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Frida
- Hours:
Tue-Sat 5 pm - 10 pm
Sun 10:30 am - 2 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
28 reviews for Frida
Review Highlights
"...Frida is the best Mexican food I've ever had, it is a..."
(in 3 reviews)
"I recommend the raspberry sangria with my whole being."
(in 3 reviews)
"...us over and we ordered up a plate of Churros for dessert."
(in 5 reviews)
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28 reviews in English
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Review from Reezo B.
Toronto, ON
11/20/2011 3 photos
LOCATION: Street parking and paid parking, among semi-trendy ethnic restaurants and stores.
FOOD: Guacamole was great but needed more tortilla chips. We had:
-Sopa De Tortilla Azteca which is a soup with a strong tomato base (resembled hot n sour soup).
-Chiles Poblanos Rellanos: huge egg batter-coated pepper stuffed with the smoothest cheese ever. Twas great.
-Mole poblano which was a juicy chicken breast covered in decadant dark cocoa sauce
Filling portions.
COST: I spent $95.00 for two people
ATMOSPHERE: Your typical small trendy restaurant. Oddly decorated with some pics of China (confusing!). The menus need to be updated. They're large pamphlets.
MUSIC: Real spanish music. Not urban lounge music or another genre.
SERVICE: Nice waitresses. By 8pm on a Saturday the place was packed. So reservations are required or get there by 6/7pm.
This aint no burrito place. This is authentic mexican. I'd recommend it.
I notice they did delivery too. -
Review from S D.
Toronto, ON
1/13/2012
I really wanted, and was expecting, to fall head over heels with this place, after hearing an ecstatic review from my mom. Not that the food wasn't good, it was, but it wasn't amazing. I had guacamole as an appetizer, and it was pretty good. For the main dish, I had the chicken mole poblano, which, again, was pretty good but not superb. The service was very efficient and the staff were very friendly.
I think very high expectations may have contributed to this somewhat mediocre review; however, I would be willing to give this place another chance. -
Review from P R.
Thornhill, ON
1/29/2012
My sixteen year old son and I ate at Frida last night from their Winterlicious menu. We were suitably impressed. The mini duck tacos were amazing. My son inhaled his pollo pibil (chicken) and the roasted Ontario vegetables were very nice. He loved the churros and I had the rice pudding which was very nice. No it's not cheap but the quality of the food was excellent (and all of the mains were gluten free). Service was very good as well. We will be back.
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Review from Marie F.
1/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
$40 Groupon + Hunger = a magnificent meal at Frida right? Well not so much. I called the restaurant that same night to make a reservation. The woman on the phone seemed nice and everything was set for 7:30pm. I was coming straight from school and meeting up with a friend at Spadina station. We hit some TTC delayed going up to North York and arrived at the restaurant about 20 minutes late.
We walked in and the place was relatively dead, one table of 8 and another couple next to us. We received a rather weird and cold greeting when we walked in. I was asked if I had a reservation and I awkwardly explained yes but we were late due to transit. I can only assume Jonathan K. and I encountered the same odd hostess. From the moment we stepped foot in the door she gave us a really uneasy and cold vibe; I almost seemed like she expected us to rob the restaurant at any moment!
We were seated and took a look at the menu... ladies and gentlemen this place isn't cheap. We both ordered a $15 burrito appetizers and a half bottle of wine to share with the grand total coming to more than $60.
The food was good but our service was so odd and everything was so expensive that I probably wouldn't go back again.Listed in: Getting my Groupon
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Review from Mitch S.
Toronto, ON
2/13/2011
Bought a Groupon for Frida which finally pushed me over the edge to try out 'haut' mexican cuisine...The highlight of the night were these mini taco things that were absolutely succulent...not to mention the perfect guacamole...To be perfectly honest I was less then impressed with the mains and I think the prices are on the high side.
Frida is worth going to once, but there definitely won't be a repeat performance without another Groupon offer. -
Review from Avitania B.
Toronto, ON
3/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm a bit conflicted, since I feel Frida deserves three stars for its cuisine -- the food is basically alright. Flavors are kinda bland, cuts of meat are kind of tough. On the other hand, for Toronto, it's great. Having been raised in Southern California and spending most of my life on the West Coast, I have been rather homesick for good Mexican food *not* of the typical Tex-Mex variety. In this regard, Frida's fits the bill.
For my meal at Frida, I ordered the ceviche, which was my favorite -- the shrimps were large and the slices of scallop were huge. I especially loved the marinade, nicely spicy and limey-cilatro-y. On the other hand, the tacos I had were a little bit gristly and not very flavorful. The churros I had for dessert were good, but nothing special. Finally, I recommend the sangria. It's quite good -- sweet and fruity.
The service was pretty good and the wait staff were quite friendly. I'd go again, but for good tacos I'd rather hit up el Trompo in Kensington Market. -
Review from Jonathan K.
Toronto, ON
1/17/2011
You can't build a restaurant off good salsa.
Frida is terribly inconsistent. While this review will mostly focus on the bad, some aspects of Frida really shine. They have outstanding salsas, guacamole, corn chips, and the "little bites", though overpriced, were delicious. Thanks to one of our waiter's many screw-ups, I tried the onion, mushroom, chicken, and lamb.
Anyway, I arrived at Frida last Saturday and was greeted by the owner/chef's sister-in-law (maybe co-owner as well?) with "You came to FRIDA, with more than two people, and no reservation???" I found her comment, espeically the way she emphasized the word "Frida", to be more hilarious than pretentious, and over the course of the night I found her to be very sincere. I also appreciate that they pulled an extra table up from the basement, as the estimated size of our party grew from 8 to 11.
As we waited for our table to be set up, we noticed the walls looked like the inside of the changerooms at a swimming pool - small blue tiles. Maybe that's influenced by Frida Kahlo? Not familiar with her work, so I couldn't say. It didn't exactly scream "fine dining".
We ordered relatively quickly, as we were quite hungry. Drinks took about 45 minutes. They brought mostly the right drinks, and gave them to sort of the right people. The correct half of the table, anyway. At approximately the same time (a 5-10 minute window). So that was something.
Complimentary chips and salsa, which were devoured in seconds, took about an hour to come out. After another half hour or so, the chef's sister-in-law reminded our waiter that we'd been there for a long time with no food, and it would be a good idea to refill the chips. So he brought more chips and left the virtually empty salsa containers empty.
Our appetizers arrived soon after. By appetizers, I mean three orders of guacamole (ordered by three couples). I understand that guacamole takes a long time to cook, so sure, two hours seems reasonable. It also makes sense that they brought out the third order about ten minutes after the first two, so that one of the couples had to sit salivating as they watched the other two couples devour theirs.
Finally, the mains trickled out of the kitchen, and were promptly served to the wrong people. I ordered three "little bites" and my friend sitting beside me ordered one. Two came out of the kitchen individually, and the other two on one plate. Two different servers failed to identify which was which. The despressing part is that they couldn't tell the difference between mushroom and lamb. Because the mushroom was in an empanada, I ended up eating my friend's order and only realizing it when it was in my mouth. I explained the mistake, and they brought out another mushroom empanada, and added another empanada to a completely different person's bill.
The steak tacos, which about four people ordered, and six people tasted, were terrible. Tasteless, lukewarm to cool, overcooked, poorly flavoured, poor quality meat. I've read the other reviews, which fall into two camps: "this is the best Mexican food ever" and "I'm from California/Texas/Mexico. What's this inauthentic, overpriced shit?" I point this out because no one in my party is from Mexico or California, etc. We just don't like shitty food.
(The other meals that we ordered - cheese and bean quesadilla, goat or lamb tacos, and the chicken - were generally described as "disappointing", "alright" and "overpriced").
The sister-in-law came to our table and asked how everything was. We mentioned that a few people didn't like the half-eaten steak tacos that were left on the plates. The sister-in-law offered to bring out anything else, but even though my girlfriend asked her for something vegetarian, the chef sent her more steak tacos, but this time with bacon. It was a dish that he didn't put on the menu.
The funny thing about the replacement tacos was that the extra flavour made up for the not-that-good meat. The tacos were served hot, and, frankly, were very tasty. Why isn't it on the menu?
When the entrees were finished, the sister-in-law came out and explained to us that the chef was very upset that we didn't like the tacos. He is very passionate. He wants the people of Toronto to taste how Mexican food is back home in Mexico, and wants everyone who comes to his restaurant to feel like a guest at his home. I thought "what's with the guilt trip?", but I'm sure a few of the people at our table just felt guilty.
Another (Mexican) reviewer here noted that when he went to Frida, the chef admitted that he doesn't make authentic Mexican food so Canadians will like it. I think that's the wrong move, but based on all the five star reviews here, the chef is probably right in most cases.
I won't go back to Frida. Even the great parts of it don't justify the cost. It's a shame, because this restaurant has the potential to be excellent. -
Review from Candy T.
York, ON
4/24/2011
Food was great Must try kahlua cheesecake 4 stars
Service slow and understaffed 2 stars
Decor 2.5 stars. felt cold and unwelcoming. the chairs didn't help they weren't cushioned at all.
For the cost its only fair to have the latter two brought up to par. -
Review from Esquire N.
Toronto, ON
4/23/2011
I have been to Frida's twice. Initially my visit was a la courtesy of a Groupon, and my second visit was not.
FOOD & DRINKS
On both my visits I have ordered the same food items. Guacamole, house salad and lamb tacos.
Guacamole - quiet possibly the best I've ever had...period. And there is lots of it, enough to share with one or two people.
House Salad (Ensalada de la Casa) - imho the fresco cheese maketh this salad. Delish!
Lamb Tacos (Tacos de Barbacoa) - literally melts in your mouth. I have never had lamb tacos this good. Don't forget to get them with the oaxaca cheese!
Stay away from the chicken tacos. Steak tacos are bearable.
In my view - skip the expensive entrees and choose from the appetizers and tacos/quesadillas. Trust me you will be full.
We ordered the flavoured margaritas. I thoroughly enjoyed my two pomegranate margaritas ($10 a pop!)
SERVICE & ATMOSPHERE
Reservations are a must. Get in before 7pm. After 7pm it gets loud and very busy. Its a very small restaurant so forget about any intimate conversations! Of course after 2 margaritas - who cares about privacy.
The server/hostess/bartender all rolled into one is amazing and very friendly. We love her but she needs a helper(s)!
CHECKOUT
$100 for 2 people includes $40 on margaritas, and tip.
Easy and no problems with splitting the bill at the end for purposes of paying by debit card.
VERDICT
....EXCELLENT....4.5/5....will be coming back here again for sure! -
Review from Patty H.
North York, ON
We came here for brunch on Sunday.
The verdict. don't come here for Brunch. It is over priced.
Their refried beans are such a fail. So dry!!
The plates are lack of decoration of greens. The waitress was not very knowledgeable. I asked her 'What' the house special? any specialty we should try?". And she responded 'Brunch'.
What a failed answer, and later I asked for a side of salsa ($2 extra). I told the waitress I want it 'mild'.
I am not sure if she understand the word 'mild'. I thought the salsa would be 'mild' and put a spoonful of it on my food. And it literally burned me inside out. It was wayyyy too spicy! I have been to Mexico myself, and I can tell what's mild and what's HOT. The salsa they give was out of the chart.
We ordered Huevos Rancheros, Tacos de Pollo Pibil, Enchiladas de Barbacao, and a chorizo sausage omelet.
i would say the taste are fairly blend. And it's over 11 dollar per dish with the portion provided. Not so bang for the buck.
Not much greens on the plate as well.
The only good thing is their coffee. (We should have come here just for coffee!!). Their coffee has grinded with cinnamon. I love it.
We end up ordering two more dessert. And each person paid $33 after tax and tips for brunch. Probably the most expensive brunch I ever had. -
Review from Ben S.
Toronto, ON
2/13/2011
Good: Duck Carnitas
Bad: Their version of the Margarita.
That is all. -
Review from Min min T.
Scarborough, ON
11/25/2010
Frida is practically orgasmic, if you can afford the hefty price tag!
Two words: Oaxaca cheese. -
Review from Nate G.
Toronto, ON
11/2/2010
So now that I live up near this area, I had no reason not to check out this place after hearing about it on Yelp so often, especially from Kat.
Mexican places in Toronto have never really impressed me, and honestly I'm not hard to please with Mexican. I'm a cheap date. But yeah Frida's was VERY good. I was very happy with the quality of food and the service.
I would love to go on about it a bit more but really everything has already been said about it.
It's not the BEST MEXICAN FOOD EVER OMGGGG but it's really good, especially for a Toronto joint.
Fin! -
Review from Kat F.
DISCLAIMER: This is going to be my longest review ever. I may hit the character limit (5000, FWIW). There is just so much to say...
I don't even know where to begin. What DIDN'T I eat at Frida's tonight!? I was lured here by the promise of "the best guacamole in Toronto" and as an avocado enthusiast, how could I decline?
You're going to hear the words "worth the trek to Bathurst & Eglinton" a couple of times in this review, so just accept it: Frida's is worth the trek to Bathurst & Eglinton. In fact, it's right by Eglinton West station and the #63 Ossington bus took me right to it from all the way down on King Street in less than 40 minutes. During rush hour, no less. So just get over to Frida's, like, now.
From the moment we sat down there was food on offer - complimentary housemade tortilla chips with salsa verde and another, hotter dipping sauce were brought out. Next came another surprise, a complimentary offering of a special mini tortilla with fried onion, cheese and salsa on top.
I ordered a glass of white wine raspberry sangria ($9) and it was outstanding. I shan't order sangria again unless it's at Frida's - it was just really, really good and perfectly flavoured.
Next came the famed guacamole ($8), which several people have claimed is "the best in the city." IT'S THE BEST IN THE CITY. It's made fresh to order with avocados, red onions (omitted by request), tomatillos, cilantro and fresh lemon juice and served with arugula and more of those tasty, salty chips on the side. I found myself eating the arugula even though I had no idea I liked arugula in the first place. I just wanted to inhale everything that was presented to me!
Then came the Papadzules Yucatecos ($13) - crumbled poached eggs (possibly quail? A small bird, to be sure), wrapped in corn tortillas with yucatecan tomato sauce, pumpkin seed pipian and green pumpkin seed oil. A mouthful, both in description, size and flavour. These corn tortillas were almost dosa-inspired and quite tasty. Loved the egg and pumpkin flavourings.
As an entree I ordered vegetarianized Tostadas ($18), served with cotija cheese (!!), refrito beans, pico de gallo, housemade sour cream (Dave O: "they sour their own cream, for god's sake!") and sliced avocado.
What was most startling was the service. Our server, Derek, was among the most professional, courteous and knowledgeable servers I've ever encountered. He had the enthusiasm of a novice paired with the demeanour and professionalism of a veteran, yet looked quite young, so being the impulsive person that I am, I asked him his age - we had pegged him as being between 24 and 28. Imagine my shock (I gasped) when he told us he was only 20 years old.
TWENTY! And waiting tables like a fucking champ, after only two weeks in the official position, no less. Derek knew the menu inside and out, was very descriptive and forthcoming with details about the menu items. He was attentive even when Frida's got busy with a few large groups, refilling waters, taking plates away, checking in on us, etc. The manager, Brenda, was also very kind and attentive and made sure everything was "just right." It was so nice to hear about the care and detail that goes into the preparation of the food here - I mean quite frankly I can't remember the last time I was able to truly enjoy onion-less guacamole in a restaurant. Usually it's been sitting around for hours to the point that it's taken on a grey-ish hue. I could eat a vat of the guac at Frida's and the only thing (mercifully) stopping me from doing so is the short commute.
We also learned that they serve brunch on Sundays from 10:30-2pm. Took a glance (OK, an ogle) at the menu and saw more huevos, omelette and taco options than I could ever imagine possible.
After all that food, dessert was an impossibility. Whoever said Toronto has no good Mexican food clearly hasn't been to Frida's.
Reservations are recommended. Will be back, pronto.Listed in: My Favourite Meals Worldwide
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Review from Miry W.
9/19/2010
Had a business dinner at Frida with my clients. I cannot rationalize the insanely high menu prices by any of the Frida's attributes. More specifically:
- Appetizers were tiny and mediocre. We ordered queso and they brought us four small tortillas for six people. I don't know what they were thinking. Also, we got about six chips for an order of guac to share. WAYYYY too small portions for a Mexican place.
- Drinks (margaritas) were badly mixed - too tart!
- They messed up our order and brought us an extra plate of tacos and tried to charge us for it. When we talked to the manager, she removed the extra tacos from our bill but was incredibly snooty about it, as if she had done us a huge favor! The misorder was their fault!
- Main dishes we OK, but didn't come with sides.
- Sipping tequillas were great, but after a sub-par meal, this wasn't enough to turn us around.
I will never go back to Frida. -
Review from Christine C.
Etobicoke, ON
10/26/2009 8 photos
Frida que adoro usted tanto! Usted tiene el lo mejor alimento mexicano en la ciudad. Como la revisión anterior por Kat, yo no pienso que 5.000 palabras es suficiente en escribir acerca de cuánto yo le adoro Frida!
Ok, enough of my crappy Spanish, I think you get the gist. We loved Frida! My SO took his fav FARC girls out for a personal farewell to my food loving sister Deanna and we hit up Frida. After reading the three 5 star reviews we were practically salivating at the chance to check out this uptown spot out and Frida had her food mojo on full blast.
For app's we had to have some of the guac with homemade tortilla chips. Guacamole has been so bastardized over the last few years in chain restaurants that they've turned it into lumpy green sludge but no so at Frida's. Guacamole is alive and well on Eglinton Avenue. Deanna wouldn't let our waiter take the plate away, even during dinner, just in case we wanted to scrape up the last few nodules of that avocado goodness. Our second app was slices of a spiced fried cheese (the name of which escapes my brain), it came on a plate with some home made tomatilla salsa and a plate of soft, warm, light flour tortillas. It was absolutely delicious.
Mains included a Quail Mole Poblano served atop a bed of rice that had grilled plantains, spring onions, brussel sprouts and baby beets all adorning the plate. The mole sauce was perfection in motion and I've eaten my share of mole sauce over the years but what is on the plate at Frida's is blue ribbon. My SO ordered up the Lamb Barbacoa. Initially he wanted the Halibut but was informed a few minutes later by the wait staff that this fish wasn't available. They apologized profusely and then comp'd him one of his Heinken's to make up for the inconvenience. As it turns out the Lamb was incredible. Moist. Pull apart easy. It comes with a cup of broth beside it that you are supposed to slurp in between mouthfuls of meat. The lamb is braised in Morita Sauce and is served with Salsa Roja and grilled vegetables.
Deanna ordered up a couple of appies instead of a main. Tostadas de Scalpion Yucateco "Dizk" are mini tostados of shredded flank steak topped with Habanero sauce and some sort of Mexican cheese. Crunchy, delicious and a filling app. In addition to this Deanna ordered Enchiladas Lamb Barbacoa smothered in Borracha styled sauce, onions, coriander and cheese. We washed this down with some of their house margaritas (traditional, mango, pomegranate).
While we may be the girls who love to eat the meat we also like to eat the sweets. Our gluttony won us over and we ordered up a plate of Churros for dessert. Churros are Mexican donuts, the difference being they aren't round but rather usually long finger length pieces. Please purge any Timmy's thoughts you may be having. Typically Churros come with some sort of hot melted chocolate but these came with Dulce La Leche and the plate was beautifully decorated with venetian cream and hearts. We have a heart on for Frida! Food presentation is ever present at Frida's. You can see for yourself as I've pasted up a bunch of pics from our food adventures.
The room is comfy and decorated in deep blues with splashes of orange & red. I'm sure Frida herself would have approved. There is a real comfortable vibe in the restaurant and they were playing some great dinner tunes while we stuffed our gullets! Big props on the nice bathroom! For a small restaurant I was surprised at the lovely amenities. The service was excellent and the young man who served us was helpful and patient while we routed the menu.
If you are in to really authentic, delicious, well prepared Mexican food then Frida needs to be put on your "must go to" list. Finally, one small tidbit of trivia about Frida herself. Did you know that Frida had a love affair with jazz icon, Josephine Baker. Yup, my daughter text'd me that little nugget of information that she learned in one of her art classes at university. Glad to know that she is learning something at school.Listed in: La Vida Es Buena!
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Review from Dave O.
Toronto, ON
10/22/2009 ROTD 11/24/2009
Exquisitely crafted, sublimely presented, absolutely authentic, Frida is the best Mexican food I've ever had, it is a hidden gem in the city.
The service is prompt, warm and adept; everyone there is just fantastic.
The guacamole can't be missed, get one as an appetizer. The secret is in the addition of tomatillos for texture and their signature hot oil which is drizzled on top, but good luck duplicating this sublime dish.
I've had the Pollo Pibil and Camarones al Guajillo and tasted a number of the other entrees and everything is incredible. The presentation is gorgeous, the attention to detail impeccable, my hat is off to Chef Pepe, he is truly a master.
The space is bold and bright, modeled after Frida Kahlo's Casa Azul's blue and red color scheme. It's modern and inviting, yet intimate despite usually playing host to a full house.
Don't expect to leave here without spending $50 a person with drinks, but it's worth every penny, this is a joyous food experience. -
Review from Shari M.
Toronto, ON
3/22/2010 1 Check-in Here
Yes, Frida's is good....but it isn't awesome.
Christine "meat is my middle name" C and I ventured to Frida's for the stop for food event. We ate from the special menu (kinda like a Winterlicious or Summerlicious idea). I had mushroom empanadas to start, a shrimp mole for the main and cheesecake for dessert.
The empanadas were quite good. Not as robust in flavour as I would have liked, but quite good. The outer layer was more of a cornmeal texture that I quite enjoyed.
The shrimp was cooked to perfection, but the rice that was underneath - I swear it was just plucked from a bag and thrown on the plate. It did not taste cooked. At all. Quite disappointing.
My mango margarita was thick and smooth. But at $10, it should have blown my socks off, and should have been bigger. I did have a sip of Christine's sangria - wow - that is a tasty treat!!
The cheesecake was hands down one of (if not the) best cheesecakes I have ever had. Not too firm, not too soft, full of flavour and texture. Impeccable.
The coffee was quite tasty with cinnamon notes. But, it arrived luke warm. I like 6 layers of skin to come off my mouth while drinking a hot beverage.
Overall, the highlights were having dinner with my friend Christine, the empanada's outer layer and the cheesecake.
As for the guac reviews, Frida's guac is supplied by a Toronto company called Mad Mexican. You can see one of the owners down at the bottom level of the St Lawrence Market every Saturday and buy a tub to take home. You will fall in love with it, guarenteed.Listed in: Bottom's Up!
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Review from Rachel L.
Toronto, ON
11/11/2009 ROTD 4/13/2010
Despite being able to speak Spanish, I can't really remember the names of anything that I ate. I was too busy swooning to be able to function properly.
Upon arrival, the menu seems a bit sparse and not so vegetarian friendly, but we went down the "Let's just order a bunch of appetizers" route and split about four or five. This was a good idea except that all of the appetizers come with the same leafy salad. I personally was into that (the salad dressing has a nice kick!) but my companion was expecting some variety in that department. I ate all the salad.
Before even getting our apps, we got complimentary tortilla strips with two types of mild salsa and some some sort tortilla chip with smokey onions and cilantro (?) on top. As I said, I was too overwhelmed to take note of the names but it was great. And who doesn't like complimentary (free) food?
Our appetizers came out at almost all the same time which is a bit difficult to deal with but, oh, we dealt with it. First up was the guacamole (we got a small) which was bar none. Get the guacamole.
Then came this platter of pan-fried cheese, served with that aforementioned salad, pico de gallo, and soft, small tortillas. This was my favourite but there were only three pieces and I managed to snag just one. It was a daily special and no, I have no idea what type of cheese it was, but it was extremely delicious. It should be on the regular menu.
Both of us got that same leafy salad, but I got tuna and my (com)padre got the cheese. I give the cheese a thumbs down. The tuna was OK, but it did come with minced avocado.
Finally, we ordered this dish that consisted of hardboiled eggs wrapped in tortillas and smothered with pumpkin seed sauce. It looked and sounds not so saboroso but it was. My eyes deceived me so I only got one bite, but that's OK. But as my partner devoured the rest of it, making me say it was probably really good.
After eating all of that (it was a hearty meal but not overwhelming, which was nice) and downing a glass of sangria, I figured the evening was over. Which it was, until someone (not I) asked for the dessert menu.
The churros. Oh, the churros. Get the churros. I rarely ever eat churro-like foods but being that I was already living it up with my second sangria and knew that I wasn't paying for dinner, we went for the dessert platter, which included our choice of churros and a meringue. The meringue came with berries, which was a nice surprise in autumn, but the churros were just unbelievable. And a good tip - the dessert platter is a wise choice because it lets you pick two items and saves $4.
During this whole meal, there was an amazing musical act. Beautiful. Spanish guitar and a jazz singer covering all the well-known South American songs ("Girl From Ipanema" and "Quizás, Quizás, Quizás") that often were so charming that it got us to stop eating and induge our ears. All five senses were satisfied with the time spent at Frida.
After reading the Yelp reviews, I was determined to make it to Frida and I am so glad I did. Seriously, how could you not want to go here? Did you SEE Kat's review? Anyway, the only way I managed to score a meal here was to take my dad, who was visiting from out of town. He told me to do better in school if I want to afford this lifestyle - our bill came out to over $100. Good thing I had downed two drinks to stay composed, ouch! -
Review from Jing K.
Toronto, ON
2/14/2010
Eating at Frida has inspired me to stop lurking around on yelp and to hurry up and create an account and review already!
I was there with a group of 10 adults and 2 babies (both very well behaved) and we were treated to a food experience we are still salivating over. We started with an amuse-bouche - compliments of the kitchen - of a shrimp "cappuccino". While the name turned us off, the taste was a real turn-on: it did what exactly an amuse-bouche should do - priming us for the culinary treats that were to come. Next we shared guacamole (very smooth), the ceviche (me: "omg what IS that!!"), the melted cheese thing (very poor description for that unctuous goodness), and the duck tacos (5 to a plate - good thing the babies weren't equiped to eat those they would have had rank totally pulled on them).
While I enjoyed the chicken main I really should have gone with my first instinct and ordered the lamb that my husband had. Accompanied by a side of lamb consommé, the meat was tender, very well seasoned and put over the top with the crumbled fresh cheese topping. The serving size was generous.
We had the dessert sampler and true to the previous reviews, the churros are definitely a high-light. It was my birthday so I was treated to a cocktail from the bar. Now I only wish I thought to remember the name of that deliciousness. (Something like "Mexican Rose"?)
Service was fabulous. Our server's descriptions of the food was right-on. Convenient Green P lot right beside Frida.
Now looking for another special occasion as an excuse to go back! -
Review from Denise S.
8/24/2010
Among all the Mexican places popping up around town, Frida stands out.
Went here with some friends because they were walking by and being huge Frida Khalo fans, loved the name. Inside, there are tons of pictures of Khalo. But the decor is mostly clean and simple, with deep blues creating a relaxing vibe. The atmosphere is definitely more upscale than the usual Mexican restaurants (e.g. Las Margaritas).
The food is fantastic. Excellent quality for very reasonable prices. You feel like you are at a fancy restaurant, but most entrees are between $10-20 for dinner. Our server brought tortilla chips and 2 kinds of salsa to our table. We ordered guacamole as an appetizer and it was divine! Smooth, fresh, with just the right amount of spices. Tortilla chips too were fresh and crisp, never stale/soggy as they can be in some places.
I had the mushroom and bean quesedilla which was hearty and filling. My friends had the tostadas de pollo (amazing! a cold dish, but very refreshing!) and tacos con carne. We shared a piece of cheesecake which was rich and creamy, but I'm not a huge cheesecake fan so I can't really comment.
Good wine/cocktail selection. Attentive and knowledgable staff (good at giving suggestions. I hate it when you ask a server for suggestions and they just say everything is good! our server was very helpful).
Frida takes classic Mexican dishes and steps it up a notch with interesting combinations and quality ingredients. Highly recommended! -
Review from Vanessa B.
Toronto, ON
5/14/2010
My mouth is watering at the thought of describing Frida's fare.
Having been to Mexico so many times, I've often longed for comparable fare in Toronto...only to have been disappointed. That is, until FRIDA!
The reviews tell you everything you need to know.
The key to Mexican cuisine is fresh ingredients. Let's be honest, how many times have we been disappointed with avocados purchased at Loblaws?
The head chef at Frida is Mexican and professionally-trained, I like the combo.
So far, I've had every appetizer on the menu and we all perfect. Actually perfect. The tortilla soup is BETTER than I've had in Mexico.
Yes, it's that good. Just go. -
Review from Wendy H.
Toronto, ON
11/25/2009
These elaborate and intoxicating reviews say it all, and are fully responsible for my uncharacteristic jaunt to Bathurst & Eglinton. Instead of revealing each intimate detail (read Kat F's review for that, then tell me you don't want to try this place?!), I'll touch on the highlights:
1. Guacamole. YES. I could live on this. Spectacular.
2. Drinks. OH!!. Fabulous. I recommend the raspberry sangria with my whole being.
3. Desserts. GODDAMN. Kahlua cheesecake was light and velvety, possibly the best cheesecake I've had. The churros were stunning - dancing with cinnamon and filled with dirty, sexy caramel secrets. Oh my god, now I sound like a food reviewer jerk.
For a main I ordered the halibut, which was gorgeously presented and lovely. But I really wanna go back and try something with, y'know, tortillas. Or just more guac.
PS: Amazing service!! This place is a gem. -
Review from Andrea B.
Montréal, QC
5/30/2009
Wow wow wow. Talk about authentic Mexican. Despite the location, Frida is absolutely fantastic. The drinks (classic mojito, classic sangria, raspberry sangria) are delicious, and the service is divine.
And then there's the guacamole. I don't know what they sprinkle in there, but it's hands-down the best I've ever had in my life. Smooth and tasty, it's worth the trip alone.
The presentation of the tuna steak and the shrimp were so gorgeous, you almost don't want to touch it.
Incredible food, wonderful atmosphere, great service. -
Review from Andre D.
Edmonton, AB
12/31/2010
Alright so here it is. My review of Frida. I had been longing to visit this resto after various people gave rave reviews of this establishment. So my gf and I finally decided to try it out last night. We were close on one occasion but decided to visit Il Mulino which is down the street.
We decided on an early dinner and didn't think we would need reservations. Who I imagined was the owner (after hearing a later conversation) said we needed to be out of there by 7:45 because there were previous reservations made. It was about 6 and our parking validation was until exactly that time so we were good anyway but in all honesty I was a bit put off by it. My gf said it was nice of them to mention it to us.
We walk in the establishment it's very small and still has some inklings of the old inner decor of the buildings with a pretty bad paint job of a blue colour surrounded by Frida pictures all over the walls. Can Restaurant Makeover be revived to help with the decor?
So we ordered a sangria and mojito to start. My mojito was pretty strong but actually done right. The sangria looked very syrupy and I wasn't impressed when I had a sip of it. Then came our guacamole, my gf's fave. It was a bit different I will admit with the arugula on the side with the guacamole drizzled with some spicy red pepper oil with a decent serving of tortilla chips. The guacamole wasn't as tangy but I don't know if I fancy the spiciness on top of it. As a side note, the waitress came halfway through sharing our meal to give us side plates. Ya those were needed alright. My gf called her "spun." You'll see why later... HAHA!
Onto our meals...I ordered the mole poblano and my gf ordered the tostades de pollo. The tostades tasted kind of bland to me. It was very plentiful and she didn't end up finishing her meal. As for my mole, it had a charitable portion of veggies, platanos and rice with some sesame seeds sprinkled on top. It was obviously made for presentation. I also though this was way too spicy for mole. I love spices and can handle hotter but for a dinner I don't think it would've been appropriate.
So my gf turned to me at the end of the night and said to me she can tell that I wasn't overwhelmed by Frida. She was right. Remember folks, I lived in LA in 2 years and experienced simple Mexican food from the natives themselves. I had a better mole from Loteria in the LA Farmers Market. I have had better Mexican food at much cheaper prices. Mexican dishes should not be overpriced. Because you have a better cut of meat, you should be charging an arm and a leg for carne asada.
So on to my story our waitress just looked totally lost. She provided another bill to us when we weren't even done our meal. She was just clueless and SPUN. LMAO. This place wasn't worth holding out for and ya I've experienced better. MUCH better. -
Review from Amy K.
North York, ON
10/25/2010 5 photos
First time here, overall the place has a nice ambiance but the food was only OK nothing really exciting. No dish really stood out other than the guacamole. The tacos were plain, so was the consomme soup. The halibut entree was nice however. If you want Mexican food and are in the area, do stop by you won't be disappointed but don't expect to be wowed.
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Review from Jasmine L.
North York, ON
4/11/2010
Since arriving in Canada from the States, I have been on the hunt for some good Mexican food. So far, the best I have found is at Milagro's, but I found out about Frida's and thought I would give it a try. Frida's, as it turns out, is an overpriced upscale Mexican restaurant that has mediocre Mexican food. I ordered the pollo pibil tacos, and the chicken was dry and tasteless. I was looking forward to some good chile rellenos, but the ones I got tasted like tomato sauce thrown on some peppers. My friend ordered halibut, and the fish was overcooked and tasteless. We also had the mushroom quesadillas, which were probably the best dish we tried on the menu. In the end, I was so disappointed that we felt it was not worth it to stay for dessert. I for one am going back for another visit to Milagro's.
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Review from Tony C.
Richmond Hill, ON
1/28/2010
I was really looking forward to Frida, after reading all the rave reviews. I was somewhat disappointed after my visit. First off I have to start off by saying we did have a large party of 12 people and the restaurant was at capacity that night, we might have overwhelmed the kitchen. Let's start off with the good aspects. They have a good wine list, separated on the menu by different headings - full bodied reds, dry reds and whites, etc.. more restaurants should do this. The service was top notch, our server did everything he can to make our meal enjoyable. When they ran out of glasses to serve water in, he went and got wine glasses for us to sip water from. The duck mini-taco appetizer I ordered was amazing, large flavourful chunks of duck meat with awesome guacamole. We also ordered the ceviche de mariscos, it's a dish of seafood marinated in lime juice served with homemade potato chips. While i enjoyed it, a friend of mine happened to eat a raw one, and was having stomach cramps later that night. It went downhill after the appetizers were served. It took at least 45 minutes before we got our main dishes, we were all getting pretty restless by this point. Our server did his best to check in with the kitchen and gave us updates. When the food finally came out, we were all beyond starving, the appetizers we had earlier were fully digested. The food was prepared really well, fresh ingredients and full of flavours. One thing that we all gripped about (at least the guys anyways) was the small portions. It barely made a dent in my stomach, most of us were still hungry afterwards, maybe the food was so good that we just wanted to eat more? After our long meal we decided we had enough and decided to skip dessert and have dessert somewhere else.
After our meal the chef did come out to apologize to us about the long wait, but that did nothing to quell our hunger. This place has great food, just that the long wait and small portions turned me off. Maybe the next time I visit it should be with a smaller group, and I should not have an intense workout before hand. I doubt there will be a second visit though.
