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Julie's Cuban Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Cuban Cuban [Edit]
202 Dovercourt RdToronto, ON M6J 3C8
Neighbourhood: Beaconsfield Village
(416) 532-7397
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 5:30 pm - 1 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
34 reviews for Julie's Cuban Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"The highlight was absolutely the corn fritters." In 5 reviews -
"...decorated spot hidden on a residential street off Ossington." In 9 reviews -
"They've got fantastic tapas options." In 10 reviews
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34 reviews in English
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Review from Alysse R.
Toronto, ON
10/4/2011
On the recommendation of a friend, I brought my partner here for his birthday dinner. Thanks to other Yelp reviews, we were diligent and didn't walk right past it! It was a Tuesday - the first day "back to school" - so the place was very quiet. We got to sit at a table in a little nook by the window, which was cute and romantic. I'd recommend reserving that awesome table if you can.
We especially enjoyed the avocado salad, salsa, chorizo, and calamari. The food was a little bit expensive for us - we probably wouldn't go back unless it was a special occasion....and we'd order less! We definitely overordered (salad, chips and salsa, and 5 dishes was a lot...and we love to eat!).
The real highlight is the atmosphere and the staff. The staff were amazing - attentive, patient, and friendly. When I sheepishly asked if we could have a piece of cake/pie with a candle, they were actually excited to sing the birthday song, and one staff member even did a little dance!
Thanks, Julie's staff, for making a birthday dinner so memorable and special. -
Review from Tara A.
9/1/2011
Julie's Cuban... Mild Disappointment with sprinkles of Ok-ness (is that even a word?!)
I went there last night with my ladies supper club. We were put on the patio which was great. Wonderfully decorated with a lot of charm. (this is what drew us to go there as we have all walked by so many times and thought it was a must eat place in Toronto). The patio was full for a Wednesday night (the inside, mainly empty though...).
We had Gaucomole to start which was delicious. (unfortunately store bought chips accompanied it. I wish they were homemade). We ordered water for the table about 5 times before it actually made its way to us. My girlfriend ordered a coke which was $5.... I've never seen a coke be so much at a restaurant! The food for the most part of deep fried but delicious. I really loved the Quesadillas and the flattened Garlic Bread. My friend's main dish left something to be desired.
The service was TERRIBLE. Slow and forgetful and even though there were 5 of us, they took the liberty of adding an 18% tip to the bill even though I was never told that would be the case and it isn't on the website to my knowledge. Had they not put that on the bill, the tip would have been 15%. We shouldn't feel obligated to leave such a generous tip when the service was horrific.
I recommend going there for an appetizer and some Sangria on a hot day in July. But I couldn't recommend it as a place to get together with friends for dinner.
Too bad. I had high hopes. -
Review from Melinda M.
Toronto, ON
11/25/2011
I live very close to Julie's Cuban, so people always ask me if I'm a regular there, and I have to tell them no. I am not a regular at Julie's because you pay way too much for what you get. The food and the drinks are good but it's all overpriced.
Pluses: The patio. On a nice summer evening, the patio is a relaxing escape from the madness of downtown. It's in the front on tree-lined Dovercourt, and there can be a lot of traffic, but the patio is still relaxing.
The corn fritters are delicious. If you do go, they are a must get.
Minuses: Prices. They charge way too much for a drink you can finish in a gulp, and for bite-sized portions of food.
If someone is having a birthday and wants to go, I won't complain. Julie's serves good Cuban food and drink, I just wish they would charge more reasonable prices. So even though I live nearby, I don't go very often. -
Review from Vivek S.
It's a bad sign when the highlight of your visit is the kick-ass parking spot you snagged right out front.
Julie's is one of those residental chameleons, tucked away at the corner of Foxley and Dovercourt. You might even miss it as you walk by, it blends into the neighbourhood so well. There is a concrete patio out front with plastic furniture and umbrellas that is perfect for a summer night. I only glanced inside for a moment, but it seemed to be a dim and cozy space, decorated with shelves of bric-a-brac and a red-and-white checkered theme. Fortunately, there was room to dine on the patio, which was illuminated by candles and Christmas lights, i.e., bring a date here.
Their laminated one-pager is one-side drinks, one-side dinner. Noting that the bulk of the menu's real estate was dominated by tapas options, my date and I took a hint and ordered four dishes to share: chorizo sausage in red wine, postones rellenes (plantain "cups" filled with avocado salsa), papa rellena (a potato puff filled with beef), and just for the hell of it, coconut shrimp. The server recommended a fifth order to make sure we were full, so we tacked on one of the specials: a beef empanada plate.
The food was disappointing. The chorizo lacked the expected spicy smokiness; the potato puff was really low on filling and flavour; the coconut shrimp was OK -- but just OK -- and that's more Thai than Cuban, no? The real killjoy for me was the postones rellenes. Really dry and bland. The avocado salsa was not enough to save it and we left two out of four uneaten. I wish I had just ordered fried plantains. Why didn't this food have any flavour?
I don't want to tear this place apart. The restaurant itself seems charming, and the service was friendly. But as mentioned a few times, Julie's has a higher price point than most Latin American eats in this city, and the food really doesn't deliver at that level. I wish I could say I would return for drinks on their stellar patio, but at almost $10 for a watery mojito, I probably won't.
Obligatory Title Pun: This CUBAN's missed the MARK.
Menu Readability: Pretty clear and simple. And you can't go wrong with canary.
Need to mention: They serve Coke in tiny bottles. Yay.
What this place teaches me about myself: When I hear Cuban I think 'flavourful'! And 'Mark'! Am I wrong?Listed in: Uno Dos, Ossington Strip, Latin American Food in Toronto
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Review from Joe C.
8/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
Restaurants in residential neighborhoods are always interesting. Stumbled across this one while parking on a side street was def a lucky strike. The place, a very Cubanish looking shack on a beach, with a vintage car parked out front, looked empty. Taking a stroll through the small patio, we noticed all tables were reserved and that's when we knew it was a neighborhood fav. Waitress was pleasant and gave us a table without reservation. Papa rellena was extreme goodness that resembled much of a shepherds pie in a ball. The chorizes(spicy Spanish sausage) was a delightful app perfect on a mild august afternoon. Topping it off we had a hemmingway cocktail & Cuban margarita. If there is a next time, will def indulge in the entrees. Good for casual and intimate get togethers
The downside, food and drink prices were rediculously high. If you're going to charge $9-12 for alcoholic cocktails you have to put a resonable amount of alcohol in them. -
Review from Angela L.
5/26/2011
I really wanted to love Julie's, but as the setting of this year's birthday dinner, she barely cut it. First off the bat, I arrived early to a full front dining room and was not greeted for a very long time. Standing there awkwardly amongst the tightly fitted tables of glowing diners while wondering what happened to my reservation for six, I looked toward the two busy servers in the back and smiled, only to be met with frazzled glances and not even a nod. Finally, a third lady came out from the kitchen and showed me to the slightly less atmospheric back room where there was a table all set up for us.
Between this lady who had an owner-like air and a scatterbrained male server, our overall service was hurried but in slow motion. Our drinks were delivered to the wrong table (when there were only two parties in the room), settings were taken away when I assured them that everyone was coming, dishes were delivered to the wrong people (without any attempts at confirmation), and the bill took ages to arrive.
As I had been fairly warned by fellow Yelpers, the considerably high prices are unjustified. (I had originally justified them by comparing them with the prices of the menus on Ossington - where all the restaurants had already been fully booked.) It's all true though: the quality and care in preparation is not on the same level. The mojitos were refreshingly not too sweet, but was chock full of ice. We weren't quite sure what to make of the big show that was made of the litre of sangria being transferred from one jug to another as part of the presentation. Why wasn't it just brought in that second jug? Maybe this process aerates the wine, but we may never find out.
The shrimp with spicy tomato sauce on rice that a couple of us got was reported to be okay, not spectacular. The tapas that the rest of us shared were similarly underwhelming. The ceviche was far too limey. The daily special of taro and sweet potato fritters were over cooked and didn't have even a hint of sweetness that one would expect from that combination. The artichoke heart salad was as fine as canned artichokes on a bed of lettuce could be.
I absolutely adore the look and idea of Julie's, but that will only get me through their doors once. -
Review from Radhika G.
Toronto, ON
7/11/2011
Drove right past this badboy - it's really easy to miss, because it's actually located on the bottom floor of a house! Makes for a super cute and intimate atmosphere. Sat on the patio with a picture of creepily staring cats to my left, and some awfully chirpy sounds coming from the bush behind me. We ordered a bunch of tapas - sweet potato fries, quesadilla, and coconut shrimp - all amazing, especially the fries!
Minus one star because our (otherwise friendly and knowledgeable) waitress asked super casually if she could bring us "some chips and guacamole to start" as if it were on the house, and then charged $8 for it. And it wasn't that good. -
Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
12/21/2010
I followed my Guest of Honor through the entrance of Julie's Cuban and was immediately welcomed and seated simultaneously while I was still adapting to the Cuban music and the romantic lighting while seating on the side with white strings of Christmas lights and Cuban paraphernalia which sets the mood for the Sunday evening.
When I finally looked up I was kind of surprised why Rick Bayless(American Celebrity Chef) was serving us and in a Cuban restaurant rather than a Mexican one. At least in my mind he resembled Rick Bayless but while he might not have first class Chef potential, our waitstaff had his craft perfected to an art even David Adjey would be impressed. 3.5 *Star*
Mojito Cubano - My opinion on this is I didn't seem to taste the Mint nor the Lemon while Rum was there still overwhelmed by Soda. I'm not a Drink expert so I will say maybe move on to something flavourful that fits the atmosphere such as Pina Colada.
Chips con Guacamole($7.95) - Addictive delicious simply because it was seasoned perfectly and fresh ingredients made it even better. It was an app but we put this Guac on everything else we got. We were hesitant to order but our server made the right call.
Ceviche($8.95) - The Blue Marlin because of it's meatiness and thoroughly cooked, it did resemble White Meat Chicken under this lighting. Accompanied by Corn Kernels, Bellpeppers and Lemon Juice while extremely light on heat and fresh Herbs. Put Guac on!
Enchilado de Camarones($8.95) - Medium sized Shrimp was limited while served with Spicy Tomato Salsa that didn't offer enough heat and seemed like regular Shrimp drowned in Tomato Sauce . Put Guac on!
Tostones Rellenos(Picadillo version $7.95) - Picadillo(Ground Meat & Tomato mixture) did taste nice served on Tostones(Plantain Cups). It's definitely not something I see everyday as my culture uses more of the Taro Nest as bowls. Put Guac on!
Boniato($6.50) - It was a special item not listed on Menu and it was spicy as noted from the server, with jalapeño flavour that spreads around your Tongue but it's an enjoyable dish. I don't remember enough about it but don't put Guac on it. Use the Sour Cream given if you want to even out the kick.Listed in: 3.5 ***Stars***, Latin American - Español Menus
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Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
2/28/2011 7 photos
I almost walked passed Julie's Cuban Restaurant ...as it just look like another house in this residential area... or it kind of look like a convenience store??
Nice, dark and dim... decorated with Christmas night and tons of Cuban's memorabilia of its glorious era.
The waiters here are some of the most friendliest and knowledgeable ones I have encountered.. and yes Cuban people does have the heart of gold!
Chips con Guacamole tasted awesome. One of the best I have in Toronto... Freshly homemade and with a great spicy kick!
The other items we order are just so so... Cerviche was a little disappointing because it either sour/limey enough and the fish texture is quite funny. Enchilado de Camarones was overpriced with that just 4 shrimps and didn't taste spectacular!
I think Julie's Cuban Restaurant is good place to share some apps and chill with your friends.. but if you going to have a full meal with drinks it does get quite pricey... and you wondering if it really worth it!Listed in: A Day in Ossington!, Latin American in Toronto!
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Review from Lauren M.
This place has 4 star potential but what really ruined it for me was the pricing! WTF?
Some of the other reviews are SPOT ON in mentioning that the price point is too high. The food is tasty, but it's pretty simple and somewhat bland. They are charging too much for the food. I don't mind paying good money for fine dining, but not for what they are serving. It was like paying $12.99 for a McDonalds happy meal.
They do have a "quaint" little patio with plastic chairs and Christmas lights. Service was good.
My friend and I shared a salad and 3 appetizers. Drank water. It came to $46 including tip, yikes!
And the drinks...$9.50 for a mojito? Really? Aye, carumba!
The food here is overly greasy too. Our corn fritters were basically just deep fried pieces of gloopy batter. The fried plaintain was more oily than I've ever seen it prepared, even in Cuba. Avocado & mango salad was decent. Ceviche was OK but really plain and chopped into really big lazy pieces.
Anyway, next time I want to drop that much money, I'll go somewhere schmancy fancy!
Lower your prices please, Julie.Listed in: Picky Eaters
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Review from Liora I.
Toronto, ON
12/31/2010
A hidden gem! This place is nestled away on a quiet residential street and looks deceivingly understated. Once inside you'll be greeted with walls of kitschy -but lovely- decor.
Fresh ingredients, pitchers of sangria and little tapas plates make this a great intro to Cuban food plus it's a lot of fun. The highlight was absolutely the corn fritters. -
Review from Corina S.
Toronto, ON
5/27/2011
It's been 13 days since my Julie's Cuban Experience. I think that's ample time to give a reasonable review.
First off, let me just say that I SO BADLY wanted to love this place. I had been wanting to try it since we moved into the neighbourhood in 2006 but for whatever reason, hadn't had the chance. One night about 2 weeks ago we walked past it on a rainy Friday night and I thought "Let's just go inside and ask if there's a table, what the hell, if not, we move on".
Immediately I was charmed by the atmosphere, the music and twinkly lights, the warm, homey feeling of the place. It was crowded and we were walk-ins but my hopes soared higher when the super nice hostess managed to find us a table in the back room (which I was FINE with, unlike the group of harpies seated at the table beside us who repeatedly hounded the poor hostess until she moved them to the front room).
We ordered drinks and our dinner and happily prepared for a night of good food and mojitos. Said mojitos arrived promptly and were tasty (yet I have had better for the price). Our appetizer (bland guacamole made from unripened avocados served with bagged Tostitos chips) plunked down on table without charm (each item was delivered to our table by a different waitress). Dinner (two seperate entrees..basically meat and beans, one served with sliced bananas - not plantains, i know the difference) arrived soon afterwards and thats when things went down hill.
The food was bland and underwhelming, reminiscent of the "locals" section at a tropical resort's buffet. Let me state that I am very familiar with latin food and I know that cuban food can be on the bland side...but I also know when food isn't good, especially for the price. I had checked in on foursquare and a friend texted me to say that I should skip the entrees and instead order the tapas. "Ah," I thought to myself " That's where we went wrong. Oh well, I'll come back some time and sit on the patio and we'll order up a whole bunch of dishes and try again." I maintained this attitude for another 35 minutes or so, desperately clinging to it like a drowning man to a life preserver as my opinion of Julie's sunk like the Titanic (sorry for all of the metaphors, I'm feeling dramatic). I made several excuses to my dining companion who was less than pleased.
For the rest of our time at Julie's we were invisible. No one came by to ask how our food was. I had to flag down a passing waitress to ask for a drink (I said "excuse me" and she turned and pissily said "what's up?" to me..I was taken aback but maintained politeness because that's how my momma raised me) and then the drinks never arrived. The three waitresses we had during the evening seemed to visit every table but ours. Empty glasses sat and food hardened on plates. We resorted to entertaining ourselves with the giant map of the world pinned to the wall beside us, picking out which places we'd rather have been then there.
Finally we managed to flag down a random waitress and ask for our bill. One of the original waitresses we had during the evening (a nice one) came back to collect it so I made sure that I still tipped (only 15%) because I know what the food industry is like and I refuse to be a jerk. we politely thanked the waitress and left, vowing (quietly, to each other) to never return.
As we walked away I looked longingly back at that gorgeous patio, dreams of hot summer nights under the twinkly lights, icy mojitos in hand crumbling before me. We won't be back and that makes me sad because Julie, i REALLY wanted to like you. -
Review from michelle r.
Toronto, ON
6/7/2011
Julie's was yummy. Food was definitely pricier than I am used to for Latin/Mexican food. Snacks & Drinks for two was over $70.
I have some pictures on my blog of what we had, if you wanna have a peek. -
Review from Brian S.
Toronto, ON
9/30/2010
When we first moved in to the nieghbourhood this was one of the only places to go. The food is good and the service is really nice. Last night we visited again, and Sylvia, the owner, who's been running the place for 14 years, was there. A whole group of cubans were in dining and they left almost when we arrived, and they were very happy and thanking Sylvia for providing a very authentic experience. If they liked it, it seems like it must be authentic.
The patio both in the front and back are both nice, although last night we ate inside.
But yes, the prices are high. I'd go 3x as much if the prices weren't quite so high.Listed in: Ossington Village
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Review from Alexandra S.
Toronto, ON
10/16/2011
Have to agree with the other reviews regarding pricing. Should know better then to get seated at a restaurant before reading Yelp reviews. Food was good and the ambiance did make me want to move to Cuba! but the prices as just too high. Wouldn't go back. All in all I was glad I tried it though. If the prices were lower I would be a regular.
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Review from Mick M.
Toronto, ON
5/3/2010
If you don't mind paying WAY over the odds for mediocre food, Julie's is the place for you. I could understand the price points if I was a suit in a slick King West "place to be seen", but this is a "cute" little place in which decor wise everything is clearly cheap (aka authentic Cuban). This should be reflected in the price of the food. No draft beer (a cardinal sin in my opinion), so they sell bottles for $6!!! A mojito was $9!! None of my party of 4 had a drink as we were all put off by the prices.
The most scandalous rip I've ever come across in the history of eating out was the Chicken Quesadilla, it was a special and they were charging $14, when it came out I almost fell off my plastic chair, it was so small we hardly had a bite each, shameful to be charging $14 for that. It was not superior in taste to any mexican restaurant either.
We had to send back a mushroom and garlic stuffed potato, because there was no filling when we cut it open. When we got the next one, it was cold in the middle.
Very disappointed, had lived in the area for a couple of years and always wanted to try Julie's, wish I hadn't bothered. Also wish I had heeded the words of other reviewers, who seemed to have the same issues.
The corn fritters were very good.
Service was pleasant.
Basically if you have very little concept of value for money, and you like "cute" places that will help you take your mind off the prices, well then by all means have at it hoss!! -
Review from ritchie c.
Toronto, ON
6/23/2010
A romantic little place tucked away in a residential area on Dovercourt right across the street from Luna Cafe. Great patio out front with a run down, lawn chair, no frills type of place had me extremely excited to eat here, hoping to get an authentic no bullshit Cuban meal (no real idea what that is exactly).
Started off with a mojito and hemmingway for drinks, guac and chips, 2 cheese quesadilla and red wine chorizo. FYI, this place is NOT cheap. You'd expect a rundown shack looking type place to charge accordingly, but damn, it was $8 per drink with everything else costing at least $2-3 more than you'd hope... but hey, if the food's good who cares right?!
Looking at the menu, nearly 70% of the things had plantains in them. If you hate mixing banana's and meat together like me, you'll just stare at the menu for a while thinking to yourself "damn, that sounds amazing except for the damn plantains!". Oh well, suck it up and order it anyways, you might enjoy it.
The guac was pretty delicious, fresh made, flavouful and they gave us a TON. The chips were amazing and I was convinced they were homemade until I ventured passed the kitchen and saw big open bags of Tostito's Restaurant style =(
Chorizo was very disappointing. It was tough and chewy, tasted like red wine rubber and lacked any sort of sausage-esque qualities.
The quesadilla was also ho-hum, but I enjoy anything with melted cheese on it so it wasn't all that bad.
For main we split the beef especial which was chile fried ground beef on plantains as well as their special consisting of black bean rice, crunchy stringed beef and vegetables. The entree's weren't mind blowing but they were tasty enough and made up for the crappy chorizo. It was fun mixing and matching what we had on the table and creating new combos of flavours and textures. Really enjoyed adding the ground beef to the quesadilla and guacamole and eating that with rice. Not how they intended, but good nonetheless.
If this place was a little cheaper, or the food was a little better I would be raving about it, but I'm not totally satisfied. It's a great place if you want a quiet, romantic affair and want to show off your knowledge of hole in the wall establishments. It's fun, kitschy and cute, but not impressive. -
Review from Kevin D.
Toronto, ON
3/22/2009
Oh My Heavens! Thank God for Julie's!
If you've never had real Cuban cuisine, you're not living! I can not rave enough about this sweet Cuban hideaway on Dovercourt. It's my favourite type of hidden gem: house, house, house, house, hidden gem, house, house, house, house.
They have decadent little items I bet you never imagined! Like corn fritters, fried sweet plantains and authentic mojitos... Julie's is a place that will make you happy. Especially in the summertime. The food just tastes nicer then.
My recommendaish? Go in a group of at least four, or more. Order the tapas as per, then share several main courses. There's so much goodness you need to try it all!
Have you made a reservation yet?
(I'm waiting..)
(the number's right there!)
CALL NOW!
(Julie won't let you down.)Listed in: KD's Top Restaurants
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Review from Adrian P.
East York, ON
9/13/2010
Everything here is freshly made, well prepared and the prices are reasonable.
Really friendly, helpful wait staff and a nice patio during the warm months all add to the experience (but watch out for the bees). -
Review from Jeremy P.
Toronto, ON
5/15/2010
If the thought of $3.95 for a 300ml bottle of Diet Coke frightens you, then you may want to stop reading now. If you're not bothered by the expense, keep reading.
It has been a few weeks since my visit to Julie's, so the specific's on my experience are a bit rough in my memory.
I would have to agree with most of the other reviews on Yelp. What I can remember is that the tables are placed rather closely together (making for a less than private dining experience), the food is pretty good, but, it ain't cheap. -
Review from Payam Z.
3.5 stars!
Julie's is a beautifully decorated spot hidden on a residential street off Ossington. With help from the friendly and attentive waitstaff, I immediately fell in love with the ambience, and was ready to order almost anything and everything on the menu!
Fortunately I visited the restaurant with a small group, so we were able to order quite a variety of items. Alas, as has been mentioned in other reviews, we quickly noticed the price:food ratio is not really justified, and indeed the 1-2 slices of plantain that accompany the main dishes are more of a garnish than a side dish!
That being said, the Ceviche was excellent, and the papa rellena and plantains were excellent too!
The Ropa Vieja was a good choice. The beef was quite tender and juicy, though once again the overall portions were surprisingly small. Somebody mentioned Cafe Habana in New York and I must say the same meal would be half the price, with twice the portion at the popular spot!
Overall, I think the message is clear! Julie's makes fine tasting, pretty authentic Cuban, but they can do with bigger portions and tapas that can actually be shared for that price.
A good date spot! -
Review from Gaurav S.
Toronto, ON
2/22/2009
Julie's Cuban Restaurant (aka Julie's Snack Bar as per the signage up top) is the jam!
Tucked in between Queen and Dundas, on Dovercourt, Julie's is (somehow) a quick getaway from the city. Dovercourt, being predominantly residential, is an unassuming road to venture down for eats, and Julie's maintains the low-key vibes to a T!
Their patio offers a great view of the (very) local traffic. They've got a well stacked bar including some great wines, so hanging out here - just for drinks, or for your entire meal - is always a good time!
Inside Julie's, you REALLY feel like you're on a getaway! The fading aqua-painted shelving, the Cuban poster-ads, the red and white gingham vinyl tablecloths -- she's got it all!
The menu does NOT disappoint. They've got fantastic tapas options. The Tostones Rellenos (plantain cups stuffed with either picadillo or shrimp or avocado) are unreal! The majority of Tapas dishes are either plantain or shrimp based, and none of them have disappointed this guys palette to date.
The main plates are typical - large portions of meat with sides of rice, beans and plantain. There's at least one beef, chicken, pork and shrimp option for the mains (again, all tasty!) but my herbivore homies are gonna have to stick to the tapas (not necessarily a bad idea regardless of your eating habits though!).
If you're on a date, grab a window seat. If you're in a group, try to reserve the back room!
A lovely staff wraps an awesome experience. Julie, you go girl! -
Review from Erin H.
Toronto, ON
8/28/2008 1 photo
I love Latin food, toss a black bean my way and I'll dance toward it, mouth agape and ready to catch. So when my boyfriend suggested we got to Julie's Cuban for Valentine's Day, I was thrilled.
The thrill continued when I walked off a beautifully snowy, mostly residential West End street (flowerlessly I might add,) to find a quaint, dimly lit, Latin paradise with fake palm trees, tikki lounge lighting and antique maps of South America plastered on the walls. I noticed also while taking in my dream restaurant that the staff were all authentic Latinos - good sign - but more notably, the clientele was not -- bad sign. That said, the food turned out to be not so amazing and the atmosphere grew a little old, the longer we sat and waited for the bill.
Julie's Cuban is a cute place but don't go if you're expecting a great meal. If you do want a fun night with some apps and Margeritas, it's a good option. -
Review from The Vong Choice I.
Toronto, ON
6/22/2011
I love Julies Cuban because it's on a residential street filled with houses and it's like a little secret discovery when you come upon it. It's really charming and comfortable with it's checkerboard tablecloths and homey atmosphere. There's a wall of turquoise shelves filled with antique radios, classic boardgames, retro records, old books and photographs which makes me feel like I"m stepping in someone's home. Plus the service there is unpretentious, inviting and so gracious. In the summer, there's a little patio that you can enjoy people watching and the BEST mojitos in the city and a great place to take a date!
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Review from Fortuna M.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 7/7/2011
I submitted a review a while ago, an discovered it was removed. I have no idea why, I have submitted reviews for other restos in the past without issue.
Ah well. I don't feel like re-writing the whole thing, but overall is this:
This is not authentic cuban, but rather is roughly Cuban inspired. Food is OK, not great, definitely not as delicious as the cuban meals I've had in Cuban-run restos in southern Florida, for example. Portions are small, prices are large. Drinks are very expensive. The place has a nice patio, but the place is getting run down. The service is good.
I think if they lowered the prices (the prices used to be much lower) I might recommend for casual dining. With current pricing you can get much better elsewhere.
2 cents. I was dissapointed.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/8/2010
A kitchy little place just down the street from where I live serving Cuban food? I gotta say I was… Read more »
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Review from Jennifer M.
Toronto, ON
1/20/2009
I'm a vegetarian and I can still find a lot to eat at Julie's. The corn fritters are amazing. The Pappa Rellina is fantastic. The avocado salad, amazing. The atmosphere is incredibly romantic. The staff is super friendly and the service is attentive and quick. I'm proud to have Julie's in my hood
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Review from Andrea L.
York, ON
9/25/2009
We took some people from out of town here and the four of us had a great time. The drinks were delicious, yay mojitos. We shared eight plates of tapas and we really enjoyed pretty much all of it. The server had recommended we get ten plates, but that would have been waaaay too much food. It was a lovely summer evening and we got to sit on the patio. It's a nice little spot that if you walked too fast you would miss it. Totally going back!
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Review from Tiffany G.
Toronto, ON
2/10/2010
I feel like I need to say something about Julie's even though I have not been there in over a year. Yes, it is Cuban - but unfortunately it is not good Cuban food. I am originally from Miami, Florida where Cuban food is EVERYWHERE. So, I was very excited when I heard there was a Cuban restaurant in Toronto - but unfortunately I found Julie's did not offer that authentic fabulousness that my tastebuds remember. I found the food very bland and boring which definitely does not reflect anything Cuban. The ambience on the otherhand is good. But - not enough for me to return.
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Review from David S.
Toronto, ON
7/3/2009
Probably the best Cuban you'll ever get in Toronto! probably a close second to New York's Cafe Habana in the LES and that says A LOT! arrive early, be prepared to wait. Get your Cuban on!
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Review from David D.
Oakville, ON
2/19/2010
I think Julie's needs a review from a Cuban. Well, half Cuban, half Colombian, born in the US, and officially Canadian since last fall. I've been in Toronto for 7 years now and the lack of options when it comes to eating Latino food is quite disappointing especially for such a diverse city. Granted, I cook a lot of hispanic food at home but it's just nice to have someone else do it for a change. So it was with great joy that I learned of this little piece of Cuban heaven a couple years back. And I was not disappointed.
I'm no food critic, but hopefully the fact that I'm Cuban, have been there twice, and have eaten the food all my life gives me a good foundation to base my opinions on. I agree with most here that the tapas offered are delicious. The yuca con mojo tastes just like my father makes it. The garlic shrimp, tostones rellenos, and frituras de maiz are all exceptionally good. The mains are great too, although I usually eat the ropa vieja. It's one of my favorite dishes that I haven't quite gotten the hang of cooking well myself. My wife usually tries different dishes and has enjoyed them all. Although she likes my shrimp enchilada and arroz con pollo better. (I'd have to agree) =)
My only complaint would be that they should add one more main dish. Goat. That would make it truly authentic since it is a Cuban staple. More so than beef.
And I can't forget to mention how delicious the mojitos are!
As far as the price goes, it is a bit expensive for hispanic food in general. When I took my parents there, my father couldn't let me forget that he could probably get the same food on Bergenline Ave. in Jersey City or Collins Ave. in Miami for half the price. But then again, Cuban restaurants are on every corner in those cities.
Julie's is one of very few hispanic restaurants in the city, but that doesn't stop it from serving excellent food in a wonderful atmosphere. I highly recommend it. -
Review from Jimi S.
ON
12/4/2008
this is the first place i will call pretty that ive reviewed. its romantic even if you are just sitting across the street leaning on a fire hydrant (hopefully in the rain).
walk into this home thats been converted into a hopping little restaurant, aglow with christmas lights, christmas or not, and you might find your legs doing the bachata or something on their own. the music is great. theres a haze of light that smiles on each of the checkered tablecloths as your waitress passes you your status quo mojito or your guanabana juice, my personal fave.
try to speak if you can, after sinking your teeth into a rich, albeit oily, but nonetheless bear brown deep fried corn fritter. if you close your eyes and go with it, you can pretend its just a big kernel of popped corn and order more like its free refills at the movies. after that turn to your left towards the kitchen and say as meanly as you can under your breath, "uno camarones al ajillo, rapido! rapido!" and then spit on the floor. (for effect man, cmon, go with, go with). when that arrives youll find that youll be drinking shrimp - it looks like a shrimp, it tastes and feels like a shrimp, but that garlicky wine covered pink little letter c can be used to wash all the other food down in between orders of guanabana juices.
now before you pull out your guns and shoot up the place, lift up your sombrero, stroke your moustache, and say, "PAPA RELLENA NUMERO UNO, FLACCA!!", and watch as a little bomb of flavour comes wrapped in a dynamite ball of a golden potato that you might have to claim as your own as there is only one on each plate. inside is a steaming treasure of lean ground beef, garlic, onion, red and green peppers thatll blow your mind.
hows does all that sound. word. -
Review from hangover n.
Toronto, ON
6/7/2011
it is an adorable space, and the food we ordered was very good, with large portions. sadly their drinks are very expensive, prohibitively so in my opinion. a shame. perhaps a happy hour would help?
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Review from Roy A.
Toronto, ON
7/17/2009
I don't get why people are crazy about this place. Perhaps it's a cute place to take a date, but I find the portions here small and the prices high.
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Review from Michael O.
Toronto, ON
7/3/2009
Nice atmosphere--front shaded patio, warm interior, and attentive service--in a pleasant out-of-the-way residential location, but the food is fairly bland and relatively pricey. I really wanted to like this place, but it was really a sub-par proposition...I spent more then I typically spend on a really good meal and got OK food that left me hungry. Sorry Julie!
