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Epic Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Canadian (New) Restaurants Seafood Canadian (New), Seafood [Edit]
The Fairmont Royal York100 Front St W
Toronto, ON M5J 1E3
Neighbourhoods: Financial District, Downtown Core
(416) 860-6949
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7 am - 10 am
Mon-Sun 5:30 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
15 reviews for Epic Restaurant
15 reviews in English
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Review from MW P.
Toronto, ON
10/24/2011
Outstanding Service and food.
They have a secondary menu that has options for people with dietary restrictions, which is good as one person in our party as many things they cannot eat. When she asked the waitor to verify ingredients, he said he'd bring the chef out to talk to her. Sure enough, the chef came out soon after, and she explained her medical restirctions, and he told her most of the things she ordered would be ok for her, and those that weren't, he'd adjust how they were prepared to be sure she could eat them. Fantastic attention. The waiter did say "we take dietary restrictions very seriously here" and he was not lying.
We had ordered a bottle of sparkling wine which came to our table slightly flat upon popping the cork and tasting. After indicating so to the waiter, he said no problem, and got us a different one, no questions asked. I know it's standard for a restaurant to pop the cork and have you to sample their wine/sparkling to be sure it's good, and you're supposed to be able to send it back, but for them to replace it without question was great.
The meal was excellent. Appetizers and meals were delicious and prepared just as we ordered. Most of our table ordered fish as a main course, and I had the 10oz steak. Cooked perfectly as I requested. The desert fell slightly, although I ordered the Cherry Tart and was not dissapointed, another member of our party ordered the flourless chocolate cake and found it only ok. Not bad, but just ok.
Overall meal was expensive, $450 for 4 people (plus the above mentioned sparkling wine for appetizer, another bottle for main course, and a couple bottles of sparkling water as well) but you go in expecting that was the kind of restaurant (price wise) you're going to.
I was worried upon initially reading the 3-star average this restaurant had, but they delivered a great evening for us, and I don't hesitate to give them 5 start for what they provided for us. A great tasting meal and great service, and the chef taking time to make sure our member who had special requirements would be taken care of.
Win. -
Review from Steve M.
9/6/2011
Nestled into the lobby level at the Royal York Fairmount Hotel, Epic kicks out some heavy flavors in downtown Toronto.
What a breakfast! Golden brown waffles with just the right amount of crispiness. Yum. Fresh blueberries picked just in time. Tasty bacon so lean and juicy that even vegans are tempted to eat it. Ok so my table was a bit small for two, the wait was a bit too long, and the prices are a bit too high but did I mention the off-the-hook bacon?? -
Review from Zoe R.
9/3/2011
"Dahling, could you ask the server to fetch moi a glass of grapefruit, with pulp of course?"
The difference between the Breakfast Buffet at this place ($29/pp) and one that's say $15, is that the quality of food would be better, and there are some foodie-friendly food options (Like broiled tomatoes with pesto).
Given that this resto is housed in the ever-fancy Fairmont Royal York, one of the shwankiest of our hotels in Toronto, my expectations were high. Perhaps too high - I first expected the spread to be rather neverending.
In the end, today's breakfast was very nice and I didn't leave bloated.
Often, after going to buffets, I feel like an animal since that's similar to how farm animals are fed - the food is left out to be eaten/grazed on. There's an expression that relates to that, used in my family btw.
pros:
-offers gluten-free and veg-friendly options;
-prunes and lychees were part of the fruit bar this morning;
-offers fruit juices, not fruit drinks (there _is_ a difference);
-service was good overall;
-foodie and locavore friendly
cons:
-$29/person;
-bacon looked oily;
-better value/nutrition if you ate at home (then again, one reason ppl eat out is b/c they don't want to bother prepping the food in the first place).
They offer cheaper A la Carte options, though these typically range from $18-$25 anyway.
I'm willing to go again... someday. -
Review from bold c.
Toronto, ON
Outstanding service. Free food. Terrific bread. Steak and tuna was brilliant. desserts to die for. Ambiance. Price were $150. Received extra items because of anniversary.
Forgot my credit card. The waiter tracked us down in the hotel to return it.
Awesome service! -
Review from Amy T.
3/19/2011
This review is not a review for the food.. which is strange since this is a restaurant.
The only option was to eat in the restaurant, but since I only had 2 hours of sleep I wanted to take my food to go. They wouldn't let me because they were afraid I'd get sick. I didn't understand how a restaurant would not let me take out food. They offered to bring the food up to my room at a charge of $4.00 fee plus tips.
Is there actually a difference if the food was brought to me rather than if I came in physically to pick it up?
In the end, I didn't want to pay $8-$10 just so I can have my food shipped up to my room. I didn't try their food and still think this is bizarre. -
Review from Alison C.
2/1/2011
Upon our arrival in the city of Toronto, my colleague recommended that we partake in the decadent breakfast buffet at Epic Restaurant, located within the classic Fairmont Royal York Hotel. The large dining room was able to satisfy a substantial number of guests, but managed to remain spacious at the same time. Each table was comfortable and fit right in amongst the upscale decor.
The service was fabulous and efficient. The buffet included custom omelets, baked goods, fresh fruit, hot items like waffles, cold cereals, smoked salmon and more. Our favorites included a sweet, warm muselix and the ripe fruit platter. Purchasing the buffet option also included an endless procession of coffee, tea, and juices.
The $27 price tag was certainly reasonable considering the size and breadth of the offerings. The courteous staff and lovely atmosphere enhanced the experience. I will say, though, that I was shocked that we were able to stick to my strict limitation of only visiting the buffet table twice with all of that fabulous food! -
Review from Darren S.
Markham, ON
6/3/2011
This is a strange one for me as I had extremely fond memories when I ate here about 5-6 years ago. But I guess that's what you get when you don't evolve with the times.
The decor, which I remembered as being high-end, now feels tacky and outdated. The service, which I remembered as being near-impeccable, now feels so-so and nonchalant. Finally, the food, which I remembered as being delicious, now feels run-of-the-mill.
We went here a few months ago and one of us decided to have the prix fixe menu while the other ordered a soup and an entree from the regular menu. The most disappointing discovery was that the soup from the regular menu tasted almost exactly the same (with identical consistency and colour) as the one from the prix fixe menu, even though their names were different and they were presented in different styles. I honestly felt kind of cheated.
The rest of the dinner was OK. The food were good, but it didn't blow me away. I staked my reputation during the date on Epic, and it failed to deliver. It didn't fail spectacularly, but it didn't meet my expectations at all. .
I'm tempted to give this a one-star but I couldn't, on the basis that there was nothing wrong per se with the food or the service. It all tasted OK and the servers weren't rude. But the overall mediocrity is absolutely stunning. And this is what really bothers me.
Oh and I just remembered: nobody checked on us to make sure we have enough water. SERIOUSLY. I even voiced my disappointment to the host, who profusely apologized and offered to buy us a round of drinks. As I was driving, I politely declined. Still, I will at least admit that that was a nice gesture.
I know others may have had wildly different experiences but I can honestly only report what I encountered. I think my ladykiller reputation may have been dented slightly on the basis of this restaurant date. And for this, Epic, I blame YOU.
If you don't have a special Groupon/WagJag/what have you, stay away. -
Review from Cat F.
8/9/2009
High Tea experience leaves a lot to be desired!
Those who truly appreciate will be disappointed with the Devon cream. It was more like butter, not sweet or light. I even asked the servers to double check and they verified that their Devon cream was not sweet.
The service was adequate. One of the servers spilled HOT water onto the lap of someone at our table. They did not deal with our large group very well and were visibly and inappropriately annoyed with our table when dealing with the bill.
The highlights would have to be the rooftop garden tour. The selection of teas were nice as well. Otherwise, EPIC is a bit too dark and so the ambiance wasn't as good as it could have been.
For what you pay, I'd recommend going elsewhere for a proper high tea experience - Four Seasons or Windsor Arms are far better on all counts! -
Review from Laura C.
Toronto, ON
8/5/2010
Been here a few times.
I used to come here only for brunch, which was the most worth it in my opinion. At a hefty $40 per person, at least you get the samplings of sushi, breakfast, and so many different types of food. Unfortunately they discontinued it.
I went again for dinner because I had Fairmont gift certificates. The menu didn't have much selection and things looked potentially small portioned.
It took us a long time to order.
After ordering, we got a big butter bread (+1)
The squash soup looked like it could have fit into a small mug
The steak came with a suggestable shape next to it (see pics)
My scallop pasta was creamy, and filling.
However, i digress.
total for 2 people including wine and dessert is $110, which wasn't bad, but would have rather have bigger portions to justify that. -
Review from Joan L.
Mississauga, ON
7/24/2010 3 photos
Upon reading the reviews on Yelp, I was expecting to check my foodie tastebuds at the door - and tolerate yet another work lunch. If it was up to me, I would not have picked this restaurant.
However, I was pleasantly surprised. The ambiance was cosy and the service was attentive (though my drink arrived the same time as my dessert). The appetizer was your typical smoked salmon. The main dish was cod with tasteless lentils - but the sauce was good and the cod cooked just right (as opposed to the cod I had at Lucien which was oozing water). The creme de la creme was the Creme Brulee. It was perfect and the best I ever had. It would have been better without the biscotti (what purpose did that serve?). I would totally return just to have tea and dessert. -
Review from Elvin W.
Markham, ON
2/6/2010 1 Check-in Here
Came with some frends for winterlicious.
Not impressed with food and portions. Service was very good, but the food was normal for hotel restaurant. (aka worse than standard)
Service 5/5
Value for money 1/5
Overall Satisfaction after meal 2/5 -
Review from Tyler R.
Toronto, ON
5/26/2009
WOW!
I'm not sure how else to describe my experience at EPIC. I took my wife there for our one year anniversary and it was incredible. We were staying at the Fairmont Royal York (the restaurant is in the hotel) and I had requested reservations for Benihana, however it is closed on Sunday and the staff suggested EPIC. I said it sounded good, not quite sure what I had signed up for.
We had 7pm reservations and were seated as soon as we showed up. We took our time reviewing the menu, it isn't large but the selection makes you want everything. We also had wine and water menus to review... yes, a water menu.
We finally decided on salads and mains and placed our orders. This is when the bread basket arrived. It was not your ordinary bread basket, it contained 3 or 4 types of rolls as well as breadsticks, flat bread and other wonders. We had our choice of spreads, the standard butter option or a mascarpone, truffle oil spread. Needless to say we didn't touch the butter.
Following this we had our salads... my salad was comprised primarily of prosciutto with mandarin slices and blue cheese and my wife had prawns and asparagus with hollandaise ( more of a meal than a salad). They were both amazing.
Next was a surprise amuse-bouche, a perfectly cooked scallop with a spicy tomato chutney. It was perfect in every way.
Along with the meal we had a nice glass of Pinot Grigio.
The mains arrived and again we were sent to heaven. I had medium pork tenderloin with chevre mashed potatoes and my wife had a beef tenderloin steak with caramelized onion mashed potatoes. Both came with vegetables and unique sauces and were incredible.
At this point we were both stuffed, but we knew we weren't walking away without dessert. I had the chai creme brule (reminded me of pumpkin pie in a way) and my wife had a chocolate hazelnut torte with strawberries. Again both were amazing and we accompanied these with an amazing glass of ice wine (our first time having ice wine).
Finally it was time for the bill, but not without a final surprise. Accompanying the bill were 4 chocolate truffles, which were the perfect touch to an amazing meal.
This meal has become one of the best meals I've experienced from the atmosphere to the wait staff (we must have had 6 or 7 people come by at different points) to the incredible meal... it was all perfect. The chef at EPIC is an absolute genius and really exists in a league of his own. -
Review from M. C.
7/5/2011
We just dined here this weekend and it was delicious! My husband could not stop raving about his pork tenderloin in apple cider dressing and I had the delicious lobster risotto. Service was good and the food was wonderful. If I found myself in this area again, I'd seek out this restaurant.
-
Review from Emily Y.
8/27/2011
Ok, but pricey. Three stars--but maybe 2 1/2 because of the prices for the "ok" food. Nothing special.
-
Review from Bill D.
3/26/2011
nice environment, but I wouldn't come here if not staying at the Fairmont. Overpriced food and drinks, routine service, nothing special.
