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Le Papillon On Front
Category: Restaurants French French [Edit]
69 Front Street EastToronto, ON M5E 1B5
Neighbourhoods: St. Lawrence, Downtown Core
(416) 367-0303
- Hours:
Tue-Fri 12 pm - 2:30 pm
Tue-Fri 5 pm - 11 pm
Sat-Sun 11 am - 9:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
31 reviews for Le Papillon On Front
Review Highlights
-
"Try their onion soup on a cold day." In 5 reviews -
"Have had both brunch and dinner here." In 8 reviews -
"Steak frites - great steak with frites." In 3 reviews
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30 reviews in English
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Review from Janelle W.
Toronto, ON
3/19/2012
An impromptu jaunt in the area landed us here for some really good French food.
The dim lighting, brick-face walls and classic French details of the interior's aesthetic combined with some cuteso accordion music playing set the stage perfectly for a romantic dinner.
Food:
The crab-stuffed smoked salmon (we shared to start) was very good.
I ordered the seafood crepe, which had a delicious white sauce inside. Boyfrond got a cheese and spinach crepe, which offered a big contrast to my own but was flavorful in its own right.
The service was really attentive--the host has a great personality. A solid choice for not-exorbitantly priced French food. -
Review from Thariq S.
Toronto, ON
5/14/2012
I had the poached eggs on cured salmon with salad. It was decent, but the egg yolk feels like they've mixed in some sort of sauce into it, it made the whole meal feel a little bit salty. The environment is very nice and authentic, but a bit dark. We went there for brunch and it was a gorgeous day outside so the contrast was off-putting.
Their menu doesn't have numbers next to the items, which always annoys me, but here the titles are also in French. This is an excellent opportunity to show off your well cultivated French accent, but if you're like me and have no idea how to pronounce words starting with an "oe" I strongly suggest you gesture vaguely at the menu and repeat the main ingredients of the dish. -
Review from Gurpreet B.
Toronto, ON
5/26/2012
Delicious food but service can be slow.
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Review from N. H.
York, ON
4/25/2012
I've been going to this restaurant for over 20 years - in their 3 locations. It was one of my favorites. I was there about a year ago last and have things changed.
I should have known since more than 1/2 the tables were empty on a Saturday night - I've always needed a reservation in the past. (Post Review Note: True to Sean's response that 8pm may have been a bit late for a full house)
This restaurant used to have the best french onion soup, escargot, caesar salad and crepes in the city.
The onion soup was below average - pretty bland and almost no cheese at all. The escargot is now in a puff pastry. The pastry was obviously frozen - not done in house - the snails were like rubber. The salad was all pepper. (Post Review Note: I upgraded "horrible" to "below average" and yes we did finish the soup as 2 of us shared one small soup.)
I didn't even attempt to have a crepe since there are only 6 on the menu now - none of which are the old staples that kept people coming back. (Post Review Note: maybe I should have tried a crepe but there was no appealing items on the small crepe menu).
I starting discussing this with the waiter who then started to walk away in mid sentence. I told him I would appreciate if I could finish before he walks off. Post Review Note: waiter was having a bad night for sure ...)
He told me "new chef" - took the escargot off the bill and called it a day.
Post Review Note: I've upgraded my star rating as I appreciate Sean's comments. New chef is supposed to bring new life to a restaurant, unfortunately for me it was not what I had come to expect and thus the extreme disappointment. I wish Sean best of luck with his new format for the restaurant.Comment from Sean G. of Le Papillon On Front 4/27/2012
Neil, It is extremely unfortunate that after 20 years of… More » -
Review from Noah G.
4/21/2012
Went in for brunch today. Place was 1/2 to 2/3 full. I was brusquely seated and then sat... for over 10 minutes. So I left. Don't ignore your customers fellows.
Comment from Sean G. of Le Papillon On Front 4/27/2012
We do apologize profusely for this and have looked into it.… More » -
Review from Lara P.
3/28/2012
What a lovely brunch place. Came here with my boyfriend's family and it was a bright place to have a relaxing Sunday brunch. The food was delicious. I had the Crepe Maritime, which was ooey gooey good with baby shrimps and bay scallos in white wine cream sauce. It was a little bare and I could have used a little salad on the side but no matter. My boyfriend had the ham and gruyere omelette, which was just the right amount of cheesiness with a side of frites. The servers were attentive and very French. Next time I am out with my lovely girls, I will definitely come here for a bit of French, tres bien!
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Review from Aviva S.
10/21/2011
3.5
The last I've been here was a field trip for french class in grade 10 so I can only remember the basics of our experience but there was something awesome about being in a French restaurant trying to comprehend the menu and speak French with each other and the waiters who happily played along (despite laughing at us quitely when walking away).
The restaurant is very...cute in terms of aesthetics, the food is a little expensive (though it is on Front Street), the waiters range from decent to lovely, and most importantly, everything is quite delicious.
Try their onion soup on a cold day. There's nothing like it :) -
Review from Yolanda L.
2/21/2011
Didn't want to pay roaming charges in Canada so we were lost on what to eat because we couldn't Yelp! *gasp*
So we stumbled down Front Street and found Le Papillon. It's such a large restaurant that when we walked in we were a little skeptical about the food because it seemed way too commercial and not very cozy.
Our fears melted away when we were greated with a warm smile and BREAD! Nothing makes me happier than to to be greeted with bread and butter at a restaurant. I love bread and butter, especially if it keeps flowing throughout the meal....
We ordered Camambert Frites with cranberry sauce which is their version of a fried cheese and it was yummy. Light brown and crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. Dip into the cranberry sauce and you have a tasty treat before your meal. They're tiny though, but perfect since we weren't looking to stuff ourselves. For our main we shared the mussels in white wine sauce small as well, as both the Camambert and mussels came from their brunch appetizer menu. The mussels were absolutely fantastic!! The broth was rich and had a great lemony herb taste and the mussels were plump and gorgeous.
The food was great but the best part was the great service. Our server kept our coffee cups full and kept the bread coming and she was sooo friendly and super sweet. Will definitely go back when I visit Toronto! -
Review from jocelyn l.
5/28/2011
I'd give this a 3.5*
I wanted to grab a bite in St Lawrence Mkt but it was way too crowded inside and way too cold to sit outside...so i ventured to Le Papillon for a leisurely brunch
I got the steak frites, which came pre-sliced, which usually irks me coz i like cutting into my own steak, but this was done perfectly and the glaze was great, so i forgave them. The frites were pretty good, but i have to say, the fries @ Simple Bistro was way better. The beef though, was better here.
My server was a little odd and came back with a diff accent everytime he spoke to me. Not sure what that was about. (first time, it was nervous French, then when he asked me id i wanted dessert it was fake Brit. Weird)
Overall, good food for a sit-down place and not too pricey. -
Review from Denise S.
8/9/2010
One of those places that has survived solely because of its convenient location. I ended up trying this place out because it's close to my condo and one of the few places open for dinner on a Sunday. I wish I hadn't. Service was slooow... It took forever just to order and then they brought our soups first, before realizing they hadn't brought drinks yet.
I had the gazpacho andaluz which was actually decent and refreshing. But the chicken crepe was dry and flavourless. The crepe was thick and doughy and definitely not made fresh. My friend's fish did not look all that impressive either.
The wait staff speak fluent French, but other than that, I can't think of anything good to say about this place which is best avoided.Listed in: Patio Season!
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Review from Magdalena R.
Toronto, ON
11/10/2010
To start, the staff is amazingly friendly. The overall atmosphere is very relaxed and the decor is cool. Do not bother coming here for a quick in and out. The place resonates with 'come have dinner and chill'.
I strongly recommend you try one of their soups, they are absolutely 100% taste bud satisfying. I most recently had their asparagus crab soup; wow.
There is a lot of delicious choices on the main menu so, if you feel overwhelmed by the taste bud orgasm potential, go with the daily special; it is always a win.
Lastly, but most importantly, you must have dessert. You have to. If you're a person who does not typically have room for dessert after dinner, then starting with the dessert is non negotiable. Their apple-crumble-French-vanilla dessert is what your taste buds dream about at night. Why not reward them? -
Review from LINDA R.
3/11/2011
Off & on, whenever I visit Toronto,I have usually ended up "here" ok, their other 2 locations, which are both different now.
We had a server that has been around 4ever. He seemed a tad tired, slightly annoyed, and uninterested with his serving & job overall. VERY bored.
But it was with good company, the bottle of wine was nice (albeit we had to usually pour it ourselves - I hate that - you pay more than double in a restaurant for the courtesy, the ambiance, and the of course, the service. The bartender was completely lacking in any suggestions of wine, or the questions I had about any of them. That really bugs me - especially since all the wines Lists in Canada are completely different than what I am used to in US.
That said, the décor is a bit like being in an old brick factory/printer/warehouse from the 1920's, but was a good change from the norm. The famous French Onion Soup was really good (but here's a secret: Costco now sells individual frozen French Onion Soups and seriously? They are just as good! I know, hard to believe, but that's just my opinion).
Overall, there was nothing exactly 'wrong' nor 'bad', and it was not really a let-down or ruined our evening, I was just disappointed at a restaurant, who has been around about 30 years, to not excel on all levels. -
Review from Heather M.
1/8/2011
I give Le Papillon a 3.5.
This was the first time I had visited the new (must be old by now!) Le Papillon on Front Street. It is a big space with really nice decor, and staff are endlessly friendly. It looked like it was great for groups. Prices are also pretty decent - mains are in the high teens and mid 20s, and you can easily pass off most of the appetizers as meals. However, the food is not bad, but also not great.
I can recall they used to promote themselves as a Quebecois restaurant, which was great because it was one of the few places that I could get some cretons in the city (one of my guilty pleasures!). I ordered some mussels and fries - they were not bad, but not great either. With the fries some were super crispy, others were quite soggy. The white wine sauce that the mussels were in seemed a bit flat and the garlic didn't seem as though it was sauteed beforehand. It just seemed like not a lot of care was put into the food. The rilettes that we got as an appetizer were also sloppily proportioned.
Oh Le Papillon you could do so much better! Don't rest on your laurels in your location by the St. Lawrence Market, improve on your food and keep your service great. -
Review from Melanie C.
Oakville, ON
12/7/2009
Crepes are one of my favourite foods. The smell alone gets me excited. I'll eat them salty, sweet or plain.
We tried Le Papillon for dinner and I wasn't disappointed. The restaurant was extremely busy, which meant the service wasn't fantastic, but in the end we were able to get everything we wanted. My crepe was overflowing with seafood and a rich sauce. It was very filling, but so delicious I had to finish it. Unfortunately, I didn't save any room for dessert. The presentation of the food was very artistic too. -
Review from Kim B.
ON
1/22/2009 2 photos
When in France, eat french toast. That's what I say. And really? It just makes sense. If they didn't make good french toast, why would they stake their nationality on it?
The french toast is deeeelicious at Le Papilion, a great French place that I've only visited for brunch. It's not too fancy, but clean, friendly and I can read things on the menu (I appreciate that, thank you).
Run! Go! Eat some eggy-bread goodness! -
Review from Melissa F.
Toronto, ON
6/13/2009
I'm a very big fan of this place.
I went for brunch with my friends here. We chose it ona whim as we were walking by. Nobody was outside to seat us and we wanted to be on the patio so I just sat my ass down and made a spot for us.
The LOVELY server came out and she was so incredibly nice as she gretted us. Lovely smile and just had that type of personality that makes you smile.
Because we sort of just wandered in I still had my morning coffee in hand in my disposable cup. My server was so lovely that she brought out a glass to transfer the coffee into (managers generally don't like you having your coffee cup in their restaurant...and i suppose it might be rude to take it in). but she made a big deal to make sure I didn't have to throw it out and I could enjoy it with my brunch.
We ordered bennies and crepes at the table. All of which were scrumptious. They weren't amazing. but they were good.
The price is moderate. at 15$ for the crepe and 13 for the benny it was alright. Not amazing value but I'll take it given the location and the amazing service.
The inside has a beautiful decor with exposed brick. I LOVE nice rooms.
Oh, and the VERY tempting dessert menu did not go unooticed but I felt it might be a little too early to get a creme brulee after brunch. ( a good excuse to come back and enjoy dinner).
Oh, and I should say that the staff all speak french and every dish that came out of the kitchen seemed quite "authentic" and looked amazing!.
I highly reccommend this place with a small group or a date. It will be an excellent dining experience. -
Review from Steve M.
9/9/2011
As we strolled through the St. Lawrence Market neighborhood we came upon Le Papillon. Superb brunch menu. I wasn't hungover but if I was this place has some of the best egg sandwiches around. Sunnyside side egg with ham on a huge piece of french toast. Oui Oui! Thorough and friendly staff. The cute little tables and chairs outside reminded me of my days in Marseilles. Ok I've never been but I did see the French Connection several times. Next time I hit a rave in Toronto I'll be sure to recover at Le Papillon the following day. Merci!
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Review from Jeff M.
7/8/2009
This place was simply not good. I dined here early on a Sunday night around 6:00pm. Though the place was not busy the frantic server made me feel far from relaxed. I also noticed him running his hands through his hair; not very appetizing.
The French onion soup was good. The broth was thick almost like a gravy. The gazpacho had a good spicy flavor but was not a proper gazpacho. (Not what you'd expect to find in Spain)
I would not be surprised if the tourtier I ordered was made out of house and reheated for my order. The beef of a beef ragout crepe was not tender.
I wanted to think Le Papillon was decent but the longer the night went on the more I did not like what I had to eat. -
Review from Todd V.
Toronto, ON
10/3/2008 1 photo
So because the two partners that started Le Papillon have gone on to make their own versions of Le Papillon, this place moved. Thankfully, not far. It used to be nestled in a small row of restaurants on lower Church Street at the Esplanade and now finds itself around the corner on Front Street, having taken over the place that once housed the Japanese restaurant Izakaya. It's swapped sushi for French-Canadian cuisine.
Despite the addition of fairly traditional Canadian accessories and accents, there still is a bit of a Japanese feel to the restaurant. The bar placed in the centre of the restaurant has not moved since the transition and looks to be the same as that found at Izakaya.
The menu remains the same delicious fare from the original location. Well, mostly. Since the move it looks like my favourite crepe (spinach and bacon) did not make the journey. I was totally gutted to see it missing, but it gave me the opportunity to try the Tourtière pie I've been meaning to have for ages. You know how it is, take away your favourite and you're forced to try new things. Even though the crêpes are fantastic, the meat pie does not fail. But that doesn't change the fact that I miss my favourite dish. -
Review from Andrew M.
Toronto, ON
8/27/2009
Have had both brunch and dinner here.
Brunch was quite good and reasonably priced. Restaurant was also fairly busy which gave it a bit of character. Ambience inside is nice and the service was good.
When I came for dinner on a weekday night, it was absolutely dead. All of the charm and character from brunch was replaced with a void of nothingness. Food was okay, but not outstanding, and the service was a bit off. Our server claimed she was a native French speaker at one point, despite the fact that she pronounced every single letter in "Monsieur" (MON-SEE-YUR) which, although I'm quite the Anglophone, was a bit weird.
Anyways, I'll give it a rating somewhere between meh and pretty good. A better bet for brunch. -
Review from Stephanie I.
Toronto, ON
8/2/2011
We had a meal on a Tuesday evening so restaurant was relatively quiet. Food was great - we left happy and looking forward to returning. Between the 6 of us, we shared and sampled each other dishes so we could give everything a try.
APP
- Seafood appetizer duo - great sear on scallops and shrimps. Personally didn't care for the sauce but wasn't a bad dish.
- Escargot - really great garlic sauce, simple dish done right.
- Duck pate - ok, but not very creamy pate. But relatively healthy for us though, I suppose, compared to other pate.
MAINS
- Rack of lamb - this was one of the specials and very well executed. Great sauce and well cooked to order.
- Steak frites - great steak with frites. My husband enjoyed this.
- Red snapper - another evening special. Pretty good. Not my pick.
- Seafood pasta - pretty healthy dish (not too greasy) but not much to write home about I think.
DESSERT
Had profiteroles, 2 large profiteroles with ice cream drizzled with chocolate. Fresh pastry.
We had a super friendly hostess and well mannered server. Service was good, but it was a pretty quiet night. -
Review from Jade H.
4/18/2010
Quite satisfying and service was a delight.
I'm a savory girl and love to eat complex savory flavours. Sweet is for the birds. Canard was not too tough and not at all too fatty. I liked this just as much as thier meat pie. This pie was a buttery crust stuffed with minced venison, chicken, and beef. All came with a side of crispy vegetables. Everything was well seasoned.
Best part of the meal was dessert. Yup. When a savory person loved the dessert, that meant that it was exceptionally complex flavored. The merenge was very light and melts in your mouth, but the most wonderful dessert was the warm cake a la mode.
I don't remember what they were all named on the menu as French is not the best language for me to remember in, but the service was very friendly and very attentative. He was proud of his suggestions when we told him that we very much enjoyed it. He will help you pick something out. Also, who doesn't love a short Philipino man with gelled up hair and tight fitting clothes who seems much bigger than the body God gave him. His personality was busting out. -
Review from Kevin K.
3/20/2011
Overall not bad experience. But, not good enough to repeat.
Bigger than an intimate french bistro should be, and absent the classic bistro fare, for example tartare.
The bread was unremarkable. Moules were swimming in dill. AND, no sancerre by the glass.
Second french disappointment in TO this trip. -
Review from Carmen M.
3/28/2010 1 Check-in Here
After a decidedly successful excursion at the St Lawrence Market, I'd worked up a sufficient appetite. I passed Le Papillon on my way home and, while it was past my normal brunch time, I was starving, it was empty, so I went in.
Good:
- the service was good (minus the normal Toronto "please fill my water glass as I am DYING OF THIRST m.o.)
- my latte was good, but not as good as Bar One
- my Ouefs Florentine were good
- the hollandaise sauce was delish -- super lemony and buttery
Bad:
- my eggs weren't nearly as hot as they should have been
- the portions were okay
Overall, my experience was good, but nothing more than good. I probably wouldn't go back, although the crepes sounded interesting. A good place for a good egg, but that's about it. -
Review from Ayelet B.
10/31/2010 1 Check-in Here
I had a yummy Reuben sandwich here with hand carved Montreal smoked meat. It was sooo good and you can have it with frites or salad. It was Friday so I had the deep fried yummy potatoes. Our waiter was great and fun was had by all.
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Review from Brittainy C.
St John, NB
10/26/2010
My husband and I were in Toronto this past week and ate here - it was wonderful. We each had an appetizer and entree, they were wonderful. The waiter was very good, I never had to ask for anything to be cleared or a refill on my water. My husband had the prime rib, and it was cooked to perfection, and my pork was also perfect. They really understand that "well done" does NOT mean overcooked! The appetizers were also a good size, they weren't skimpy with my cheese or my husbands smoked salmon. 5 stars for food, service, and decor.
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Review from Tim L.
3/13/2011
This is a nice little French place on Front St. I had the small French onion soup for an appetizer, crepe bourgingnon (sp?) for main course and profiteroles for dessert. All were very good. I like to try new wines and Harry of Pelham Chardonnay was nice. It's an Ontario (Niagara) wine. Service was very good.
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Review from Simon C.
Toronto, ON
3/15/2010
They serve a worthy Steak - Frites with a very tasty brandy peppercorn sauce. It can be hit or miss depending on how busy it is but overall great value and good service.
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Review from Helen Y.
Vancouver, BC
10/31/2010
brunch was a disaster... ordered teo different styles of eggs benedict, very soso, and when asked fo goat cheese and spinach added to the meal, there was two leaves and goat cheese was on the side.... WTF??
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Review from Yelena K.
Markham, ON
5/12/2010
Came here with couple of friends last week. The place was quite empty on an early friday night but filled up pretty quickly.
I have been to le papillon on church street in the past and was quite surprised they moved to Front street. This place is nicely decorated and service was good. Between four of us we had four appetizers I think the mussels were quite good. My onion soup was nothing spectacular. My hubby liked his rib eye. I have to say my bouillabaisse was quite bland. Overall, we had a great time here (2 bottles of wine helped.) The final bill was quite reasonable for four people including 4 apps/entree + 2 bottles of wine it was only around $200.
I would give 3.5 star for the food and 4 star for decor/service.
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