecake and the lime mousse. All of the food was very good, especially considering that the summerlicious menu was only $28. The atmosphere of the restaurant is also nice. The furniture is a bit outdated and the walls could use some more decor, but the bar area and high ceiling made for a nice dinner spot! The service was good too. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to others and will definitely be going back!

Came here for Winterlicious 2018 the other day. I wasn't sure what to expect, as some of the photos I looked up online showed wedding food. But honestly the food was amazing, one of the best meals I've had since I got back from my vacation a few months ago! We ordered off the winterlicious menu, with the deep fried pickles to start, the ribs as my main, and the bread pudding for dessert. The food was amazing, you could really tell how fresh it was. My sister got the sandwiches to start, the gumbo for her main, and the Mississippi mud pie for dessert, all of which she raves about. The vibe here is great. It is super relaxed and would be a great place to meet up with someone for drinks after work if you are in the area. I also thought it was awesome that the special on Wednesdays is $5.75 cocktails! How can you beat that? Loved this place and will totally be returning when I'm in the area. If I ever get married, I'll also keep this place in mind as a venue, as it would be great for a small, intimate place!

This is not a hotel I would recommend or wish to spend a night in again. Pros: The man who checked us in was very nice and made sure we know how everything worked, asked us if we needed a map or recommendations of places to go. The art on the doors is cool. The look of the place is nice. Cons: The facilities: There was no top sheet on our bed which I have never encountered anywhere else, I found it gross. When your enter and leave the hotel you must carry your luggage up and down the stairs. The front desk is crammed under a stairwell in front of the elevator so it's very cramped. The elevator and front desk close down at midnight so if you return after that you must let yourself in through a side door and walk up three flights of stairs to your room. The bed is centered in the middle of the room, there are no nightstands or anywhere else to put your things other than a desk behind the bed. It's a very strange set up. It's supposed to be "minimalist" but it's just not practical. There are marks on the walls and a brown stain on the carpet in our room.

I love this place! I've been here a handful of times now and have always had a stellar experience. Visit #1: Kenneth (the manager) greeted me warmly and gave me a quick tour of the main level (actually below street level) and the dining area on the 2nd floor. Beautiful! Great finishes, great furniture, perfect ambiance for a nice dinner or just hanging out with friends. Visit #2: Brought some out of town guests here for a drink. We got cozy seats by the window. A few of us had cappuccinos, others enjoyed beer. (Pints of Labatt 50s go for $4.75 including taxes!!! Great value!) When Kenneth came by to chat with us and discovered my guests were from out of town, he gave them a fantastic run-down of what the city has to offer and made great suggestions on how to get the most out of their short stay. I was very impressed and my guests were very appreciative. Visit #3: Finally came her for some grub and grabbed a nice table at on the 2nd level. Got a chance to try a few apps: the calamari, the breads & spreads, the fries. Others in my party also tried the coconut shrimp. Everything was delicious. I'm usually a big fan of breaded, deep-fried calamari, but Ocho does it grilled. Beautifully seasoned and cooked just right - excellent texture and flavourful sauce. Bonus: the calamari comes with beet chips. You heard me. Take those dark red beets, slice them thin and fry them into chips. I loved them! For my main I had the Pasta (papardelle) with duck ragout. Yummy! I was very satisfied with my choice of entrée. Pasta cooked el dente, duck ragout was smooth. The portion-size was perfect for me. I also tried the sesame-crusted salmon. Also yummy. Love the texture of the sesame. Fish cooked perfectly. While I didn't have room for dessert, a few others in my party did and loved the chocolate cake. My drink (just a pop) was refilled magically without me even making eye contact or knowing that I was still thirstly. Impressive. Visit #4: St. Patty's Day craziness! Sporting my green, I joined a group of friends here for after-work drinks, which turned into more drinks, which turned into appetizers and drinks, which turned into dinner and drinks, which turned into after-dinner drinks. Once again, Kenneth was a pleasure. Sporting his green socks he was entertaining and full of energy the whole night through. While this was the busiest I have seen the bar yet, he still had time to chat with us, as well as all of the other customers. A nice personal touch. I had a Mill Street Organic this time (bottle) but the rest of my party had 50s - a lotta them! Our waitress, Devika, was incredible. Superb service, completely genuine and honest. Very accommodating - our group doubled in size and she was able to figure out how to fit us all in. I hate making menu decisions, and I asked Devika to surprise me with an appetizer. She didn't even hesitate! More breads & spreads & dutch fries were shared. Other apps at the table include the coconut shrimp and the calamari. The burgers (made of freshly ground prime rib!) were well-received. 6oz of high quality meat comes on a ciabatta bun. Don't forget to ask for the horseradish mayo or the dijon mustard, which combine to give the burger a nice kick. I hope we didn't overstay our welcome because I love this place and will be back often! Great location, beautiful space, delicious food, cheap drinks, awesome staff. Washrooms are behind the secret doors (some on the main floor and more on the upper level). Oh, and they are NICE! Pssst, I hear there's a Banksy on the wall outside. I cannot confirm its authenticity.

I threw my 30th B-day bash here. I wanted a nice classy, but not pretentious place to have friends gather and have a drink with me. This was perfect. We had the entire lower bar section officially, although we could have spread out to the rest of the place (lobby) if we wanted to. I had invited almost everyone I ever knew, and so I had a good 50-60 people dropping in and out. It was a perfect space for an intimate party. I chose a cash bar, but paid for some appetizer platters (if more people, you can pre-order the larger catering menu platters). We had more than enough food (invite was post dinner specifically) for at my cost of $100. My only caveat was that planning the event, when I did finally get a chance to speak to the special events people, everything was fine, but I did get some attitude when I was asking simple questions to their front of the line staff. Yes, this is a lobby, and not a 'bar' or 'lounge' but easy to confuse since it's completely open like this, and allows such a party. Also, this might be petty, but the space was reserved for me, but we had two people friends with the bartender that was sitting at the bar having drinks. His choice really, but the rest of the place was wide open. If it wasn't for the fact I love to try new places, I would totally have a party here again.

What can I say about Hotel Ocho...? 1 star. Not impressed and disappointed. I was really looking forward to our stay at the hotel, given its reviews, its convenient location was walking distance to where we needed to be and it's atmosphere. I booked through booking.com for a standard Queen bed room, and Received confirmation of the booking. Good. Check in time is at 3:00pm. I received a call from the owner Louise at about 1:00pm saying they had overbooked us and there was no room for us to stay in! I asked when she knew about this problem; and she said that morning! Why wait until a couple hours before check-in to inform a paying customer this? I was already on my way to the hotel!! I expressed my disappointment with their lack of consideration for a paying customers time. The owner offered 3 options: a $50 credit, a room upgrade on a future date, or to be transferred to the Metropolitan Hotel, which was much further than where we wanted to be... I again expressed my above reasons for choosing this hotel and my disappointment, and all the owner said was "this happens all the time, you are not the only one" That was it. Hotel Ocho had lost my business then and there. I scrambled, as I was on the way to Toronto already, to book another hotel nearby which was much more accommodating and understanding and provided quality customer service. I received a call from booking.com at about 5:30pm that afternoon apologizing on behalf for the poor service from Hotel Ocho. According to the CSR, the owner Louise had just called them to cancel my reservation. Booking.com expressed disappointment and was not impressed at the lack of timeliness for notifying them of the cancellation. I had said, it was not booking.com's job to apologize, but Hotel Ocho's. Booking.com said it was the hotel's responsibility to make sure there are adequate accommodations for their guests. They even went as far as to compensate my troubles and refund me the difference in balance for my new hotel! Way to go booking.com! Overall, it's 1 star for Hotel Ocho. :(

It's my first time coming in after walking by a few times. It's easy to miss walking along Spadina, so look out for Phoebe St and it's on the south-east corner. It boasts the only patch of grass in the greater Spadina area, which I suspect (wishfully?) might be turned into a patio in the warmer weather. First impressions: Super cool space with exposed brick walls, wooden ceilings and massive windows. The space itself is big with two levels and could be great for an event, a smaller dinner or a solo trip out. In fact, what brought me here is my homework on a Friday afternoon. Because of this, I felt I deserved a glass of white instead of a cuppa tea :) Free wifi, good lunch menu that is small but packs a lot of options (vegetarian sandwich, spicy chicken wrap, roasted lamb poutine, pappardelle pasta with duck ragout), decent wine and full espresso bar... Looking forward to coming back to experience its different sides!

There is a theme to most of the downtown Toronto hotels I've stayed at and that theme is that space is a premium. Just so you know the rooms are most likely going to be pretty small. But, as small as they might be there is always a way to fit a bed, desk, and TV in there. Hotel Ocho's rooms are not only small they are also laid out a bit weird for me - the beds are in the center of the room. And I don't mean centered between two walls, I mean centered between all four walls. I could have run laps around the bed in my room. Well, technically I could have only done so if I carefully avoided the desk that was behind the head of my bed. It's not a big deal, but it seemed to be an interesting use of the space. The staff here are quite lovely. And there is a restaurant onsite if you find yourself in need of day time food. Good to know: there are two entrances and the one on Spadina is the after-hours entrance. The main door, and the elevator, is locked when the bar closes so you have to use the stairway on the Spadina side of things.

I originally had their winterlicious dinner and the portions for the filet mignon was extremely small. I wrote can letter to let the owner and know and Louise was extremely prompt and polite. She resolved the the issue by increasing the portion size. Great customer service ! Great food !

I have nothing but praise for The Hotel Ocho. I had my Birthday party here last Saturday and it was simply spectacular. I called earlier in the week to reserve enough seating for 25 people and they were very helpful accomodating my party. They set up the upper level with 3 long tables and couches so that it was very comfortable for my friends to mix and mingle. The drinks were amazing AND it was ladies night so Mojitos (ps? so delicious) and Martinis (these suckers were tasty and STRONG) were 1/2 off for the ladies (the boys were not so happy about this...but us girls were thrilled!). Even at full price everyone agreed that the price for drinks was quite reasonable. They truly made my party a smashing success. We were originally only supposed to stay until 11 or so before going to Brant House, but we ended up staying until 1:30 because everyone was having such a good time!

Restaurant-only review: Great amicable service with a modern lounge meets cottage ambiance. A safe bet if you need a place to chill with friends over a few drinks. The food was average at best unfortunately. Alas, we visited the restaurant for Toronto's Summerlicious season-a hit and miss affair. Not that it's a valid excuse for mediocrity given the slimmed menu. We're talking about excessive use of truffle oil, randomly placed raw spinach, impractical plating, overcooked pastas, watery separated sauces, hard stale bread, broken risotto, and pastry with too much baking soda. Their one saving grace was a perfectly cooked red snapper, despite the afterthoughts that were the other ingredients on the plate.

I have to admit, I had zero idea this place existed until The Yelp party. I am SO happy to have been introduced to this boutique joint and in such an extravagant fashion! The Decor could still use a little work but the original canvas is incredible. The old warehouse feel never gets old and I truly believe this place is going to grow in reputation as it becomes more known within the Toronto night scene. I think this place, actually i know this place will house beautiful events and amazing evening outings. I look forward to see this place develop and grow and become an essential part of the Toronto community.

The bar in the hotel is a good place for quiet drinks. The music is good but not overpowering which let's you have a conversation. Lots of comfy couch sitting. Can accommodate larger groups. Not crowded. They feature a medium variety of cocktails which are fairly well done. Service is sometimes a little sluggish though.

Hotel Ocho is a real jack of all trades - lunch, dinner, drinks, coffee - they do it all. I feel like this place would be packed 24/7 if it was located even a few blocks south (closer to Queen st). It's a beautiful space and it's huge, great location for large parties. On a Saturday night, the main floor was nearly empty, but the upstairs seemed to be mostly full with club-goer types. The hard house music they were cranking out seemed slightly out of place, but maybe I'm just getting old. Hotel Ocho had some decent daily drink specials. Saturday nights is $4.88 MOJITOS, but only for the ladies. Men have to pay $8.88 for the same drink. But on Tuesdays, everyone can enjoy a $4.88 mojito. I have been here for a Sunday afternoon coffee too. It's a GREAT coffee spot. Free wifi, lots of tables and space available, no one rushing you out the door. I see no reason to return to Dark Horse nearby unless I'm just getting a coffee to go. It's much more comfortable in Hotel Ocho. I still haven't tried any food, but it's definitely priced reasonably.

So I had to find a location for a going away party for a girlfriend that could seat 15 or so people dropping in and out, that was centrally located, that served wine and food, and was not too expensive. Oh, also on a Friday evening. I recommended Ocho , having seen a BlogTo review and read these Yelpers weigh in below. My girlfriend who was the star of the party gave them a call and chatted with the manager. They managed to get us a nice spot in the lounge upstairs. This place is really gorgeous. Exposed brick, that modern/industrial look with mid century modern throwback furnishings. Exactly what I like. The drinks were reasonably priced, and the wine list was minimal (three selections red/white) but good enough. We sampled a couple of orders of poutine with cheese and sauce and some grilled calamari both which were decent. Not incredible, but good. Server was really friendly and visited us often. He ousted the upcoming Yelp event. (insider knowledge!) which was exciting. Excellent Location for a boutique hotel. Queen &Spadina! Cannot get any better. The only thing missing was a real vibe. There were tables congregating, but no general "feel" of the crowd. Something was missing. I'm sure this will come with time.. and regulars. There was still plenty of room for a Friday night. Did I mention Piano Player? Contemporary selections? Amaze.

Hotel Ocho has food and tables to sit at? I never knew this until last night. The other two times I've been here were for the Yelp open party and Halloween, of which, both times the floors were almost completely devoid of tables. Here's what you need to know about Ocho: 1. Bakon Vodka Caesars. Order them exclusively, you won't be disappointed. 2. Come with Yelpers. I've done this every time and had a great experience.

The Queen West area was in desperate need for a more upscale but unpretentious bar. Cue the arrival of Hotel Ocho. I've been here a few times friends birthdays and on a recent visit was surprised to find that pints of Rolling Rock were a very affordable $5.50. I really like Ocho, the drinks are good, service is good too. It also doubles as an event space, I went to a Yelp party there and found that even though it was an open bar event, the service was not compromised. It's the perfect backdrop for any event. Ocho also has a small but decent menu. Their brunch is a bit pricey, but on par with Queen West prices. It's really really delicious. They are open during the day on weekdays and are a perfect spot for meetings. At night it's a perfect date spot, with cozy couches and dark corners. My only issue is the weird bathrooms. I get that as a design element they are tucked away, but it creeps me out. Hence the 4/5 stars.

We hosted a birthday party here and rented out some tables on the basement floor. Not only did our tables get resreved, but we had last minute changes that were accomodated for on a Friday night! Wow! Jamaal and Richard are fantastic people who catered to all of our needs. They are the most welcoming and kind people in this industry and know how to treat their customers! Their staff are all very kind and personable and are easy to have a conversation with. $5 wine nights too? What more could you ask for?!?! A+

By fluke, I ended up staying at Ocho as one of their first guests many moons ago! They were just getting things in order and really went above and beyond to make the stay a memorable one. Since that first night, I've easily returned roughly 10 times as a hotel guest! What's most impressive about Ocho is that years later, they're still treating each stay like it's my first and truly going above the call of duty! The rooms are always very clean, the beds are heavenly to sleep on and the wood ceilings and exposed brick charm make it one of my favourite spots in the City. The owners, (Lousie and Hamish) are extremely approachable and can often be seen working the front desk (under the stairs) or helping behind the bar. The entire team (lead by Jamal) always aims to please - but it a very personal and down to earth way. I've had 2 birthday parties here and attended several others - the consistency and quality has been shared by many! The only minor setback is the wifi is spotty at times, but a quick call down to the front desk and the team is on it instantly! If you like those little gems in big cities, Ocho is diamond of Spadina! Stay the night and tell them Savel sent ya!

I can't say enough about the staff at this hotel. They were very polite and accommodating to myself and all the guests. This is a cool and unique hotel, more intimate than a typical chain hotel. The food in the restaurant was great. I highly recommend this great, forget 5 stars... this place earns Ocho stars!!! Thanks team for making my staff awesome!!

This review is only for the restaurant. Took a group of friends here from out of town for brunch and unfortunately was not impressed with the service at Hotel Ocho. There were numerous misunderstandings (i.e. we ordered drip coffee and after finishing she mentioned that the coffee machine was not working so we had to buy the americano which was more.. or getting cream vs. milk and issues with paying the bill) Maybe the server we had was having an off day, but beyond that the food was just ok and the first area we went to sit at had an odd smell. It wasn't the most amazing experience so I wouldn't recommend this place.

LUNCH: Food is passable. Service is lousy. Kitchen speed is the worst I've experienced in a LONG LONG time. I will return for cocktail hour... otherwise - pass.

I had my wedding at Hotel Ocho in October and it was an incredible experience. I work in PR and have extensive experience with venues and events staff, but was quite pleasantly surprised by the great, stress-free experience with Ocho. Venue: The venue is beautiful. I was immediately attracted to the open concept, wooden beams, antique furniture. A nice bonus is that the venue furniture is very nice - wooden chairs as opposed to the standard plastic or stackables that many venues have. The bathrooms are also very modern, clean. The space made for beautiful photos, and the drama of walking down a staircase as you walk down the aisle is an added bonus. Staff: Rish is amazing. It's rare to find someone that is both casual and professional, and is quick to respond to every question or call. I am very much an A-type personality and came prepared with my long list of questions, email follow-ups, decks and timelines, and Rish never once flinched at the sight. She was always quick to respond, was open to meeting in person as many times as required, flexible with all of our requests and made me feel like our wedding would go off without any problems - and it did. The staff in general are very professional and ensure that your special day is perfect. Hotel: The hotel itself is great. We had family and friends stay the weekend, and so an entire floor of the hotel was reserved for us. The rooms are very modern and sleek - great bathrooms, very clean, and very urban. I loved the feel and it very much matched our general style and feel of the entire wedding altogether. Food: The food is great. It's not easy to find a venue that looks great and has great food - all at an affordable price - and it was delicious. The portions are large and delicious. Our guests raved about the food - and it was easy to make concessions for any guests with allergies or dietary restrictions. All in all, I would definitely have another event at Ocho, whether professional or personal.

I wouldn't come here for the food, and even the drinks are a bit wishy-washy. I came here with an old friend of mine for drinks and to start we each ordered a cocktail. My first cocktail was a drink that had mango juice and peach schnapps. There was zero alcohol in there. My second cocktail, however, was ALL alcohol--pure vodka and peach schnapps. Both cocktails were the same price-- a little under $9. The food we had was horrible. We ordered the deep fried calamari to share ($14) and it was the worst and nastiest calamari i have ever had. The breading is oily and laid on THICK, and really SOFT. In order to down about half of the dish between the two of us, we had to literally cut out the breading and eat the tasteless seafood with a mediocre aioli. Highly disappointing. We couldn't finish the dish. The atmosphere is wonderful, although the servers are a bit relaxed and hard to flag down. If you do manage to flag one down though, super friendly and prompt.

3.5 stars, to be accurate. Went here with a group of friends (about 8 of us in total) to have a productive meeting over food and drinks. Was told that it was a spacious place and would be relatively quiet during the time we planned to be there (7-9pm) on a Friday. The first hour went pretty well. We ordered drinks, and I ordered a salmon dish (which was a little over priced for how unsatisfying it was). Service was good, though, and the atmosphere was pretty chill. Then at 8pm, someone started playing at the piano and it got quite loud -- so much so that we could no longer hear one another and be productive. As a result, we had no choice but to relocate. Nice enough space and friendly servers, but no urge to run back.

This review is for the restaurant only, I've never stayed at the hotel. There's something about this place that I like. It's odd, its downstairs under a boutique hotel and it's a bit of an odd space that doesn't seem utilized properly and yet, I dig it. While it is underground there is tons of light and floor to ceiling windows above you at the entrance so you don't feel cramped. In fact, you feel...secluded and protected from the busy Queen and Spadina traffic. A few tables, a bar section and some comfy couches give you your choice or tone for the evening. Drinks, lunch/dinner or both! A decent and well priced wine list and a rotating food menu based on seasonal and local choices keeps it fresh and worth coming back to. I've had both lunch and dinner that were good. The lunch was a summerlicious menu that outdid most of those types of menus for me. Full portions, a lovely salad, vegetarian friendly pasta and yummy lemon tart dessert. My colleague and I both enjoyed our meals. My second trip there was for dinner and I had seared tuna which was good but the sides were a bit lame. My friend liked her dinner as well although sorry I don't remember what she had. I think this place is a gem in the heart of downtown that has drink specials, a nice decor and a relaxing but upscale feel. Good food, good wine, an oasis in the overcrowded hotspots in the Queen/Spadina area.

New place. Great lunch spot! Healthy, fresh, reasonable. Lunch special $10 including salad and great panini sandwich. WIFI is free very open and cool environment. Good meeting spot. Huge windows 2 storys high. Two level spot which I assume becomes a hip bar in evening. BIXI bike rack outside with grassy area to relax (fake grass) Even napkins and cutlery is heavy duty like high end restaurants. Summary: GO TO OCHO!! MyNew fab spot near queen and spadina. ;)

Hotel: Simple and modern for a boutique hotel. Location is great because it's near the heart of downtown, 5 minutes walk to Kensington market, China town, right on Queen street where East side provide commercial shopping like Bedo, H&M, and thebohemian vibe Queen West. One minute walk south to Horse shoe tavern, Toronto's Legendary Bar and Music Venue since 1947. One minute walk north to Dark Horse Expresso Bar, where you can still find the romanticized old coffee culture. Did I mention their pillow is REALLY comfortable? The only down part about the hotel is they don't have a lot of rooms and the hall way is a bit run down, doesn't match up to the rooms and the dinning / bar area. What can you do? It's a heritage building. Food: If the room didn't impress us yet, the food certainly got our attention. Their chef definitely put some thought into it. A good wine, whisky and bourbon selections. Let's face it: Ontario wine only get you so far. Their choices and price on is very reasonable and certainly set the bar high for a small operation. Ambient: Exposed brick wall, floor to ceiling window in a metal frame, glass stair well draped with black iron chandelier, a great choice for meeting, romantic outing, or lounging in a relaxed ambient. I don't know how they are profitable because the place is never crowded and funny enough it didn't seem like they mind it either. I am always fascinated to see one person occupying the huge lounge sofa all by himself with a cup of coffee and a book, and no body cares. I love the fact they use local artists's instalment to decorate the place and it's always something new. Staff: Friendly, genuine, warm and relaxed. Rish is the event coordinator and she has been a pleasure to work with. She listens very well and communicated very quickly with our requests. She is a pleasure to work with. Overall: We hosted our wedding here with ceremony on the ground level and dinner setting upstairs. We had approximately 70 guests and we were told they have never been to a wedding so chill and relaxed, thanks to Hotel Ocho's wonderful staff. They price is reasonable for downtown Toronto and service is extensive. Our guest until today is still raving about how great of the experience they had. The food and wine was so good that people forgot to clinking their glass until dessert is served. We got lucky :) Our photographer also loved the venue because the dynamic angle, amount of natural light and texture of the building. You have to like rustic heritage look to enjoy this venue.

Like many others in the T-dot, had no idea about this place - which doesn't say much considering the insane amount of choice we Torontonians have when it comes to cuisine, lounges and bars. A friend of mine was planning a birthday party and sent me a link to check it out before she made reservations. Website - impressive. The menu looked great, the site was trendy and the venue looked chic. Let's do it. And so she reserved for a party of 14 (ish). We get there and there's a live band. Cool. No tables? Only people chilling on the bottom floor with a bar at the back. No host/hostess to greet us and tell us that the dining room is upstairs. It's not hard to figure out, but would have been nice not to look like we have no clue. We head upstairs and find our party. Cool space! Big tables, comfy couches, really random cover band, but still a great feel. Menu = great choices. Staff = great; fun, cheerful, funny, engaging, and attentive to a point (which could use a little more work). Ambiance = trendy and laid back. Washrooms = rad. Actual food = meh. The overall food experiences for this night were mixed. So many great things about this place, but the main reason we go to a restaurant is for the FOOD. There was another large party there that night, and honestly, the service was slightly delayed and not focused because I don't think they were equipped to handle two large groups plus whatever else was happening downstairs. Food feedback: My prime rib burger...sooooo dry - please pass the mayo so I can increase the saliva and actually swallow this burg. Redeeming food item - the apple crumble was a-w-e-s-o-m-e. My hubby's "tandoori chicken" was grilled chicken breast with a tandoori dipping sauce on the side. What? Apparently the lamb and apps were good, but I won't be going back anytime soon. I think it's probably a better venue for special events like fundraisers, art shows, etc. then a night out for good food.

Loft style hotel FTW...except for the fact that I have yet to check out their rooms, but the pictures on the website make them seem like something to crave for. Apart from the awesome Yelp open party we had here last summer, I've been two other times for drinks/dinner and both times I left satisfied. Their food is good for the price paid (not the most fantastic though) and their drinks menu is fantastic, except each time I want to try out their bakon vodka caesars they seem to have run out of it...the regular caesars is still good and comes well garnished with big olives. There is free wifi too on the ground floor and the second level which is fantastic if you want to get some work done over drinks (I started planning a trip here over dinner which worked out great). The service here has always been great, when I came in for a dinner with over 15 people our waitress was more than happy to give all of us individual bills which as you may know is somewhat of a rarity. It's a beautiful space, people seem yet to realise Ocho as a place that they could come for dinner or drinks given it's unassuming presence on Spadina, because if they did, this place would be a lot busier than it is. I'm also not sure, but their "front desk" just seems to be a small wooden table literally under the stairs with a laptop where guests would come in, get their keys and just go up the elevator. Very unusual but I think I appreciate the simplicity.