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Le Commensal Fine Vegetarian Cuisine
Category: Restaurants Vegetarian Vegetarian [Edit]
655 Bay StToronto, ON M5G 2K4
Neighbourhoods: Discovery District, Downtown Core
(416) 596-9364
- Hours:
Mon-Tue 11:30 am - 9:30 pm
Wed-Fri 11:30 am - 10 pm
Sat 12 pm - 10 pm
Sun 12 pm - 9:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
46 reviews for Le Commensal Fine Vegetarian Cuisine
Review Highlights
"Serve yourself and pay by weight."
(in 3 reviews)
"Some with seitan (a wheat protein), others with tofu or..."
(in 6 reviews)
"...vegan and gluten free options in a cafeteria style setting."
(in 6 reviews)
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46 reviews in English
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Review from Emily M.
1/7/2012 1 photo
As other have said its veg buffet style and you pay by weight. I too am confused about the taring system at this place, so I always use a small plate and pile it mile high. However, I will make a point of asking next time I am there to clarify this.
They have a really large selection of items so I LOVE that. But be warned this place can be a bit pricey so you MUST select your foods strategically! Heavy potatoes - NO THANKS!!!!!
I can usually crank out a decent sized meal for around $10 - $12 so its still a WAY cheaper option than Kale.
I really like this place but it always seems really empty. They have a ton of seating so it makes the place feel a bit deserted. But whatever, I'm giving it 5 stars anyways, oh ya!Listed in: veg veg veg...!!!
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Review from Jay A.
Markham, ON
2/12/2012
We went on a Friday night and were welcomed prompty by a gentleman who explained how things worked. It wasn't our first time but we listened courteously.
The selection was impressive, lots of different salads, grains, soup and entrees. It was pricey compared to similar vegetarian restaurants. Taste was okay, somewhat bland. Our favorite items were the chili, desserts and lasagna.
Not sure if we would return due to cost. -
Review from Ellie A.
12/10/2011
You know you're in trouble when previous reviewers are being helpful by telling you how to be strategic while filling your plate. Le Commensal could be a great little spot, but for the overcooked food and outrageous prices.
Maybe if I didn't cook, I'd be more tempted by the buffet of stews and salads that Le Commensal offers. But the truth is, there is little there that we don't make better at home (the seitan excepted). And the cost is just simply prohibitive. My husband and I went there because we had a groupon. He was excited at the possibility of so much choice, since he's usually limited to vegetarian pastas, etc. on restaurant menus. I got a small-ish plate and he got one with warm stews and rice. The cost for his medium-sized plate? $21. At a cafeteria. We ended up exceeding our $30 groupon by $7 with drinks.
There are so many great veggie places in Toronto for much better value. Skip this one. It's not worth your time.
Vegetarian score: 10/10. Good variety, bleh outcomes. -
Review from Grazyna P.
Toronto, ON
1/31/2012
I think that this place is very expensive, I would much prefer to go to Big Carrot and
pay 1.99/100grams for ORGANIC vegetarian buffet -
Review from Gail F.
Scarborough, ON
1/31/2012
Let me summarize my disappointment by saying the following
-no greeting - NOTHING upon entering the establishment...no smiling face saying "welcome, have you been here before? Let me tell you how it works"
that was the first strike
-the food was at best, mediocre
-the waiting in line to get your food weighed felt cumbersome
-the price for this mediocre food, was completely ridiculous. I have a Groupon so 4 of us girls went (2 were children that eat like birds). I had $70 dollars in coupon, but still had to pay an additional $23!
The topper was the little sign at the cash, asking me to tip the staff generously! WOW, that's nervy. For what?
Loads of other veggie/vegan fare, in a better atmosphere, better service and better food too! -
Review from Grace M.
Scarborough, ON
11/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good food, plenty of yummy options, I can't even pick a favorite because I always just try for a bunch of different things.
I'm cool with the cafeteria style of the place since I like choosing how much I want of this or that.
I'd say try filling up you're plate with more salads or lighter things, otherwise the cost could be really driven up. -
Review from Sylvia S.
Toronto, ON
1/15/2012
Just walk on and try somewhere else. I've been twice, thinking that the first time, we were just there on an off day--we weren't. The food is bland, lukewarm and very expensive. I think the restaurant is suffering from the same problem that many buffets do--quality is lost in quantity. On my last visit, there were flies around the open desserts. I won't be going back.
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Review from Patrick M.
Toronto, ON
9/12/2011
I'm going to break from the generally positive reviews and call BS on what Commensal is offering.
I came in as a first-timer, oblivious to how they price their buffet. No staff spoke to me, let alone even looked at me, as I sat myself down near a window. After finishing an article I was reading (maybe 10 minutes), I helped myself to a little salad, sat down, and ate it. It was then that I noticed there were prices listed for the soup... so, I got up and asked the (now present) cashier if it was included in the buffet.
"No, it's by the bowl."
"Oh," I reply, "how about the salad? I'm a bit confused now -- is the salad buffet separately priced from the rest?"
"Yes, it's all by weight."
"Oh, uh... I kinda just ate a salad..."
"You did? Oh..."
"Yeah, there's no prices listed anywhere, and nobody was around to ask, and I just kinda assumed..."
"Oh, well, everything's by weight; don't worry about the salad. Just bring your plate to be weighed next time."
I felt awfully stupid. And let me point out that the cashier wasn't so much being understanding and forgiving as she was being completely, unabashedly ambivalent to her job and my embarrassing ignorance. Just pure apathy. I hate apathy when eating out. Show some passion! I almost would rather she berated me, then called a manager to deal with me for being such a know-nothing tool. Kick me out or something! Anything! (Ok, I'm grateful these things didn't happen...)
So anyway, with the method of payment sorted out, I grab a plate for some hot food. I pick somewhat sparingly: some broccoli au gratin, fennel au gratin, a bit of steamed kale, and, as an afterthought, a spring roll (upon noticing how kinda empty my plate looked). Weighed Price: Just shy of $16.
*blink blink* Whazu??? I mean, if the food was delicious, sure, justified! But no, it was sitting out, overcooked, mushy. The spring roll was just plain bad, like an M&M Meats multi-pack spring roll. I came in shortly after noon, and the food looked and tasted as if it had been out all night. (And was she counting the weight of my plate? Yeesh!)
Y'know, I blame myself. I should have looked at the buffet offerings, shrugged, and left. Bad food is pretty easy to spot, especially on a buffet, and in hindsight I knew I was going to be disappointed as soon as I slopped that stuff down on my plate.
My solace? Groupon Now! dropped my price to $12. But man, if it weren't for that damned Groupon I wouldn't have come in... I ate a little piece of cake to drive my cost to a hair over $20 and use up my Groupon (over $4 for a small slice of gelatinous cake... man... I'm getting ripped off and I'm not even paying full price...)
Can't win 'em all, I guess. I won't be back. One star for mushy food, ridiculous pricing (steamed kale = fennel au gratin? riiiight), and soul-sucking apathy. -
Review from Cindy H.
Toronto, ON
10/13/2011
A friend of mine had a coupon for $10 off so we decided to give Commensal a try.
The layout reminded me a campus cafeteria. We grabbed our plastic trays, a large plate, and started on the cold side of the buffet. Lots of different salads (coleslaw, couscous, quinoa, pasta, greek) and raw veggies to pick from.
Once the plate looked 'green' enough, we headed to the hot buffet. Here there were different curries, potato dishes (sweet, mashed, etc.), soups, stews, and grains.
Flavours are good, but sometimes you can get a cold bite since the hot dishes have been out for a while. There's a water station where you can refill your glass easily.
What attracts me to Commensal is the variety. A small scoop of Tabouli salad here and a few green beans over there. The plate obviously fills up quickly and so does your cost. With the $10 coupon, our two plates came to a total of $16, so estimate about $10-$15 per person. Not bad for a quick lunch and great selection. -
Review from Greg M.
Toronto, ON
1/30/2012
With so any first -rate Vegetarian and vegan spots to hit in Toronto; this place needs to rethink its pricing strategy. The weight it takes out of your wallet is out of balance.Our group is very veggie educated from years of knoshing at many superb field produce at exclusively organic eateries. Extensive menu doesn't not mean feast on the profit margins.Pass on next visit.
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Review from Michael L.
Richmond Hill, ON
11/7/2011
Went here recently after a workout and boy was I impressed!
I agree with other poster who note that this is restaurant is a wallet buster as the food can easily spiral out of control. Definitely bringing back memories of Froyo trips during the summer =D.
Ended up spending ~30.00 but with the student deal that is on right now it was reduced to 20!! great price for two people and great quality vegetarian cuisine!
I am a huge fan of the apple and beet salad along with the chinese saiten and the brocolli or fennel gratin which were amazing. notable extras which should not be forgotten are the kashmir rice and the bean salad. =)
I hope they continue to run this promotion throughout the year as I will become a regular if they do.
3 stars well earned -
Review from Elitsa B.
Scarborough, ON
12/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
The biggest turn off about this particular establishment was the attitude I got from the cashier and manager. I showed up with Groupon and got the eye roll.. The guy had the guts to take my phone right out of my hands, scrolling through my groupons till he found what he was looking for, then slammed my phone down the counter. Some of the food was OK, but most of it very bland. I love vegetarian and cook it all the time and this is not a place I'd go back to for the food, regardless of who works there.
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Review from Alison B.
1/31/2011 ROTD 3/1/2011
This place has great veg, vegan and gluten free options in a cafeteria style setting. They have hot and cold sections, as well as dessert. I didn't get a beverage, but they all seemed like organic/healthy choices. Coffee has free refills.
As Michelle A. already said, be strategic when you are filling up your plate! I stuck with the quinoa salad, couscous and a melange of pre made salads. Loading up on items like the potato salad (although it looked good!) could cause some damage to your lunchtime spending money. Everything I had was really good and tasted like it was good AND good for you.
Obviously being the pseudo cheapskate that I am, I went on a Monday. The 50% on monday deal is good for both students and university staff. You just have to show your ID card and the deal is on. -
Review from Mel D.
Toronto, ON
5/18/2011
I'm new to vegetarian cuisine, and had no idea that vegetables could be cooked in so many ways!
Ok, I know that sounds ignorant, but I really didn't. Didn't even know that there were vegetarian-only restaurants!
But now I do, and now we can all rest in peace knowing that there are great healthy meals nearby.
This place is great if you're new to vegetarian cuisine and don't mind just diving into it. Just assume that everything is tofu. -
Review from daz M.
Scarborough, ON
8/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
compared to other vegetarian buffets I've been to where most things are raw, this place sells a much wider variety of vegetarian food. hot dishes also, and different dishes from different countries. I like it here.
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Review from Wendy H.
Toronto, ON
12/9/2010
The first couple of times I visited Le Commensal, I was tickled tofu. A diverse selection floats my boat big time, and also sets my heart a-flutter. Le Commensal is NOT lacking in selection. They've got cold salads, hot casseroles, steamed kale, brown rice, quinoa, lentil salads, salad salads, potatoes and pizza. They've got desserts, juice, wine and coconut water. They've got a vegan version of bourguignon and tons of other concoctions. The selection will knock your face off and you will want to try all of it.
Then you start to get a feel for what's good. You massage your plate tactics and choose nice combos. You begin to think that some of the stuff isn't overly amazing, but A FOR EFFORT, guys.
Next, like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, you realize that things never change. You will never NOT see bourguignon on the buffet line. That Moroccan stew will always be there, too. Comforting? Maybe. Disappointing? A bit.
Whenever I'm in the area I like to hit up Le Commensal, but for the taste and the overall price (they charge by weight and my plates are never under $12), not to mention their competition in Camros and Kale Organic Eatery, this spot ranks in at a definite 3 stars.Listed in: I'm A Dirty Hippy
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Review from Vivek S.
9/25/2010
This place is a recipe for fiscal disaster. It's a cafeteria style buffet, where you are charged by weight (your foods', not your own). This is easily forgotten as you pick out nibbles and soon you are walking up the cashier, hefting your plate --as if that tells you anything-- and wondering, sweet God how much am I going to pay for this tofu?
As it turns out: quite a bit. With a Blanche de Chambly my total came to $18 bucks, and I didn't get THAT much food. But what I did get was quite tasty. There is too much to list, but I'll point out the Seitan Bourguignon, it's delicious. The selection is fantastic, but I can't see myself going back soon. It's just too expensive.
Obligatory Title Pun: VEG out at Commensal!
Menu Readability: All the buffet items are clearly abelled, so you know what contains eggs, dairy, and what is 100% vegan.
Need to mention: So, they have two plate sizes here, but it didn't look like they had a clear way to tare the scale for plate size. So.... get the smaller plate. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)
What this place teaches me about myself: Commensal teaches me that I could probably live as a vegetarian, but it would require a supplemental income.Listed in: No meat? No problem.
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Review from Vanessa G.
Toronto, ON
6/1/2011
So let me start out by saying my first Le Commensal experience was in Montreal and it was magical, which is why I was vastly disappointed by my lackluster Toronto experience. The food itself is delicious, but $24 for a plate of vegetables and tofu? Not so delicious. I'm not sure why it is different in Toronto, but the Montreal location caps plates off at $16.99, so not to give you immediate heart failure at the register. The decor could also use a little sumthin' sumthin', as the Grandma's sunroom vibe pales in comparison to the Montreal chains.
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Review from Spiro P.
Toronto, ON
12/6/2010
This is a pay by weight buffet. There are certain items that I prefer than others. I would not classify it as fine cuisine, but would indicated that there are specialty foods: seitan, steamed vegetables, arame, tofu, and ratatouille are just a few.
A good option for vegetarian food. -
Review from Laura C.
Toronto, ON
8/15/2010
I think this place is better for a lunch excursion, quick and small doses.
I expected more when I came here based on all the reviews, but my impression was expensive, and complicated.
Everything here is based on weight, and boy, does it rack up. However, all of us had a average price of around $15 a plate (add more for drinks, but there is free water behind the cash).
I'm on a strict diet, and I thought that coming to a place like this, there would be good labelling like people have said. All it tells me if whether there is Gluten, Diary, Egg or if it's Vegan. It doesn't give much else in terms of other ingredients, and I needed to know if there was wheat, corn, etc.etc. and no one could tell me with out some confusion and stress.
I might come here again for a quick bite to eat, but nothing more. It's too difficult and confusing. but there was a lot of choice.
Tip: go on their website for $10 coupon for first timers. Share with a friend! -
Review from Real B.
Toronto, ON
7/9/2011
Been here more than a few times with vegan/veggie friends. I don't know why but everything tastes the same! Also kinda pricey as it goes by weight and their food is kinda heavy... :(
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Review from Helen L.
Toronto, ON
6/5/2010
If you can never make up your mind about what to order at a restaurant, then Le Commensal is a good option for you. There are a ton of selection (some good, some mediocre, and some bland) but generally a good meal. Like everyone said, it CAN get expensive so it's not recommended if you are a big eater. Two of us went and it was about $50 for dinner...which is not crazy but it is expensive for what you get.
P.S. The live jazz was great! -
Review from B K.
7/21/2011
I ate lunch here two days in a row...
Like some others have said, the food is great but the price is not. I was happy to get a sample of lots and lots of things, but when my heaping plate broke my bank, I was pretty sad.
The seitan in each of the dishes was cooked great, not chewy or too soft, but just right in the dishes. Lots of great bean dishes and vegan options. The selection of stuff is great, though some items (falafel, veggie roll, pizza) are a lot blander than others. Their drink selection is lackluster, wish there had been more options.
Service was friendly, giving me a 10% discount for no reason on my first visit. The atmosphere is like others have said, like a cafeteria, but hey, what do you expect from a buffet? -
Review from Nicole H.
Toronto, ON
5/27/2010 1 Check-in Here
One of the main benefits of Le Commensal is the variety - they have a large buffet layout of salads, soups, mains and desserts. All of the food there is vegetarian and i'd hazard a guess that out of all of it at least 3/4 of it is vegan - and well labeled to that effect.
However, while you can enjoy a little bit of a lot of things at Le Commensal, the price will add up. If you know you're on a budget try to pick only a couple of things to try. If you get a nice full plate with a drink, you're looking at somewhere in the vicinity of $20 at least.
Despite the cost, you're paying for delicious food - a mix of Asian/North American/European food is on offer and there's something to suit everyone's tastes. The food is not bland and not just slop like you may find in some other buffets. For the hot buffet, It's not quite as fresh as it could be (much of the food I assume is pre-prepared or from large batches that they would make their frozen meal products from). I've never had a problem with the salads or desserts however. The menu rarely changes here, so it's always pretty much a safe bet!
If you're not sure if you want something specific - and this does hit the button of "generic vegetarian food", in a good way - then Le Commensal is your thing. Great for a quick lunch, I find - especially if you can get a shady spot on their small patio.
I don't generally go here when i'm eating with my vegetarian or vegan friends, but more often with non-veg friends or colleagues - the fare on offer here has a broad appeal to people who might not be sure about vegetarian food, and there's enough on offer to try that it won't be difficult to get them to enjoy it.
They also have a takeaway option if you want to head off to sit in a park somewhere or dash back to your office with some food. Their frozen/prepackaged food line is also on sale there now too.
Le Commensal, you're pretty good. I think if you could nudge your prices down just a little you could get that fourth star out of me, for all you are worth!Listed in: Toronto Veg Eats!
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Review from Justin S.
3/23/2009
We went here because of the great reviews, but the entire time was full of disappointment.
When we read, "vegetarian buffet", we were stoked. Visiting from Missouri, we don't often find vegetarian buffets, the last one I went to was in Houston, TX. It's not that we want to eat our weight in food, it's the idea of getting to try several different items in small servings, maybe go back and get a little more of the one that you loved the most.
Do that here and you'll go broke.
The buffet is sold by weight, so you get a dense, heavy or wet item and you pay big. Or, if you get a tiny sampling of several things, same problem. The food is kept up nice enough, but no better than any other buffet I've been to. The QUALITY of food is pretty great but not everything had much of a flavor or ended up being cold instead of warm, or warm instead of cold, and then you literally are throwing money away.
When you check out you have the option of starting a tab so you can go back and forth, get a second helping, get dessert, whatever. That's great, but they don't exactly advertise it which seems awfully weird. The first option is to pay per trip, which can be quite the hassle, especially if paying in cash.
In the last hour that they are open, you can get your meal for 20% off.
Sounds great until you try to close out your tab and they won't honor it. No where does it say, "20% off when you pay per trip to the buffet line, not applicable to tabs." So when we checked out, my b/f ended up having to pay full price for his meal and I, after some coaxing with the cashier, got mine for the 20% off.
The staff really keep to themselves, knowing we were first timers I'd hoped they would provide some guidance, but instead we got lectured on which plates handle which foods, that you don't mix a dessert item, no matter it was one bite of a piece of cake, on the same plate as your entree.
Oh, and regarding the "half washed cups" for water... Vanessa v. hit the nail on the head. Our cups were gritty and foggy, not something you'd see coming out of a Cascade commercial selling JetDry. Pretty gross really.
They advertise that the average bill is $18 for dinner. That seemed kind of high to us but we were willing to give it a try.
Our bill? ~$25 each. We didn't eat our weight in vegetables here, just tried a little of several items, some of which we couldn't eat due to their flavor or temperature.
In the end, I would recommend this place if it's your birthday, apparently they give a free birthday lunch/dinner... but only if you bring someone else who is eating. Oh, and maybe there is a catch there too, who knows.
The food was ok, the service was merely meh, the price was over the top and the atmosphere felt like a high school cafeteria. -
Review from Michelle A.
Toronto, ON
Attention students - amazing Monday deal - 50% off. I discovered this as I was randomly walking by on the way to the library. I filled up a medium container of food for about $10 - which really cost me $5. I did however have to be strategic - potatoes, beets, sweet potatoes will cost you way too much as will cold veggie sticks - not sure why you'd bother with those boring old dishes with all the fun options anyway. I went for the lighter grains and vegetables. They have an awesome ratatouille,veggie lasagna, curries steamed veggies, roasted veggies, quinoa salads, plain salad toppers, etc. The veggie pate is also nice and spicy. Soup is sold by the bowl. There are two soup options (cream of leek and green lentil on the day I visited), which comes with a free piece of bread. Also, all you yelp oldies - it's 50% off for seniors on Tuesdays.
Listed in: Close to Ryerson, Very vegetarian-friendly…
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Review from Danielle N.
Toronto, ON
7/25/2010
THE MENU: There isn't a menu per se since this place is buffet style . Buffets have such a bad rep, because we immediately think of Mandarin Chinese Restaurants that are teeming with fried foods. Not here. Commensal is a vegetarian buffet that also offers gluten-free, egg-free and dairy-free menu items. There are 3 sections: Hot Buffet (chili, lasagna, tofu, stirfries, etc), a Cold Buffet (salads, fresh veggies) and Dessert Buffet (cakes, cookies, puddings). Each buffet item is labelled to make the experience a breeze for any with food restrictions.
MY ORDER: I started with my usual pre-scanning of all the choices, scoping out those with the "GF" label. You want to make sure you know what's on the buffet menu so you can leave enough room for everything you want to try. Tonight my stomach and I didn't have the patience to scan all the buffet items. We wanted some food. Now! So I randomly started scooping anything that caught my eye into my takeout container.
I know many people who prefer their foods compartmentalized into individual sections, and are probably cringing at the sight of my meal. As you can tell, I'm not particularly anal about different foods touching each other. My hot veggies are spilling onto my cold lentil salad. And the curry sauce is starting to blend with the tomato-based ratatouille. It's all the same to me. Won't look much better once it's in our belly:)
Lentil Salad - This was one of many prepared salad options. Potato salad, bean salad, grain salads, beet and apple salad. I could go on and on. Lentils were my choice because they are high in iron and being anemic, my naturopath suggested I eat more of them.
Steam Veggies - I love that the veggies are lightly cooked. They aren't boiled to death and don't fall apart when you touch them.
Ratatouille - This is a wonderful blend of stewed eggplant, bell peppers, onions, and other veggies in a thick tomato sauce. This was a staple while growing up so I always gravitate to it when I'm here.
Tofu Curry - I'm a saucy person and Commensal offers a good variety of saucy dishes like curries, stews, chilis. Some with seitan (a wheat protein), others with tofu or simply veggies. The one thing they're lacking is tempeh (fermented soy that's better for you). I'll have to look into this. -
Review from Min min T.
Scarborough, ON
6/10/2009
Over the years, Le Commensal has been a favourite place to go when I'm looking for a quiet place to have a heart-to-heart. In the past, I've dined here before attending musicals at the Canon Theatre. It's also a good place to stop if you're tired from shopping at the Eaton Centre.
The food is set out cafeteria-style; the hot food is pretty tasty, but it doesn't take an idiot to realize that some of it is recycled through the week. There are attendents flit about to take your plates away but won't pester you for tips. Take as much as you need, everything is charged by weight and convenient if you just want a quick nibble. Echoing Kat's review, be careful not to take the heavy items as it gets pretty expensive!
All dishes are clearly marked to show which are vegetarian/vegan, lactose-free or gluten-free. This is also one of the few vegetarian places where you can get seitan, often offered in two different styles. The salad bar offers live sprouts, seaweed, nuts and seeds and lots of greens to munch on.
For dessert, I always get two things: the poppyseed log cake and the vegan coffee cake. If you're in the mood, fruit and cream are available to add on top. There are cookies and nut bars as well.
DISCOUNTS: Make use of the 10% discount if you're a Toronto Vegetarian Association cardholder, or print a $5 (with a minimum purchase of $30) coupon off their website. You can also eat for free on your birthday if you bring a friend. For late-night diners, there is 20% off after 8:30 pm on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
PARKING: The street here often gets ticketed, so make sure you pay if you're parked on the street. Daytime parking underground is ridiculously expensive. However, after 6 pm, underground parking can be validated.Listed in: Herbivore Heaven
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Review from Dieter M.
Scarborough, ON
12/10/2010
I would be the last person to suggest a vegetarian place, but the company was worth it. The place was quiet and enjoyable place to have lunch. Price is and the food was good. Might consider going back again.
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Review from Rich S.
Toronto, ON
8/18/2008
I've been going to this restaurant maybe once a month for the past few years, and I've generally had very positive experiences here. I also haven't had qualms about bringing friends here (even non-veg friends) - decent quality food for around $10 per plate.
I like that all of the food is generally pretty tasty and very healthy. The cold area has favourites like hummus, vegan pate, and different salads, while the hot area is good as well - I like the seitan dishes but usually get a bit of everything.
On the whole, I highly recommend this place, especially if you're looking for a healthy and quick meal or for take-away. Maybe not a great place to bring a date, but a welcome change from decidedly noisier places like Fresh.
P.S. A previous reviewer for this restaurant is incorrect regarding the tap water situation at Commensal - they actually do have a dedicated water dispenser with very good, clean water there. -
Review from James M.
4/28/2011
Good food. Great selection of Vegetarian dishes. BUT BE VERY AWARE OF HOW MUCH FOOD YOU GET! You pay by the ounce (or whatever the Canadian equivalent is).
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Review from Rick Y.
Toronto, ON
1/2/2010
Good veggie food. Serve yourself and pay by weight.
The selection is pretty static (the same for years) but enjoyable.
Very easy to rack up a large bill. -
Review from Alejandro A.
Toronto, ON
12/18/2008
A vegetarian restaurant that sells food in a buffet-style 'by weight' system. You grab a plate, put as much of whatever you want on it, and pay based upon how much food is on there. It's a vegetarian restaurant, and it sells quality food, but it's also something that you will pay dearly for. As much as I'd like this place to be a regular hang out spot, I don't think it's particularly affordable.
You will experience live jazz music most Friday or Saturday nights, with instruments ranging from piano to sax to voice and several in between, either as solo performances or in combos of 2 or 3 people.
They have a decent wine list, with a bottle of the cheaper stuff being in the range of $20-$25, and the expensive stuff being... well, it's wine. It's expensive. -
Review from Denis D.
North Bay, ON
11/11/2010 1 Check-in Here
Very good food, good selection - buffet style.
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Review from Yvonne H.
SCARBOROUGH, ON
8/25/2010
The Food: very good and satisfying. i'm a 3 year vegetarian and i've been to many veg restaurants in the city, and so far le commensal has presented me with one of the best veg foods, considering the fact that it is buffet styled with a wide variety of food to try. it also doesnt compromise flavour for nutrition, which is another plus.
The Price: Insanely high. dont go here if you're on a tight budget or not that hungry. i'm a small eater, and i even tried to look for the lightest dishes to try. however my bill still came to a whopping $20+ :(
The ambience: its nice and cozy, and it has a huge window next to the dning area, good for people watching :) -
Review from Dave P.
7/11/2011
Vegetarian heaven, especially for those of us stuck in the not-so-friendly-to-vegetarians Midwest. Amazing selection, good food. Only down side is that it's a bit pricey.
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Review from Linda L.
Toronto, ON
6/15/2010 1 photo
Great selection, flavourful food, pleasant atmosphere, and fast service at cashier.
Taking advice from previous reviewers, I chose most of the lightweight items instead of large chunks of potatoes. But even then, my bill was not quite what I anticipated. The woman in front of me piled up her plate with carrots and ended up paying over 30 bucks for something she couldve gotten from a supermarket for much less.
Just remember that both the cold and the hot entrees are around $2.5/lb. Try a bit of everything so you know what your favorite is. I like all of their cold salads and the veggie pate. -
Review from Kelly Z.
8/8/2009
My sisters and I enjoyed the incredible vegetarian and vegan selection, but the food is very pricey. Maybe the quality and selection compensate for the price, but the atmosphere and service certainly don't-- this is cafeteria buffet style!
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Review from Kat F.
2/11/2009 2 photos
Great food with an impressive selection of pretty much ANY vegetarian food you'd ever hope to try (wild rice, lentils, shepherd's pie, chili, lasagna, pizza, various salads and vegan desserts) but watch out - just because it's "by weight" doesn't mean it won't be pricey. The average plate ends up costing about $14-18 so try not to load up on too many heavy things or you'll be in for a surprise when you go to cash out!
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Review from Amanda A.
Toronto, ON
7/29/2009
The food is delicious, but too expensive. The previous reviews covered most of it. You serve yourself cafeteria style and then pay by weight. Hint: chickpeas are a quick way to weigh your plate down, so go easy on them.
Listed in: Lunch Spots
