Lapinou

Went for a winterlicious tasting menu. To start we got the salad and carpaccio. As a main we got the cod and beef. To finish off we got the chocolate cake and tart. Overall it was a good experience. I had very high hopes for this place as it received a Michelin recognition, but for me it didn’t really meet the mark. The dishes were quite small for the high price point. Although delicious, we were left still a tad bit hungry. Our favorites were the salad and tart. The venue is beautiful and dimly lit for that romantic vibe. The service is good and servers were friendly. One thing I did notice was there were nearly half a dozen run ins between the runners and floor staff. I also was dramatically shoved on my way to the washroom because they were simply not paying attention. It seems there is no call word when someone is behind another with many plates of food. This may be due to the music levels. Overall a good experience, but for $65 a tasting it left much to be desired.

Absolute gem of a spot! Ambience is cozy and chic. The service was top notch👌 Shout out to Kenny! He was on point with everything and hilarious! The food was amazing! Ordered parship soup, oysters, cod and the banana mousse butter tart (is a must). Will definitely be back :)

Having been to another French restaurant Lucie recently that i really liked, decided to try this more casual French restaurant Lapinou. Very inviting entrance with a retro neon Lapinou welcoming you into the restaurant. First course was oysters and that was the best thing that i had tonight. The venison carpaccio was a bit too gamey for me and while seasoned, it just didn't taste that great. The bouillabaise was okay but nothing special. The steak frites used a lessor grade of steak but it was tender but slightly under seasoned. However, as you can see these fries are way thicker than what you would expect in a streak frite and it didn't pair well with the steak. The dessert was a coconut ice cream on top of some dried pineapples and lime. Okay but not great. It was a busy night but my water was not refilled once the whole night so you can see my empty cup. Once the main course was dropped off (not from our server), our waiter never reappeared again. I had to ask someone else to get the bill. To sum it up, mediocre food in a decent restaurant space that leaves you with such an underwhelming feeling. Once i left i saw Hello Nori next door, i had to go in to try some of their rolls. That made my night. Satisfied finally.

⭐☆☆☆☆ (1/5) Unfortunately, our Valentine’s Day dinner at Lapinou was a huge disappointment. We went for their prix fixe menu ($110 per person), and the service and food did not live up to the price. We ordered the menu, extra fries, one bottle of wine, and one glass of cava and a cocktail. Our waiter was nice but he got our order wrong twice, and when the steak frites arrived, it was raw- we never got asked how we would like our steak done. I’m not someone who likes well done steak but even my boyfriend who prefers it rare said it was like completely raw .The fries tasted like they came from a frozen bag- I was tempted to ask if it was a real potato. That and the mushroom cavatelli lacked flavor! I had to ask for salt on the side because the meat, after it was cooked more was brought and it had no taste. We ordered extra truffle on the cavatelli and couldn’t even tell that truffle was added.. Dessert was just as underwhelming; the coconut sorbet tasted like canned pineapple mixed with frozen coconut milk. The butter tart was better, but nothing wowed me for the price. For a total bill of $350+tip (including drinks), the experience was not worth it. Given the repeated mistakes, the least they could have done was offer a complimentary drink or side. Instead, we left feeling like we wasted our evening and money. Would not return.

We went for the valentine's day set dinner with its own menu. Overall id say the food is just okay, the venison carpaccio was okay, maybe im not a huge fan of venison, the salad was good. The steak frites was cooked a little rare for medium rare but tasted good. The bourboillon was not so great, the dessert was fine but also not impressive. Overall the food wasnt bad but just didnt really warrant the price tag of almost 300 for two after tax and tip. The service was good, regarding the atmosphere and location the setting is a bit on the grungy side, it was good for everyday dinners but i wouldnt say it was particularly romantic. Although they had a nice little sign at the front that was cute.

Place is very nice with great food and service. The portions are very very small so make sure you order extra. Personally I would skip the food items on the happy hour menu as it is a bit underwhelming. Besides the portion size, place was nice and great for a get together especially over the holidays.

A dining experience at Lapinou is nothing short of exceptional. Nestled in King Street, this Michelin-recommended gem truly lived up to its reputation. From the moment I walked in on a late Wednesday night, the ambiance of Lapinou enveloped us in a cozy, intimate atmosphere. The restaurant's decor exudes a refined elegance, providing a private and relaxed setting that made our evening feel both special and serene. Our culinary journey began with the bluefin tuna, a masterful creation with charred accents and a refreshing olive and caper vinaigrette. The citrus and dill pairing brought a unique and invigorating freshness to the dish that was simply unforgettable. Next, we indulged in the spaghettoni, featuring lamb amatriciana. The dish was a harmonious blend of heat and depth, with the lamb's rich flavor beautifully complemented by a perfect balance of chili and pecorino. The highlight of our meal was the whole grilled sea bream, served on top of a pepperoncini salsa verde. The crisp skin was an absolute delight, providing a satisfying contrast to the tender, flavourful flesh beneath. The exceptional service truly elevated our experience. Our server was not only down-to-earth and caring but also knowledgeable, guiding us through the menu with genuine enthusiasm. Each course was accompanied by a fresh set of dishes and cutlery, a thoughtful touch that made the meal feel even more refined and luxurious. The cocktail menu was another standout feature. The exotic blends were thoughtfully crafted, and we particularly enjoyed the “Forgotten Classics” section. The Hemingway Daiquiri, with its blend of Havana Club 70, maraschino, grapefruit, and lime, was a refreshing revelation, while the Paper Plane, made with bourbon and Aperol, offered a sophisticated twist. Lapinou’s attention to detail was evident in every aspect, from the exquisite dishes to the thoughtfully curated cocktails and warm, attentive service. This restaurant is a culinary treasure in Toronto, promising an extraordinary dining experience with each visit. I truly have nothing more to say other than we wish our dishes were bottomless!!

Very cozy and spacious place for King st. The restaurant did not feel crowded when we went, and it definitely felt a lot more relaxed than most places in the area. We thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance. The food was mostly good, we liked the tartare, Caesar salad and ravioli, however the steak was a bit overcooked. As for the service - this part was not so great, but perhaps only because our server was new.

While on vacation, we stopped into Lapinou for dinner. We loved all the appetizers we ordered! They were full of flavor and the seafood was very fresh. When we ordered entrees we got Duck and a Branzino. The Duck was full of flavor while the Branzino lacked some. The eggplant rice was delicious and so was our dessert! Our server was very knowledgeable when it came to ordering and attentive. The atmosphere was great for a date night or a group dinner. Definitely worth a try!

I'll be real here, we booked for dinner but only stayed for a drink. I didn't even try the food but upon hearing from the server, you have to order 3 appetizers and 2 main courses to have a full meal, so I was already out the door. For reference, it's 55 plus tax for a 5oz steak and a few fries. Yes this a fine dining experience however, it really didn't seem worth it to me for what you're getting. The drink (Le Solstice) was very tasty, which I've heard their cocktails are far superior to their food. The ambiance was very nice and the bathrooms were clean. The waiter however seemed quite unenthused and mellow--Not a smile in sight. I'm all about energy and his seemed off. When we asked about drink recommendations, he just said "this drink is popular". Didn't mention what was in it, why it was so popular or tell us what he liked. Just expected more attentiveness for a high end restaurant. Overall not a terrible experience for what it was, but we ended up going to a different restaurant so take that for what you will. My recommendation, if you do end up coming, arrive between 5-7pm for their happy hour for $10 drinks and snacks. But keep in mind, it's $10 per cut of meat and $10 per cheese.

Very disappointing. Atmosphere was nice even though it was empty on a Saturday night. Chicken dish was embarrassing

I have mixed feelings about this place. The food was fantastic, but we were there for a birthday celebration and they messed up the entire seating, we were spread out all over the back part of the restaurant instead of being seated together. Service was polite but slow-at least 30 mins between courses. This may be because dinner service for the celebration was family style, but I believe it could've been coordinated better. Again, I'll reiterate that the food itself was great. I still recommend it for a regular dinner or date as other diners didn't seem unhappy.

Food was good, portions were ridiculously small and it took forever to get anything. Beautiful location obviously but it shouldn't take an hour and a half to get a main, or 20 minutes to get a beer. That's ridiculous. If you're understaffed, hire more, because this is a sure way to lose clientele.

We were really excited to try as it was recommended by Michelin star guide. Dirty bathroom. Very slow service (ignored for wine and after meal was done). Food was average. Disappointing overall.

I came as this place had a michelin nod and we needed someone in our area that had space last minute. it ended up having lots of space the good: the service was really really strong, warm, contained enthusiasm, clearly believed in the restaurant. it's a great space dim and even though it's french food it's playing mainstream music (not too loudly) and quite upbeat for group get togethers the bad: it was run of the mill food with some of the dishes underperforming

Honestly the worst service I have ever had in Toronto. Not the rude I don't give a shit about you bad service but it's the suffocating passive aggressive vibe that triggers you the entire time. We came here to celebrate a friend's birthday. Literally the second we sat down the vibe was so off. The server was aggressive in pushing us to order food and drinks and gave a 10 minute speech trying to sell us a duck that we showed absolutely zero interest in. We didn't order any drinks and that put him off somehow. Perhaps commissions on the drinks and duck? Since we didn't know how big the portions are we started off by ordering 5 dishes to share. The server came and literally said " since you didn't order that many items I will be taking these plates off" in a really passive aggressive tone. As we proceeded to eat and chat, we were constantly bothered by a whole crew of servers asking us if we have finished and to take our plates away. To put into perfectives, we were asked 12 times in 20 minutes to, with the same server coming twice. I had to literally tell one of the servers to stop coming because we were so annoyed at that point. My friend was so annoyed so she decided to finish the one gnocchi on the plate so the server could stop bothering us. As soon as she started eating, this girl came to grab the plate off the table without saying a single word and walked away. My genuine questions are : do the servers here make commissions off taking plates off or is a high end French restaurant like this short on plates?? Also the manager sprints around in circles like he's performing at a circus constantly giving us side eyes ... i really don't know how to feel about this place. As for food, 7/10 for taste. I will say the hassleback fingerlings were really good. The rest were super average. We ended up leaving still hungry cuz we literally felt suffocated being there. At this price point I feel any restaurant in king west can't do more of a whack job like this.

Ok, Lapinou has a cute patio I'll give them that, but their food, specifically their prix fixe brunch, was just ok. The brunch menu comes with appetizers for the table, a main (I chose the croque madam), and a dessert. The whole thing costs about 39 dollars. The appetizers we got were just some vegetables (summer crudites), some squash fritters, and some home-made brioche. The brioche was pretty good but every thing else was just mediocre. The croque madame I ordered looked pretty good but to be honest it tastes just ok and was a pain the the butt to cut. I had to resort to eating with my hands because they didn't have any steak knifes they could offer me to cut the super hard bread. The dessert was a small piece of brownie. All this cost 39 dollars. Needless to say I was extremely disappointed. My friend ordered the buckwheat waffle for her main and she was not a fan. She took maybe 3 bites out of it and didn't finish the rest. I would be willing to give Lapinou another try but I definitely would not go back for brunch. I'm going to optimistic here and hope that their dinner menu is better.

We came here for a group dinner, and were drawn by the beautiful patio - unfortunately we couldn't sit there but the the bar on the inside was beautiful. The food was a modern take on French bistro, which was overall average and had about as many hits as misses. We liked the zucchini salad, snow crab rice (the dashi and furikake were a nice touch), the king salmon, duck, and wagyu (from one of the best farms in the US - Snake River in Idaho - but be warned it's not as melt-in-your-mouth as your classic Japanese wagyus and is near the bottom of the global wagyu totem pole). The sides disappointed as did the salmon crudo, mushroom tart, fingerling potatoes, and the bread - which wasn't even warm. Usually French food underwhelms me but I liked that they revitalized some old dishes with new ingredients and flavors, though I wouldn't say I was blown away - it was just average, and the portions underwhelmed a bit vs the prices. Overall would say it's a meh spot for dinner, on the more expensive side of King West restaurants, and it's more so a place I'd come for drinks as they had nice cocktails and I loved their bar. I had to dock a star as the food came out incredibly slowly - we finished our drinks before we even got our bread, and the whole dinner took 3 hours at 30 mins per course.

Came here to celebrate my first wedding anniversary and I loved every moment being here. We were greeted with champagne due the occasion, which was so nice. We got a nice intimate seat as well viewing the restaurants, which was relaxed and nice. Food was so good and fair in pricing. I especially enjoyed the solstice cocktail, mushroom goat cheese truffle croquette, short ribs and the brown butter tart which is a must try. I know they a nice patio as well so we will definitely be back. Our server Brandon was so nice and accommodating and made our experience special.

Sea bream was really good. Definitely recommend. Service was good as well - our server had a great personality! He was really personable and was pretty funny to boot! The patio set up was good - it was secluded and cozy and made it a great set up for brunch. Overall pretty great place for brunch in small groups. Definitely recommend coming when it gets warm again.

Lapinou is located along the busy King St. W where they specialize in French eats with a twist. They have a dreamy patio as well as a large space for indoor dining. I had dined at Lapinou mid-September during the pandemic when dine in was allowed at the time. However, currently as I write this review in November, they only have patio dining as well as takeout. During my experience at Lapinou, I was able to make a reservation fairly easily online. My partner and I sat indoors as it was a bit too chilly to sit in their patio that night. The server that we had was extremely polite, friendly, and attentive - great service throughout the entire night! In terms of food we ordered: - Squash fritters - great start to the meal. - Halloumi - probably the favourite of the night. The dish presented and tasted like a caprese salad but with hallumoni. Very unique and delicious! - Beef striploin with XO sauce - the XO sauce definitely added an extra element to the dish. It was different since I add XO sauce to other things other than steak. Overall, great service and delicious food! We were celebrating a special occasion that night so the food and great service made for a great night out.

Had their truffle tasting menu for $175 per person. To sum up the experience, every bite lacked flavour, the plating could've been better, the pause in between courses left us feeling full and its definitely not from the portions served. The service, whack. It got better towards the end, i guess. We ordered their oysters, it was the only dish we appreciated despite it being small. Overall, greatly disappointed and felt ripped off after the meal.

We had the worst tasting menu experience. At $175, you'd expect to be mindblown but we were greatly disappointed. We couldn't smell or taste the truffle, and everything lacked the complex flavour we were expecting. We kept hoping that the next dish they brought out would be better but it was a big nope. Such a waste of time, money, and calories. I would not go back.

Came here on a Friday night and it wasn't too packed. It was a bit stuffy inside as I don't think they turned on the AC but that's alright. The menu is only a page and everything is meant to be shared but the dishes aren't that large. The dishes that really stuck out to me was the snow crab rice and cote de boeuf steak! I could really taste the dashi and Nori in the rice which made it soo delicious and addicting. Very unique as I've never had rice that tasted like this before! Reminded me of sushi rice but 10x better and with a twist. The steak was cooked perfectly medium rare and they were sweet enough to cook a few pieces medium specifically for me. The squash fritters was a big miss as it tasted like I was just eating tasteless fried batter. For dessert we had olive oil cake which was nothing special. The strawberry creme brûlée was very runny, not sure if it was supposed to be like that or if it was undercooked. I would still come back in the future as nothing was horrible just not much was memorable to me.

An exciting new find in the King West neighbourhood. This was a visit pre-Covid, but I'm still salivating over that foie gras parfait. Amazing food, lovely ambience and service was fantastic! highly recommend. Go to Jess.feed.me on IG for more reciews!

FOOD | Booked a dinner at Lapinou on OpenTable (which was a bloodbath to try to get) for a small friend reunion. Our waitress let us know that people typically get 2 dishes each, but we decided to get 3 dishes to split. The squash fritters ($12) had a nice crisp and was surprisingly sweet instead of savoury. The fried potato ($9) lacked any flavour and seemed like a glorified and expensive version of fries... The sauce it came with was good, though! The mushroom tart ($26) was very pretty looking but also very underwhelming, especially considering the price. Overall, the consensus amongst all of us was that the food was very disappointing and expensive. However, Lapinou's drinks are DEFINITELY the restaurant's redeeming quality. Although pricey (ranging between $15-18), the alcohol content is strong enough to get you sufficiently tipsy on even half a cocktail. The marguerite was very strong, but the Julep aux Pêches and L'Arme Fatale had a good blend of sweetness mixed with the alcoholic taste. SERVICE | Our server for the night was so nice! She made the drink menu much less intimidating, and made friendly conversation with us throughout our dinner. AMBIENCE | Lapinou has two patio wings, and we were seated east wing, which is unfortunately less aesthetic looking than the main wing. The main patio is so so pretty, with abundant fairy lights and really nice seating. The interior also has a very aesthetic ambience. VERDICT | Come for drinks! I recommend (and my friends can also vouch) you skip the food, though.

I had dinner here last night after hearing about the recent opening of this new restaurant. Service was a bit slow at first getting our drinks but then improved as the evening progressed. I started out with the foie gras parfait and I have to say it was absolutely delicious - quite literally one of the best I've ever had. Some of the toast pieces were a bit too "well done" on the edges, but the bread they use is a great choice to pair with the velvety texture of the foie gras. I could've easily had another serving of this and called it a night! Of course, I didn't do that because I just had to try the duck entree. I was really hoping it would be a beautiful confit leg, as this is my favourite preparation of duck, but it was a piece of breast meat served over buckwheat with some turnip and chard mixed in. The server explained how they prepared the duck, which sounded incredible, so I gave it a try. I'll be honest - for me, it was a miss. I am not a big fan of broth in my food, especially when I don't expect it. The server didn't mention it and it wasn't on the menu. In fact, I wouldn't even have ordered it if I'd known. The buckwheat was a bit too salty and the seasoning on the duck itself tasted like it had a bit of sugar mixed in it, which I didn't really like. I also wish it had been a bit more tender, as one piece was too tough to chew and I had to discreetly spit it out. I would not order that dish again. In my experience, duck breast is difficult to perfect, which is why I prefer the leg. Again, that's simply a personal preference and I know many people enjoy the breast meat. My dining companions really enjoyed their meals. In fact, one person said that the beef entree was one of the best she's ever had, which of course made me wish I'd ordered that instead of the duck. Oh well, maybe they'll still have it when I return. They seem to change their menu often, as the sample menu they had posted on the website was a little different from what they gave us in the restaurant. This is good if you don't love the way they do something, but can be bad if you do. I seriously hope they never change that foie gras parfait, though. That alone is worth a repeat visit and is not something you see in many restaurants. I know Lapinou hasn't been open very long, and there's always kinks to work out as you hit your groove. One thing I hope they do change is to lower the volume on the music. It seemed that it got louder right around 8pm which made it extremely difficult to have a conversation at the table. This is one of my biggest pet peeves about dining out. I go out to eat for the social interaction, so when you can't hear the people at your table, it kind of negates the experience. I do not enjoy shouting across the table, especially at a table of six - it's not a big enough table that you should need to raise your voice. It also makes people feel a bit excluded when they can't hear the conversation across the table. If half-stars were an option, I'd have given them 3.5 on this visit, but because the foie gras was so amazing, I bumped them up to 4.

Part of a longer review... "For starters, the house ham ($16) came highly recommended and we didn't regret this indulgent dish one bit. Dusted with Comté cheese from Québec, generous black truffle shavings and celery remoulade, it was delightful solo or paired with the house-made sourdough bread ($6). Ullrich put his own stamp on this dish by using coppa, a cut of fatty neck muscle, instead of a pork leg, and then curing and brining it for four days before smoking it. If you're not fond of ham, this dish will definitely change your mind." .....

Came with a few friends and my favourite dishes of the night were the duck confit and the escargot! The duck was so crispy and juicy. I could eat the whole thing myself if we weren't sharing. I never had escargot before but it wasn't weird at all and came loaded with garlic! The other dishes were also pretty good and the service was actually attentive and welcoming so I'm not sure if there's been a change in staff recently. I would come back again.

The patio here is lovely - it's tucked away from King Street, so you aren't bothered by the traffic or noise, but you're close enough to feel like part of the action! The service was great as well. Unfortunately, the food was not my favourite. Nothing blew me away, and in fact I ended up getting one dish (the scallop crudo) swapped out for something else, because it tasted a bit fishy (which is pretty unusual for scallop). The squash fritters and the malfatti pasta are pretty good; everything else was decent but I wouldn't go back to this restaurant for them.

Our 2nd time there was today, sadly it will be our last. We really loved this place following our first visit. The food was good, the duck confit was the best, however it's always the service that made it for us last time and let us down this time. I wish I remember the manager's name from 6 months ago when we visited. She knew how to make the guests feel welcomed. The staff and management this time around were super cold and uninviting. No personal touch at all. No courtesy to even say bye on the way out. Very cold indeed. My wife and I were there for Mother's Day lunch treat. Her own comments on the way out... "loved the food, but we won't come back here again." I said I know why; the service tanked.

I went there for a date with my girl on Friday. The food and service were absolutely OUTSTANDING. The food quality was the best I've had in years. The server was experienced, fun and knowledgeable. This was literally the best dining experience I've had in years. Would definitely go back anytime and do highly recommend.

I came here on a weekend for lunch and sat in the patio - the atmosphere was lovely and the decor was absolutely beautiful, but despite these positives, I have to give this place a sad 1 star because it was not a good dining experience. Please note that on weekends, you can only do a set brunch menu for $39 per person between 10:30am to 3:00pm. I had reservations for 5 people at 2pm on a Saturday - the employee who picked up the phone was fine with this timing over the call. This made us fall into this brunch timing category, but I was not notified that this would be a "brunch menu only" or that it was a set menu, which I wish they would've made clear from the start. I would have preferred going to a place with more choices had I known, and probably wouldn't have come to Lapinou at all, but I only found out that it was going to be a $39 set menu when I arrived. That's okay though, my group was chill and everyone was cool with it. I actually arrived a bit earlier (~1:30pm) while waiting for the rest of the group to roll in for 2pm (again, the reso was for 2pm). I figured I'd just order a drink as I wait, which I did. My server, I believe his name was Steve or Steven, is the main reason for the 1 star - everyone else seemed pretty friendly. Things started off fine; this particular server happily took my drink order and noted down the fact that I was early, my resos were for 2pm, and that there'd be 5 of us in total. However, around 1:50pm (even though I arrived 20 minutes earlier than this), he came over to tell me that "last call is at 2pm" and requested I order for the table prior to this time. I was clearly still waiting on more people to come because the reservation was AT 2pm, but he continued to tell me that I need to get the orders in for everyone before 2pm and that I should send a photo of the menu to my friends and get everyone's order in ASAP. This was obviously strange for many reasons: 1) why did the restaurant take a reservation for 2pm if last call is supposedly at 2pm? That makes no sense. And 2) why didn't he tell me this earlier (I was there since 1:30pm but he decided to rush me at 1:50pm knowing that my party was never going to arrive until 2pm O_O). I tried to clarify this a bit by reiterating the fact that my reservations were for 2pm and asked if my friends could just order when they arrive at 2pm (since they were probably driving and not able to look at the menu to tell me their order within the ~10 mins that they had), and the server pretty much told me "no, we're a restaurant, people can't just order any time within 24 hours of a day, there needs to be a last call" in an extremely odd/rude tone. That remark was highly uncalled for since a lot of our interactions made no sense, but okay... As requested, I got my friends to rush through the menu within minutes and give me their orders. I was ready to tell the server what each person wanted prior to 2pm, but he was not very attentive over the next 10 mins (and onward). I looked around for him to come back and take my order a few times, but he kind of ignored my table as he was walking in and out even though I made direct eye contact a few times. No worries though, perhaps this was not intentional, but at exactly 2pm, he still had not yet come back to take my order. I found this to be a bit bizarre as he had rushed me and asked me to get this done in time only for him to not take it seriously himself. He came back shortly AFTER 2pm, and when I put in my order, he almost tried to walk away without asking me what the rest of my table wanted... as if it was actually fine if they just order later once they arrive. SO WEIRD. In the end, I spoke up and got the rest of the table's orders in as well. Seriously though, all of my conversations with him were unpleasant and I wanted to leave at this point to go somewhere else instead but it was too late and I didn't want to be as rude as him lol. Anyway, after my whole party arrived, we waited for the set meal - appetizers, mains, and desserts. This had nothing to do with the server anymore, but I personally thought all of the appetizers and the dessert were extremely bland and boring. They didn't taste very good at all to be part of a $39 lunch. The main was okay though (I got the Sea Bream!). But overall, the portions were really small and the food was just average and underwhelming. For such an overpriced brunch, I guess I would have expected to be wowed a bit more with the food. And I definitely would have wanted to have better service where things were a bit more clear and defined. As I mentioned earlier, I certainly don't think this applies to everyone at the restaurant, but my personal experience just didn't feel great at all - not polite, not well mannered, not attentive, not worth the price. I probably would not recommend this place as there are many restaurants in the area you could go to instead. However, I really do think their patio is one of a kind and very insta-worthy!

A great spot on King West for dinner with friends, a date, or solo. They have great ambiance both on the patio and inside the restaurant. The food is well prepared and delicious, and the service is quite pleasant without being intrusive. Thank you.

tl;dr would not recommend for large groups because the plates are not shareable. Very slow service. A huge disappointment. Came here with a party of 6 and ordered a large amount of the menu, my entire party was underwhelmed and sadly none of us will return. The menu tries really hard and the selection seems promising, touting locally sourced ingredients. However, each plate leaves you wanting so much more. I will call out the scallop crudo being the biggest let down. It was doused in a blend of pomegranates and strawberries that made it taste so acidic and inedible, I was shocked that they serve this and noone has left them feedback. Most plates here are just served with 'fancy' sauces that detract from the essence of the core ingredients. Crab rice was far too salty/fishy. Mushroom tartare was just eh okay. Overall, small lackluster portions. Wagyu steak was only 4 ounces. The only item I can honestly recommend was the zucchini, however that will only be available for another month. Service was so slow, the first 4 plates came out over the course of 2 hours. There was huge gaps between when we got food and having nothing on our table. Writing this so others are not led astray and do not come here with high expectations.

We were looking for a restaurant around this area (king & Bathurst) for dinner yesterday. Most of the restaurants around there are all booked up so we made a last minute reservation at Lapinou. I think it is a cool French restaurant and there are plenty of seating for 2 even though the table might be a bit small. The server is very nice as he hangs the coats for us and recommends a few dishes on the menu based on our taste. I have to say I am a bit disappointed that they do not have any dish with rabbit meat. I thought they name the restaurant bunny for this reason. Sorry for my direct interpretation. Maybe they mean cute bunny. For appetizer, we debated between foie gras parfait and fogo crab. We got the fogo crab in the end which I kinda regretted. This dish really feels like a brunch item instead of an appetizer. It is crushed crab meat on English muffin with Hollandaise sauce. I was hoping for something more like crab cake. For main, we got king salmon and beef tenderloin. Both dish looks good but lacks veggies to make it a healthier dish. For the king salmon, there is the bean, the mussels and (maybe) the eggplant leaves. For the beef tenderloin, there is only onion for side. I think the beef tenderloin was cooked very well but the mussels was a bit too fishy and not taste fresh. Overall, I am not too impressed with the dinner here but given what I heard about the brunch, I may come back for brunch instead.

It's one of those places with a lot of prettiness and vibe but no substance. We had the scallops and they were not fresh. the duck breast was a lot spicier than expected, Asian flavours instead of French?? The mushroom tart is good but super small for the price ($28 for something smaller than a lunch quiche). This is no Michelin restaurant but they put on the facade.

This restaurant was an exciting new find within the King West neighbourhood. With most restaurants just re-opening their patios, Lapinou made great use of the alley space beside their restaurant to make a quaint patio, with about 20 tables (a mix of 2 and 4 tops). We made a reservation knowing how busy patios would get after the lockdown restrictions started to lift, and was glad we did. Our server was great - incredibly friendly, and available. The manager (perhaps owner?) walked around, and actually took our drink orders. We then ordered the oysters (French Kiss, from NB) that came with their strawberry rhubab mignonette - SO good - and Parker House rolls with tarragon butter. We shared the zucchini appetizer. This zucchini was IN-CRED-IBLE. In a tonnato, almond butter sauce, it was zucchini like I've never had in my life, and I was blown away. Really, really good and highly recommended. My boyfriend ordered the short rib in XO sauce, while I decided on the goat cheese boulettes (I was able to substitute peas for asparagus). The boulettes were similar to gnocchi and, with the asparagus, seemed incredibly perfect for the season. The short rib, though, was incredible, down to the turnips. Great service, great food... great discovery!

Sunday brunch with a group of friends. Cosy hiding spot off one of the busiest thoroughfares in Toronto (King Street West)! Atmosphere: Elegant setting behind curtains with comfortable arrangements and a good mix of tables. Open environment with a casual French feel. Food: We ordered the brunch prix fix and shared a bottle of wine. Appetizers included house ham and truffle, a brioche with marmalade and a fritter. Mains included the salmon eggs benedict and duck confit. The benedict was decent and as expected but did not possess a strong uniqueness factor. Taste leaned towards the saltier side for the salmon but the hollanaise sauce was creamy and rich. The duck confit was fantastic and had a satisfying mix of textures surrounding the tender duck meat. The portion size was generous and was served with pancetta, beans and kale. For dessert, the apple crumble was a contemporary twist on a heartwarming classic. The apple, pastry, and ice cream was offered in a horizontal deconstruction. A fine balancing act of sweetness and accompanying flavours that was well received. Service: Staff was attentive and our wine glasses were refilled. Delivery of dishes was good and the descriptions were well communicated.

Food is not bad and service is mediocre. Restaurant was dark and had loud music which made it difficult to converse. I was seated promptly on arrival as the restaurant was not busy (less than half full) however it took a while for staff to offer water and to take drink order. Raw scallop and stracciatella as appetizers - great flavours and decent portions. Sea bream and Elora chicken as mains - great flavours however portions are small considering price point. Panna cotta as dessert - Flavours were not as balanced as the savory dishes. This is a shareable plate with generous portion. There are better restaurants at this price range with much better service.

Fab! Our server was incredible, attentive, and beyond considerate as we had GF needs and a child with us. The dishes were excellent. The duck was exceptional. We will def be back to enjoy the lovely patio, food and service.

If i could rate this restaurant 6 stars, I would. It was an absolutely delicious brunch, great service, beautiful patio ambiance, overall spectacular. We had a prix fixe brunch which included three small items for the first course: local farm fresh vegetables with an amazing sauce, brioche buns with jam, and a type of fritter with a curry seasoning inside. As simple as it sounds, even the first course blew us away with taste and freshness. Second course was the main meal. I had an omelette with side salad, which was one of the best omelettes I have ever had, and my friend had duck confit with waffle. The omelette was very satisfying, soft, and with the perfect amount of cheese inside. Third course was dessert. I am not big on dessert in general but it was good. Just a little cookie to end the meal. This was an expensive brunch in my opinion, but worth every penny.

The service of this place is excellent! Our server was polite and attentive throughout the experience. She took the time to answer all of our questions on the wine menu and even helped us with a custom made drink that they didn't have on the menu. You'll be very impressed with the selection of wines. There were so many options, we didn't know which one to choose. The food was delicious and well prepared. I highly recommend the Mushroom Tart and the King Salmon. The vibe is really good for a date night with your partner or your friends. They have a cute outdoor patio area and the inside is dark but not too dark. The lighting was just right. Very happy we ran into this one! Highly recommended.

Lapinou is, by far, one of the best Brunch Experience i had in Toronto. The Decor is amazing, the service outstanding with a Vibe that reminds me of Viaggio (Also in Toronto, make sure to check it out). The brunch offers a set starter menu with a choice of mains. Starting with an amazing, buttery soft Brioche served with Jam and Butter. The Best House Ham i've had in Canada, topped with Parmesan, truffle and Celeri Remoulade. Following with a great Feta Spinach Croquette and Smoked Salmon Profiterole. This set portion of the menu is simply amazing. Finishing with our main Plates, The Hen of the Wood Garganelli and Smoked Salmon Benedict. The Garganelli were a bit too salted for my taste, but still very delicious with rich, deep flavours. What an amazing Experience, with top Service and Incredible ambiance. We will return soon for Dinner

Server, albeit very nice, coaxed us into over ordering. Sold us the short rib as 'melt in your mouth' but was quite dry. Starters are good but the mains (altho it is all tapas style) was just okay. If you are paying premium for food, you expect quality. Simple as that

The food was good, but nothing special. We ordered the seafood platter and salmon. The platter was not very big and with a few oysters and crab legs which cost $70. I think there are better tasting places on king st at a similar price point. I was disappointed with the service as well, we sat at the front for the longest time waiting for the next course because we were finished, but they took forever to bring out the salmon.

I booked the restaurant 2 months before Valentine's day. Got a phone call 2 weeks before the actual day. The nice girl on the phone was conforming if we are actually going and informed me 2 things. 1. The Valentine's day dinner is a fixed menu which cost $75 dollars per person without the wine pairing. 2. The seating last 1 hour and 45mins. However, when we seat done and found out the price was actually $85 per person before wine paring. Dining out in Toronto is not cheap, I understand it. But I was misled by the phone call which is NOT OK. I gave wrong information to my date as well, that's humiliating! Food is great, wine paring is tasty.

Brunch was disappointing. Brioche tasted day old. Lazy omelette with what tasted like Boursin cheese. Service lovely and nice ambience but would not return on account of the food.

You got a bday for a fancy friend, where do you go that's fancy and unique experience? Maybe something new so that we can get a seat on a Saturday night. Six of us tried Lapinou because a friend thought the stars hanging from the ceiling were unique. The place was nice, a typical dark moody restaurant on King street. We almost ordered everything on the menu. 1. Bread & Butter $6 - Yes they charge for bread but you also get butter. I have to admit even though it was cold bread I really liked it because they added honey to the butter. I will try this at home. 2. Ham & Cheese $16 - Meh - didn't like it that much. 3. Foie Gras Parfait $20 - Always love Foie Gras, and they added strawberry and pickled onion 4. Squash Fritters $14 - I really like the cold texture of the coconut cream with the fried Fritters. 5. Yellow Fin Tuna $19 - due to the dark lighting I thought I was eating tomatoes. For tomatoes, it was really good. 6. Duck Bread $36 - This was good. 7. Lamb $32 - Disappointed with this. It was good but not the best lamb I've had. 8. Gnocchi $24 - THIS WAS THE BEST DISH. Gnocchi was soft and tender, creamy and liked the fried toppings. Perfect combination. We ordered 3 of this! 9. Whole Trout $60 - Meh - not worth it. 10. Chitarra $26 - Pasta seems to be their best items here. 11. Chantecler Whole Chicken $55 - This was fresh and lean. It took the longest, I think they cook it from scratch. It was good but not $55 good. 12. Grapefruit - $12 - Good but very expensive for grapefruit 13. Hazelnut Cake - $12 - Good The ambiance was good. Most of the food item is very good but that's what you would expect from this price range of the restaurant. Some items were REALLY good while many were overpriced. From the photos the food actually looks very good, however it was too dim in the restaurant to see the great presentation. Maybe brighter lighting on tables would improve the patron experience. Overall this is not the type of restaurant most people would go to regularly. Maybe a celebration or special occasion. And it's important to choose the right items to order and you will have a great experience. Food 4.3/5 Service 4.1/5 Ambiance 4.3/5 Value 2.2/5 =========== Overall 3.6

It was my first time at Lapinou so I booked for chef's experience through OpenTable app. Overall, food tasted okay, portion was smaller than expected and service was poor. On Saturday Oct. 16, we got there at 5:40 but when I paid my bill it was before 6:40. The server would kept on trying to take our plates while we were still trying to enjoy our food, so we had to move food that we were working on from a plate to another plate constantly. We refused politely to our server from serving food from dish to our plates (which he ignored) because we wanted to take time to enjoy the previous course that we weren't even done with. He then dropped the main food (it was fish) on the table while serving then grabbed and put that fish on to my plate without an apology. I wouldn't have minded it so much if it wasn't Covid-19 or if I wasn't paying like $100 for that meal. He rushed us so badly that we didnt get time to take photos of the main courses. The same server gave us our bill and card machine when I wasn't even finished with my dessert and drink. Also, I felt very uncomfortable about the fact that he was staring at the card machine while my friend and I were paying. It was one of the worst service that I have received especially for a fine dining restaurant with such a nice ambience, so I didn't wanted to tip my server but then he was staring at the machine the whole time so I got scared to not tip him. Me and my company was so confused that we even asked the manager that if it was normal for a table almost to be forced to leave not even an hour after the sitting and he told us that other customers usually get 1 hour and 45 mins to finish the entire selection and that he was very sorry that we had to receive such service. And when we already paid our bill we saw that everyone else who came before or slightly after us were still enjoying their main dish so I don't think that was a usual way for them to serve customers but personally I don't think that I would ever visit Lapinou again.

Great ambiance and service but the place is overpriced and missing things on their menu. My fiancée and I came here on a Saturday night and were immediately warned that there was a 2 hour limit on seating. This was a bit of a turnoff since we had a reservation and the place was fairly empty. We sat down and ordered some oysters as an appetizer. They were quite small but I liked the presentation and they tasted great. For drinks, I ordered cider but had to settle for a pale ale that wasn't very good. For our entrees, my fiancée ordered the gnocchi and I got the Iberico pork ragu. My fiancée loved her gnocchi but wished they had given her a few more pieces. On a similar note, I liked my ragu pasta but it came in a bowl that was only half full. It was portion more suitable for a child than an adult. Keep in mind that this dish cost $65! Since I was still hungry, I decided to order dessert. We got the chocolate orange ganache. It was great and probably the highlight of the night. Overall I was kind of disappointed though the food quality is solid.

We love Lapinou! We first came here about a month ago and really enjoyed the food and wine selection -- the lamb ragu alone inspired us to come back for more! When we came back just a few weeks later, the menu had already changed to adapt to what produce was in season (peaches and sweet corn!). The salmon and striploin in particular were so delicious, and the cocktails are divine too (try the mule des pres!). All of this is on top of the really fabulous and kind service. Michael, the bar manager, was our server both times and remembered our EXACT after dinner drinks (cognac neat and an amaro nonino with an orange twist?!) and surprised us with them at the end of the meal! That was one of the best things that has ever happened to us at a restaurant. It's so nice to have a place with good food that feels more like a neighborhood establishment in the King West area. Absolutely recommend Lapinou.

HARD PASS. 0/5 This was a shockingly bad experience. We should have paid for our drinks that came very late into the meal and eaten literally anywhere else. We were seated at the front of their alleyway which was uncovered and marginally served by their heat lamps - and wait staff. The lights on the tables had blown out from the wind. There was no other real lighting, so we ate dinner in the dark - this isn't O.Noir. When we asked to be moved inward to another table under the awning, where it was warmer and well lit, we were shrugged off by two separate staffers. And then saw that other couples were moved into the tent upon their request. Our table almost fully tipped over mid meal bc of a significant wobble and the real surprise cherry on top, the server kindly let us know that we had order SO much food and how could we possibly have room for dessert considering the very large amount of food we had ordered. We didn't eat dessert and tbh being fat-shamed by a restaurant is surreal. This was a very bad experience. We will never be going back here. It was horrific and the food was pretty mediocre to boot. How could it taste well when you felt so judged for wanting to try things?? Absurd.

This place, portions are small. Definitely not a place to get full without hurting your wallet. Small portion, $$$ Service? Hm. Hm. Hm. Can't say they were nice but can't say they were mean. Just so so. Hence the 3 stars. Even their food, can't say it was bad but can't say it was out of the world kind of good. Just so so...

This place exceeded all my expectations. I called ahead and asked to be seated in the main patio (with the white lights), as the other was didn't have as great ambiance. You could tell they were understaffed but the service didn't suffer at all. It's a beautiful spot, but the food is what really blew my mind. We got the squash fritters, beef tartare, and crab rice, and duck and didn't regret a single dish. The squash fritters were a bit oily, but has such a unique and decadent taste. The beef tartare might have been the best I've ever had, and the crab rice melts into your mouth and was my favourite dish. Highly recommend this spot!

We were sat on the sidewalk despite having a reservations. They don't even mind having it properly cleaned. If we get to pay 16-17 per drink, we expect a very good service but the server was moody and not even checking out. We went to have drinks while we hear the jazz, however it was inaudible from the sidewalk. It seemed that the speakers they had didn't even worked. Very disappointing .

We had the chef's special (2ppl). We were asked to pay within a single hour of sitting down. Food was good and all, but we honestly did not have enough time to enjoy the food that was served to us. A piece of our fish was dropped on the table, because the server insisted to serve all our food to our individual plates, and he still did not say anything and gave us the dropped piece of fish for us to eat. This was one of several unpleasant experiences at this restaurant. Other than the service, food was good.