Sassafraz

We went to this place with my friends for lunch, and it was such a great experience. The atmosphere was really pleasant and welcoming, perfect for a casual celebration. I especially loved the taste of the lamb — it was flavorful and cooked perfectly. There was also a starter that had a cucumber-like taste, which was very unique and refreshing. I highly recommend trying it! Overall, it’s a charming spot with a nice vibe and delicious food. Definitely worth visiting.

Gorgeous venue. Light, airy and very comfortable with a stylish modern vibe. Quiet dining room for conversation. Great people-watching from the bar or patio. The food is excellent across the board, with delicious twists on old cocktail favourites and an extensive wine list with something for everyone. Check out whatever is new on the menu, as the chefs are always getting creative with local seasonal foods, and the results are fabulous. The pea salad with jicama is a master class in fresh, light and inventive. Perfect for summer. Servers are attentive, knowledgeable, and personable. Gluten free and vegetarian friendly!

We recently dined at Sassafraz on Cumberland St. to celebrate my wife's birthday. The atmosphere was bright, packed, and welcoming, though admittedly a bit noisy due to the lively crowd. We had a little celebration beforehand and came in ready to enjoy a full meal—and Sassafraz didn’t disappoint in that regard. We ordered appetizers, mains, and desserts, and everything was palatable and delicious. The waiter was caring and devoted, though we could feel a slight sense of rush, probably due to how busy the place was. One small letdown: I had called ahead and mentioned it was my wife’s birthday, and they had promised to bring a macaron with a candle—unfortunately, that was overlooked. Overall, I really liked the food and the vibrant ambiance. The only drawback was the missed birthday gesture, which would’ve made the experience even more memorable.

I did the summerlicious visit at Sassafraz. Penny our waiter is friendly and the humblest human being you'll ever meet. We had our lunch on the patio. It was served in a timely manner. Everything was fresh, prepared with ❤️ and delish. We were pleasantly full and happy. Try this establishment if you are in the area.

Sassafraz is one of those restaurants you need to try to get the full experience of Yorkville. Perfectly located off of Cumberland, the indoor seating and outdoor seating is great for the possibility to see a movie star. I’ve been to this restaurant a few times over the last 20 years and it’s usually really good. This time I came for Summerlicious which is a way to taste the food at a prixe fix price. My two cents restaurant is pretty lots of light. Staff is friendly and efficient. Food usually good but I won’t lie this time was not the best. First course was Mac and cheese and was alright a basic dish not elevated in anyway and was a bit salty. Main was salmon and vegs. The plate was a bit small- it was lunch so it was fine but the plate could have been larger so it didn’t look insignificant. I was surprised the fish and sides was missing salt. I thought it was my plate but several people at my table ordered the same fish and felt the salt was missing. We tried to use the salt shaker on the table and it was rock hard so we had to open it up and break it up to season the fish. That was unfortunate. The dessert was cheesecake. It was nice but nothing that wow’d me. The manager came by and asked us if everything was ok. We mentioned the lack of salt and he apologized immediately and offered us coffee and treats with our dessert which was very nice. Another tiny issue was somehow there was a long gap between the appetizer and the main lunch. I’m sure if we had time to socialize might have been fine but it was very long and we were hungry. This review is not to put the restaurant down I think it’s a lovely place and maybe it was an off day. I would still love to go back another time and recommend people try atleast once.

I’ve been there twice in one week, the first time I was on Thursday night. It wasn’t very busy, I’ve ordered an appetizer and a cocktail. The food was delicious, the service was great. We really enjoyed the time with my friend. Then I went on Sunday afternoon by myself and ordered the same appetizer and a ceviche. I can’t say that the place was busy, they were pretty empty, however there was almost no service. I felt like the stuff there was waiting when we are going to leave already. The same appetizer (pasta) that I had was tasteless, ceviche is so so. The experience is 50/50, if you want to go better on a week day apparently.

we went for brunch. love the chilling atmosphere. Salmon is totally worth it，the Steak needs upgraded, a little hard to chew. Perfect if you are looking for somewhere to have a sip and talk.

Haa a great time for Sunday brunch. Beautiful patio! We had: - Salmon Benedict - pancakes - salmon salad - chocolate cake (birthday celebration) - they had candles!

I ate here last night with a group of friends. Its not the first time I've eaten here and the food is always delicious. In the summer this place is hoping because its in Cumberland in the heart of the Ritzy Yorkville district, so you will often see an exotic car or 2 parked out front. Be that as it may the prices are reasonable. I started with a Martini and then had the Chicken Supreme on a bed of rice. The atmosphere was great, the service was great, and the food was tasty which was perfect for a night out with friends. What more could you ask for?

As a visitor, this was my first meal in Toronto and it did not disappoint. I had excellent service and Sassafraz's menu was delicious. I ordered the linguini pasta and a glass of riesling, which paired nicely together. I have nothing about great things to say about the ambiance of the restaurant. It's a very classy place, with tasteful decor in an upscale environment. There is a calm, warm, welcoming atmosphere, and once your food and drinks arrive, you'll be ensconced. This is a definite must try when you're in Toronto, if you're looking for fine dining in a pleasing environment.

We stopped by last minute and were pleasantly surprised. Tuesday's starting at 4:00 they have some great half priced options. It was a great way to grab a drink and snack before our late dinner reservation in the city. It was the best mojito we have ever had! The area is also great people watching so if you don't sit on a patio be sure to sit by a window!

Our experience began negatively being told there was no room for walk ins inside. After I stood in front of the hostess and booked online we were allowed in to the almost empty restaurant. This was followed by really poor quality smoked salmon -tasted fishy and old. All the Food arrived cold. Wait staff not attentive and had to be chased. Really disappointed in the experience at this iconic restaurant.

This is a classy restaurant in the heart of trendy neighborhood Yorkville. I gad the salmon and it was a delicious dish.

Hadn't been in years but revisited last week for brunch. Forgot how pretty the main room was. The server was engaging and eager to please and everyone's food was outstanding. Certainly won't wait so long to go back!

Fairly tasty food, though prices are a bit high and service can be slow. Had a lovely dinner here. Strangely, a bit of a wait to be seated, despite having a reservation and there being plenty of open tables. We had requested a booth seat in the notes, and while the hostess initially showed us to a standard 2-top, they then moved us without further prompting. We got started with some cocktails: the strawberry fields, a rum-based drink, and the moonbeam, an Earl Grey & gin concoction. The strawberry fields tasted quite strong, with more rum flavour than the colour and presentation might have you expect. The moonbeam, meanwhile, was pleasantly light and sweet, with lots of Earl Grey coming through. A decently long wait later, we got our appetizers: fish tacos, beef tartare, and herbed frites with Dijon aioli (not pictured... oops). The beef tartare was the standout star, and the fries were also fantastic. The fish tacos were... fine? I would skip them next time, but I'm also spoiled by the quality of Mexican cuisine in California. The waiter mentioned specifically that today's tacos were halibut, and asked if that was okay--so perhaps the fish changes by day. Eventually we got our mains: the braised Beverly Creek lamb shank, and the Québec wild boar chop. The lamb shank was supremely tender, practically flaking off with the touch of a fork. It was nicely seasoned, and the accoutrements were tasty as well, but frankly it was rather one-note. I liked the walnut pesto, but it was difficult to distribute across the meat. The wild boar chop was creative. We had asked about doneness, and were told it only came well done, but that didn't detract. It certainly took more effort than the lamb to slice off pieces to eat, but the flavours were excellent, and the strawberries provided a nice brightness to the dish. The garlic was also great; relatively mild, and so soft as to nearly melt when placed on the tongue. Our preferred dish of the evening, though I wish we had gotten the same crispy exterior that some other reviews rave about. Finally, we had the cheesecake. This tasted great, though I personally would have preferred a graham crust to the oatmeal one presented. The cheesecake itself is bare, requiring that you smear spoonfuls into the sauce yourself, but it was delicious. Overall, a great spot, but don't go ravenous -- you'll need to be prepared to wait a bit. Oh, and mind that the water is bottled, so expect to pay accordingly; next time, I'll just ask for tap instead of still.

Sassafraz is a beautiful restaurant located in yorkville. Prime location. The service is great and the atmosphere of the restaurant is lovely. I liked some of the food but overall the food is just ok, nothing really special or memorable which would make me revisit. We got bread and olives with feta to start. The olives tasted horrible and I live olives. For my main I got the steak with truffle Parmesan fries. The fries were delicious but the steak with mushrooms and asparagus was bland. No seasoning, steak was over cooked and dry. For dessert we got a variety to share: macarons, flourless chocolate cake and cheesecake. Dessert was yummy. Overall, the food was ok. I think it's still a great place to visit. I would like to try this place again to give it another chance and choose another dish. Overall, it was good.

We sat in the outdoor patio, which was very comfortable, with a great view of the passing crowds. However to be honest, the food itself did not meet our expectations. My wife has a serious digestive problem. She ordered sea bass and boiled potatoes but instead received fried potatoes and the sea bass was dried out and not good. But the reason we are giving 4 stars is the way the waiter and the manager treated us. They took our concerns to heart, brought my wife new potatoes and even made amends by offering us complimentary coffee and deserts. They turned an uncomfortable situation into an enjoyable experience!

Visiting from California and after a morning at the ROM we found this place nearby. The staff was welcoming and the interior was clean and modern. There were plenty of healthy options for my family. The food was very well prepared and delicious. Highly recommend

Came by for brunch, plenty of outdoor seating and indoor seating available. The interior is features various different style is seating. Staff was very pleasant, service was quick. The brunch menu itself was limited. I opted in to try the omelette, it was alright. The latte was tasty! Overall, a decent spot to grab brunch.

Came here for a work dinner and was not disappointed. Started with the steak tartar, fish tacos and olives, and then I had the duck has my main. I didn't think the duck was very good but everything else was great. Our server was clearly very new but seemed to try hard. Great ambiance and was relatively busy

We sat in the cafe side and it was very cute! The duck breast was very tender! Definitely worth coming here for winterlicious!

Decided to finally try this restaurant and thought what could be a better opportunity than summerlicious! Right of the back, well front :D, the new patio space can be seen. Bellair St. is now completely blocked for cars and provide more patio spaces for the surrounding restaurant and Sassafraz is one of those. This extra space allows for bigger patio tables since their original Bellair st patios allow for only tables of 2. The interior is classy and very spacious, I didn't expect it to be as spacious from how the facade looks. Sassafraz also gives off a relaxed ambiance with not-so-loud background music, very nice to have dinner or lunch with friends or family. I ordered the Pistachio crusted ahi tuna salad for starter, Quebec wild boar chop as main, and flourless chocolate cake as dessert. All of these are part of their regular menu, which is nice, it's just that the tuna salad is usually part of their main course instead of an appetizer or salad. I was a little scared that the wild boar chop was going to taste gamey, but that wasn't the case at all. It was very tender and juicy! I would say the overall taste was great, especially the wild boar chop! The ahi tuna pieces on the salad were a little thin and the avocado overpowered the taste of the ginger vinaigrette. For those chocolate lovers out there, the flourless chocolate cake hits home. It was rich and velvety, it coats your mouth just nice and wasn't overly sweet. This cake went exceptionally well with the red sangria that I ordered. The sangria helped cleaned the mouthfeel in between bites.

Always a great meal here. It's just north of Bloor on Cumberland, west of Bay. TTC stop us close by or there are numerous parking garages nearby for those that want to drive. It's more in the $$$ per person category, but if you go during Wibter or Summerlicious, you can get a nice 3-course meal for a great price. The restaurant is light and airy. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable. Food is always top notch and they have a nice wine list. Note that the pictures attached reflect a Summerlicious offering. We took friends that had never been before and they loved it too!

An elegant, upscale spot for a special night out- went here for a work event -- service and food were on point! Only regret is that we had a set menu so couldn't try all the dishes on their regular menu Highlights: - Beef Wellington tenderloin steak: cooked to a perfect medium rare, with a light sauce and mushrooms and greens that were a delicious pairing - shrimp appetizer: plump juicy shrimp with tomato slices and a sauce that was really complimentary Less enthused: - flourless chocolate cake: mainly bc it seems a bit ganache like and thick and richer than expected but still yummy for the chocolate lover

Great service and good food! As soon as we entered the restaurant, we were greeted by the receptionist and seated promptly. Our waiter ( i forgot his name, it starts with an E I believe) was very polite, and very quick and attentive when we needed service. We ordered the scallops, small portion but delicious. The pasta was good and the bass was cooked well. We finished off with the flour less chocolate cake that was baked well.

I just left a review. I forgot to give our waiter's name- Fasel, as he really took good care of us.

A wonderful experience! Every bite was a memory! The truffle fries were excellent! A perfect night in Toronto. Very nice wine list by the glass. Sidewalk seating had a reasonable sound level of city sounds. Service was professional, helpful and well timed. Not sure we could have done any better in YORKVILLE. Mmmmmmmmm

Loved the service and had a really delightful time. The plant wall and waterfall was such a nice view. Really enjoyed the meal. Bread was $2 (an optional order) and ordered 2 mains. Ordered the steak and the boar bolognese. I really liked the flavour profiles for both.

Another time here. This time I tried the Creek Lambs and gotta be honest, the second best Lamb I've ever had was from here! I give it the medal Also the servers are nice as always!

One thing that this restaurant does is that they always hire the nicest staff. Been coming here for years, and never had what you might think of as a stereotypical Yorkville server. Sassafraz staff are always so friendly and they genuinely seem happy to be there! On our last visit, Stephanie was so accommodating and communicative throughout the night. It was a busy evening and it was a bit of a wait, but we barely even noticed. And our friends really enjoyed the dessert-- made their honeymoon extra special! Don't go to this restaurant if you're in a hurry; it's best if you make this restaurant the final destination of your night and savour the experience. Only thing I'd change about Sassafraz is the exterior paint job. Oh, I loved it back in the day when it was cheerful and yellow!

Our server was super excellent, the mojito was great, but the meal was ok. The apps were plain, the halibut was overcooked and the ribeye came out cold, however the burger was good. If I was just rating the food it would be a 3.

very nice food and atmosphere. We would like to especially mention our server the evening of Saturday, March 30.- James. He was very professional and attentive without being obtrusive. An excellent staff member. Well done Sassafraz

WOW Bravo! After reading all the great reviews. Me and wifey decided to celebrate our 9th anniversary here. The food was superb and the experience was honestly excellent. Our server, Austin, was very friendly and literally took care of us during our dining experience there. Knowing it was a special occasion for us, he started us off with a sampler rose wine, and suggested some delicious choices on the menu. It was a blast to our taste buds. For starters, We ordered a Chef's featured Soup, a Dozen Oysters (Man! The oysters were so fresh and the special sauces (not the regular lemon + tobasco combo) was so yummy, Beef Tartare (Melts in your mouth). For mains, I ordered a Quebec Wild Boar Chop (medium, crispy skin and very tasty) and wifey ordered a Braised lamp Ragu (super delicious). I highly recommend Sassafraz and if you can, say hi to Austin, he will make sure to take care of your dining experience.

Food 8/10 Smoked salmon Benny, was really good, but they didn't ask how I like it cooked. But it came out runny, where I like it medium. Soup of the day, cauliflower soup - very good Pancake - okay Avocado toast - refreshing Service 6/10 My aunt was visiting from Vancouver, so semi vacation mode. I made reso a day before and We wanted a booth table somewhere with bigger table space since we will be ordering a lot for 3ppl. But they sat us in a small square table where we had to remove glasses to fit our plates in. And I saw there was a booth big enough for 6 ppl but only seating 2 people during the same time. So I'm not very happy about that. Cleaness 3/10 2 of our share plates were dirty, we had to ask for another. We were sharing everything, and the bowls to share were also dirty. I mean I can tell they were sanitized, but there were still food on it. The hot water we asked for came in a pot, but when I poured it, there were leafs from the tea in the pot.

We had a nice Saturday brunch here before exploring Bloor-Yorkville during our first trip to Toronto. This was a nice place to kick things off! We heard not one but two Gordon Lightfoot songs overhead, which helped me celebrate our Canadian visit even more. Our waiter was in a great, energetic mood and our meal -- fairly simple though it was -- was tasty. One of our friends, a Toronto native, was quick to recommend this place to us before our trip... we get why!

Came here for lunch and it was great but I came in sweats and the waitress immediately judged me I'm guessing based on my appearance. Despite that, the fo od was great. Particularly liked this beef tartar. Conversely decided to try their dinner menu and the service was fantastic however their steak was a rubbery tasting, was not evenly seared. However the waiter made multiple attempts to enhance the experience by offering a glass of wine on him. Also I was not charged for the steak and there was no rudeness despite this may cost him from the house tips. So TLDR; the service seems to be variable. The food for breakfast was amazing but the dinner was not exactly what I would call worth the price.

Came by around 12pm, and fortunately they were still servicing a few breakfast items. I'm glad we were able to try Sassafraz as it has been on my list of "restaurants to try" for some time. We are coming from uptown so getting here takes a bit more effort and if you are driving, paid parking is likely the option. The food looked great, but I thought it was mediocre. The decor is upscale and a great location to people watch, so I think that is the bigger draw - which is enjoying the atmosphere. Because there are other options with higher quality of food and requiring less effort to commute to, I'll probably opt for other options next time than Sassafraz.

This place has gone downhill versus what I remember a few years back. Service was incredibly slow and largely apathetic - had to ask twice for water at the start, and ditto for cutlery which for some reason wasn't on the table in the first place. Drinks took at least 20 minutes and food (ordered at same time) another 20. And it wasn't just us, all surrounding tables experienced the same. This might be understandable if they were bursting at the seams or short staffed, but they were far from full (patios busy but nobody inside) and no shortage of staff running around. Food was mixed. Avocado toast was great, Mac and cheese OK and the salads disappointing. Considering the price point, and range of other options in short walking distance, this was poor value. No plans to return!

I had the opportunity to dine at this spot's patio right before the dreaded second lockdown and it did not disappoint. The patio was at the entrance of the restaurant and luckily had heaters, and thank goodness they did because it was mid November! Service was on point and we were served straight away. I got a raspberry margarita & my friend got a hot toddy. Loved my drink! Perfect for someone who was clinging onto the remnants of good weather. We got beef tartare & avocado on toast to start. The tartare was excellent, well seasoned and it had a little quail egg yolk on top. It was one of the better beef tartares I've had. The avocado on toast tasted lovely as well, had a lot of fun colourful toppings! My friend got the Canadian Atlantic salmon that came with a soba noodle salad and I got the Quebec wild boar chop. My friend said he really enjoyed his salmon and noodles. I enjoyed the flavours of the wild boar chop! It had a lovely berry compote that complimented the wild boar nicely. The roasted potatoes and cabbage accompanied it well. We both wanted to get dessert but sadly we were too full on the delicious food!

We went here because I saw a lot of people going here for brunch on my feed. Honestly I feel like it wasn't as good as I was expecting. But that can happen when something has set your expectations high. Some items were good, but others weren't. I loved the ambiance, it was fancy but in a comfortable way! The staff was friendly and accommodating. Giving 4 stars because of the accommodation by the staff and the overall experience. We went for the weekend brunch which runs until 3pm. Tried: * mini mac n' cheese - I found this a bit disappointing, it was too rich and salty to eat a lot of even though it was mini size the 3 of us couldn't finish it. * fish taco - this was ok, the fish was grilled perfectly, the taco size was perfect for sharing, but the taste overall wasn't "wow"! I've had better tacos, but this was not bad. * Pancakes - this is where the staff was accommodating, they give strawberry jam on their pancakes usually, my friends didn't want that so they substituted it with banana and rhubarb (which on the plate doesn't look so appetizing, but I really liked the taste, and their pancakes are really soft, pillowy soft!) * eggs benedict - a perfect Benny, the salmon was perfect as were the poached eggs. * herbed frites - so thin and crispy you can have a 3-4 in a bite, very well seasoned! Overall a good experience, but not a 5-star experience I'd say.

Food and service were amazing and the patio was great. Visiting Toronto for the first time and was recommended this place for lunch by the Conciege at W Hotel. Had the shrimp campennelle which was delicious.

We sat on the patio and that was nice. Chairs and tables were a bit hard to move and close to the poles but the food and service makes you forget the pains of eating outdoors. Highly recommend the beef tartare. The tuna crusted with pistachio salad was also really good. Sangria and cocktails were also pretty solid here. Overall a great experience and service was pretty good too.

Brunch in Yorkville sounds so fancy. And Sassafraz tried to provide that reputation. The room was impressive with sky light, living wall and "waterfalls". I liked the feeling that I was outside but still within the cooling interior. I ordered the omelet. It was ok but not wowed at $21. My friend ordered eggs Benedict. Gordon Ramsay definitely would not be impressed with the overcooked eggs. Service was random. The bread was forgotten until after our meals were served. And it took a long time before our mimosa got to us. Cute place, but with room for improvement.

Beautiful layout, excellent interior, mediocre food with a be seen and to be seen crowd that patron this restaurant.

The one bright spot about this pandemic is the proliferation of patios across the city. Plenty of restaurants are now able to expand their patio far beyond their normal dimensions, and some restaurants are even offering outside seating for the first time ever. Sassafraz is one such restaurant, so I was excited to finally head over and give their food a try. We were seated in their expanded patio, and although the chair I was sitting in was *extremely* uncomfortable, I was certainly very happy to be outside. I had wanted to start with the duck pâté, but it wasn't available so I instead opted for the taro chips / avocado option. (It's just a fancy way of saying chips and guac, it turns out.) Anyway, it's a tasty appetizer. The taro chips were fresh and crispy, while the avocado spread definitely contained some flavors that you don't ordinarily associate with guacamole. (And that's definitely not a bad thing.) For my main, I went with the Village Burger ("smoked cheddar / bourbon onion jam") and I got that with fries. It's an almost passable burger. It arrived hot, which is nice, and the cheese was completely melted, but the patty itself isn't great. It's been mixed with some entirely unnecessary spices, but, worse than that, it's awfully dry. I got about halfway through and basically found that I was tired of eating it. (I finished it, though, on account of I'm a pig.) The fries, though barely room temperature, were much better, at least. Between the painful chair and lackluster burger, I can't really see myself ever returning to Sassafraz.

I came here with a friend for Winterlicious. I had really high expectations for this place and thought it was going to be great. It all started off so well-- the ambience was great, we were seated near the waterfall part of the restaurant with the sun roofs and it was beautiful. The bread that they gave us before our meal was maybe one of the best I've had at a restaurant. My appetizer, which was shrimp and tuna ceviche was fantastic. My non alcoholic drink was delicious. And then came the main... I ordered the salmon AND it was over-cooked...I was so disappointed as everything else was going so well. I was also unimpressed with the risotto that came with the salmon. For the price they charge at this place, they should've been able to get this right. Dessert was artisan cheese, and it was mediocre. Needless to say, I'm very disappointed with this place and will not be returning unless there was some sort of incentive.

Came here for Winterlicious with a friend. Great atmosphere, delicious food and pretty good service! The duck pâté was delicious! The main portion was a decent size, I had the braised lamb leg which was delicious, although the bean ragout on the bottom was a bit bland in comparison, and did not feel worth the $43 when comparing other Winterlicious contenders. However, the flourless chocolate bar was a great end to the meal. The waiting staff was very attentive and checked in often.

Came here for Winterlicious and so glad we choose to dine at this place. The dining room has a great vibe to it. The service was friendly and the portion sizes were good value. The selection on this winterlicious menu was really good. Usually you get limited selections but there is something for everyone. The food was delicious! Great portion sizes and wonderful taste. I ordered the beef meatballs for the appetizer, the roast chicken for the entrée and the artisan cheese board to finish off the night. The meatballs were flavorful and had more sauce then you knew what to do with. However, I liked it like that. The entrée was tasty. The Red pepper romesco was a nice touch to the roasted chicken which was super moist! I would definitely order it again and I finished my whole plate. Dessert was alright. I was the only one at the table that ordered the cheese board, It was delicious and I very much enjoyed the cheese. However, I wish they told you what type of cheese was on the board. I knew one was Brie but the other I am unaware of. The truffle honey just made the board as well.

I came here last weekend with a group of friends for their Winterlicious 2020 menu. Overall, I was actually pretty disappointed after hearing so many good things about this place after so many years. The desserts were the best part of my meal. Located in Yorkville, the ambiance at this restaurant is beautiful. So bright and they have like three different distinct areas downstairs with separate looks that sort of blend seamlessly. First you walk through the heavy curtains at the entrance and you enter the bar and a small seated dining area. Once you go through another set of doors you're in their main dining area where we sat. Further down there was an extended dining area with sky lights and lots of plants and greenery. They also have an upstairs with a private room for private events as well as where the washrooms are located. When we were there, there was a baby shower going on upstairs. We had reservations made for 1:30pm but weren't seated till 1:45pm because our table was not ready. The staff were friendly and nice though. Now the meal. Just note, that their Winterlicious menu wasn't very "French". We came here for the $28/person lunch. Appetizers: -I ordered the Moroccan Spiced Lamb Chops (local) Kalamata salsa verde / sweet and sour cabbage slaw / parsnip purée - It came absolutely burnt. You can't even call it charred. It had like black edges. However, they did manage to cook it medium rare. The flavours were tasty however, it didn't taste Moroccan, more like just salt and pepper done well. -My boyfriend ordered the Baby Beets (vegetarian/local) shaved jicama and fennel / tarragon ricotta / pecan crumble / mache lettuce. Maybe because I had such an amazing beets prepared with coconut milk at DaiLo, my standards for the preparation of beets is decently high. I was absolutely disappointed with this dish. I did not like the shaved jicama because it was actually really hard to pick up on the plate. I don't think anything worked in this dish. After having a few bites, I literally just picked at the ricotta and then didn't finish it. Mains: -I ordered the Canadian Atlantic Salmon with chilled soba noodle / ginger ponzu dressing / pickled enoki. My salmon skin came crispy on the outside but my salmon itself was wayyyy too over cooked. It was dry and I was utterly disappointed. On top of that, my soba noodles were mushy and overcooked. -My boyfriend ordered the Braised Lamb Ragu (local) with rigatoni / black olives / spinach / Manchego. This dish saved the day. It was tasty relative to everything I just ate but would I come back here and order it again? Probably not. Desserts: Disclaimer I've never once had a bad dessert because I feel like desserts are so hard to mess up. Overall, the desserts were extremely tasty! -I ordered the Lemon Crème Caramel (vegetarian) with grapefruit and orange segments. OMG! I loved this dessert! So light and sweet. Nothing was overpowering and the flavours all worked perfectly. I could eat a hundred more! -My boyfriend ordered the Flourless Chocolate Bar (vegetarian) with crème fraîche / vanilla ice cream / almond nougatine. This was such a lovely dessert as well. It was definitely heavier and sweeter than the Lemon creme caramel but the vanilla ice cream balanced out the chocolate. I guess we ended on a high note considering how the meal was going. So I've heard Sassafraz has a great Groupon set menu deal but this Winterlicious 2020 menu was a bit disappointing from all the hype I've heard about it over the years. I think if the food was cooked and prepared better, it would've been slightly a different story.

Not the same as I remember pre-pandemic. Staff seems more concerned about them selfs than the clients. I observed that most of the serving staff engaged very little with the dinners. The temperature in the place was set at 35 C and very uncomfortable and one did anything about it. The one bright spot was the two young ladies that greeted me at the door, they were charming. Overall It was disappointing.

Yen was our waitress and she was the sweetest and kindest waitress we've ever had! She was so kind and gave exceptional service! She went above and beyond and was so friendly! The food and atmosphere were great too! Highly recommend and Yen deserves a raise! :)

Really nice dinner on the street patio, with excellent waiter service. The food was very tasty, although a bit over-priced (as it usually is in Yorkville). Still, it was a nice treat to go to a nice restaurant. I miss the indoor dining options. Celebrating an anniversary here, and then going for a walk in Yorkville was a treat. Thank you!

Breakfast brunch is excellent steak is excellent, but I'm not sure about the pasta for sure I never order pasta there the pasta is tastes, so confuse

I arrived here for their weekend brunch looking to try their breakfast menu. The restaurant is quite spacious so we had no problem getting seats. I ordered the housemade scones, the eggs benedict, and the 8oz Wellington Country beef striploin. While we were waiting for our food, our server brought us a plate of bread and butter, something I always enjoy. The eggs Benedict was served with a side of salad and some root vegetables. The salad wasn't really tasty but the sweet potato and beets were nice and sweet. The eggs were warm and covered in a light hollandaise sauce. It was a satisfying plate. The steak was cooked to perfection and came with two eggs and a side of root veggies as well. The steak was nicely marinated and had a good grill taste. The scones were my favourite. I had scones a side of creme fraiche and apricot jam. These scones were flaky and buttery. They were so tasty! The service here was really up to par. I loved the server's patience with our orders and her attentiveness. Excellent brunch spot to hit on the weekend.

Past by this place many times and finally made reservations to check out this place during summerlicious. Decor was upscale with plenty of seating inside and outside on the patio. For appetizer I got the miami short ribs. Flavours were good but the ribs were more dry and chewy then I would like. For entree I got the harrison coop roast chicken. Presentation was very good with lots of different colours. The chicken was more dry but was seasoned well. I tried my friend's salmon dish and it was a much better dish. For dessert I got the panna cotta. Texture was too soft and tasted like a yogurt dessert. Service was friendly, food came out at a reasonable time, but food was average.

We went to this restaurant for Winterlicious on a weekday night. We had a reservation and were promptly seated once in their main dining room. I had the duck pate for appetizer, veal chops with barley risotto for main and the cherry cheesecake with chocolate ganuche for dessert. My boyfriend had escargots with bacon for appetizer, duck breast for main and chocolate cake with barley ice cream for dessert. Except for the duck, the portions size were larger than expected. I would say it's "full sized" portions - like what you get if you paid the regular price. I really enjoyed my veal chop, it was really tender. The barley risotto had a chewy crunch, but could of been cooked a tad bit longer. I find the duck a bit too gamey, but my boyfriend enjoyed his dish. When my cheesecake came, I was really surprised (and relief) that it wasn't cover with a cherry syrup. I'm not too fond of cherries or syrup... The baked cheeeecake was smooth, had a strong cream cheese flavour and it wasn't overly sweet or dense like typical NY styles ones. I really liked it! The chocolate cake was DECADENT. It was rich and smooth, but I wouldn't have been able to finish the whole thing. Overall, I'm really please with the food, the service and the atmosphere at Sassafraz. I would most certainly come back to try their other dishes!

Had lunch with some girlfriends. Didn't find the menu too big, but food was good. Service was ok.