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Marben
Category: Restaurants Canadian (New) Canadian (New) [Edit]
488 Wellington St WToronto, ON M5V 1E3
(416) 979-1990
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 11 am - 11 pm
Fri 11 am - 2 am
Sat 10 am - 2 am
Sun 10 am - 11 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
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
82 reviews for Marben
Review Highlights
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"Ervinna's Ice Cream Sandwich (free." In 9 reviews -
"Bread pudding french toast - very good." In 3 reviews -
"John's Burger - wow - one of the best burgers I have had in..." In 7 reviews
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82 reviews in English
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Review from Evelyn W.
5/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
Last night we had a bit of everything at Marben and it was delicious! Three of us went to celebrate a friend's last night in Toronto, so we let ourselves go all out.
Their menu is designed that everything is share-able and comes with side plates - even the burger is in quarters and the steak cut. This is ideal for people who want to try everything, like me.
We had:
Oysters - they came with a lovely cucumber sauce, but I asked for horseradish.
Charcuterie plate - nothing too intimidating on it (no emu hearts, etc.), and they brought extra bread. yum.
Burger
Roast Beef
Gnocci
I recommend ALL OF IT.
We also drank a lot, many of their signature cocktails. I forget their names... because we drank a lot of them. But the booze is wherein Marben loses a star - I wanted to give them 5 stars so desperately because everything was so great... but the mark-up on drinks is ridiculous. $14 for a 2 ounce cocktails? $50 for their cheapest bottle of wine? It appeared to be a decently curated wine list, but still. Even our server agreed the mark-up was a bit insane.
The service was lovely. Very casual and amusing waitresses get cozy with you about the menu. Not in a dirty way, though our waitress did tell us some inappropriate things about the staff... but hey, who doesn't love gossip about strangers?
NB: If you have an earlier reservation, they will want your table again. -
Review from Elif K.
Toronto, ON
5/22/2012
I love how the city empties out during long weekends! My best friend and I had brunch plans and decided to meet up at 11am for brunch. After riding our bikes through the city to check out a couple of our favorite brunch spots with no luck...we ended up at Marben. She had been there before, I had not.
It was a beautiful, sunny day so we sat on the patio which is raised a little bit and super cute. We didn't have to wait at all and got a table right away. Bonus!
I'm a meat eater, she's not. She ordered Simon's Omelette and I had the Traditional breakfast with sunny side up eggs and extra crispy bacon.
Before your food comes, they bring out fresh baked bread, home made butter and jam. She remembered how great it was from last time, I was very pleasantly surprised. Wow, it all tasted amazing! We devoured that bread in a few minutes!
When our meals came out, I noticed there's no toast served with the traditional breakfast...but having that home made bread moments earlier totally made up for it. Who really needs THAT much bread in one meal, right? :)
The coffee was really good too. Very fresh!
At first glance, our portions looked a little small. But I think our eyes were just bigger than our stomachs as it was the perfect size. There are technically only 3 little pieces (not strips) of bacon on the plate...but they're cut super thick, which is pretty much the equivalent of 3 longer (more conventionally cut) strips.
The only thing that's keeping me from giving a higher rating is the service. Although it was pretty attentive, I think our server was just having a crappy day or maybe just in a "blah" mood. It's not her fault at all. I think I was just a little surprised, that's all.
All in all Marben's brunch was delicious. I've heard great things about their dinners and will try it out sometime this summer for sure. -
Review from Teena D.
5/6/2012 6 photos
Gord and I were in the area yesterday and stopped in at Marben for a drink. We'd never been there before.
It was really warm in there ... too bad the patio wasn't open or at least have the windows open to let some air in.
They only have three beer on tap (Muskoka Brewery). I ordered a cream ale and Gord ordered and IPA. They weren't very cold at all ... not refreshing. I like beer but didn't like mine so gave a lot of it to Gord ... that's when we realized that I had been drinking the one he ordered (he likes a hoppier beer). No wonder I didn't like it. I'd asked for a glass of water and got a small glass (3/4 full) of room temperature water and no ice.
It's a cute spot, though. The bathroom was funky.
All in all, I wasn't crazy about this place and won't be rushing back. -
Review from Melanie C.
Oakville, ON
4/23/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
It's not easy finding a restaurant downtown Toronto that can handle a very large group that also serves incredible food, on a Saturday, at dinner time. Did I mention I had less than a week to work with? Enter Marben. You'll catch me saying the name with the emphasis on the second syllable (I'm part French) but everyone I know emphasizes the MAR.
Allowing 16 people to order food could easily become a disaster. Luckily, the servers told us the chef had a sharing/tasting menu in mind and we did not object. The amazing waitress checked with everyone for dietary restrictions and let those affected know which dishes they could enjoy and which to avoid. There was lots of food coming so no one would starve.
I have often been told that Marben is very expensive, some say too expensive. Therefore, if you have 15 friends (acquaintances will do), I highly recommend this long list of food. It was very affordable considering the quality and quantity of food we enjoyed. About $40 per person, INCLUDING tax and tip. And we were all more than full. Also, we didn't even finish it all.
18 oysters = $45
3 charcuterie boards = $60
3 beet salads = $30
3 cod cakes = $36
6 DNR burgers = $78
3 DNR bass = $51
3 DNR toulouse = $39
2 DNR trout = $36
2 DNR lamb = $42
3 squash = $15
3 fries = $15
3 sunchoke = $15
3 broccoli = $15
3 gnocchi = $15
2 spaetzle = $10
My favourites: the burger, the sunchokes, the gnocchi.
Honourable mentions: charcuterie, beed salad, lamb, squash, spaetzle, broccoli.
Notes: beverages were on a separate bill. They will let you each use a different credit card, if necessary.
This was a great way for our large group to dine. This gave everyone the opportunity to try several items of the menu and also saved us lots of time by not ordering individual meals.
On a second visit I was seated at a high top on the main level. We ordered the burger and the gnocchi. Both were as good as I had remembered. The service was spectacular, yet again. It's good to know their quality is consistent.
I'm impressed! -
Review from Lexie L.
Etobicoke, ON
5/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Sunday brunch with no wait. That simply cannot be beat! Ambiance is casual and the place was pretty full. Little patio out front that will be great in the summer. The bread to start was simply fantastic, served with butter and fruit preserves, I just couldn't stop eating it. Eggs Benny and the traditional were next. Eggs Benny were great, side salad is awesome. The traditional eggs were nothing special, but the sausage was good. Would definitely come back here.
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Review from Mira B.
Toronto, ON
4/1/2012
LOVE THIS PLACE!
tapas is my favourite style of eating - so much more interactive and fun. the atmosphere is live, the food is amazing, and plus great service. i also love that you can sit at the place facing the kitchen!
forget the exact name but their burger was AMAZING. and same with their beet salad. try everything as long as you're into it.
was there for dinner but will be back for brunch/lunch next time.
only bummer for me was their bathroom lights =( i know that may be the style they're going for but i don't like it when its dark in there. spooky. -
Review from Ryan H.
Toronto, ON
3/26/2012
I went here for my birthday dinner last month and it was an extremely pleasant and sophisticated experience.
The proximity to my building was a huge plus, literally took 2 minutes to walk there. It has a pretty unassuming exterior but once you go inside you're transported to a place with a lot of wood things that look cool. I'm not going to get all crazy with design talk but it looks very slick and cool and dark and moody which is my favourite atmosphere. Much like the Great Northern.
Everyone on the staff that we interacted with was courteous and friendly and knew a lot about the food items on the menu. Wait times were not long at all, certainly not moreso than the norm. I was wearing a Dior Homme suit from the 2004 Victim of the Crime collection along with new Tom Ford shoes, belt, and Oliver People's horn-rimmed glasses which perfectly matched my Jean-Paul Gautier leather attache case. Needless to say I fit in PERFECTLY.
I had a full bodied red from Prince Edward Island. Very smooth. For the main I had the duck breast featuring sweet potato puree, arugula and cherry jus. I was very impressed with the assortment of flavours engorging my 'buds' but I wish there was more sweet potato puree. I've been on a big sweet potato kick recently.
Background music included Talking Heads, Brian Eno, and TOTO. There's also a basement for additional tables. -
Review from roben h.
Toronto, ON
3/10/2012
Marben is my neighborhood go-to.
Excellent food.
Excellent service at par with comparable businesses in cities like NY or LA.
Great decor & dining concept. -
Review from Jon O.
2/23/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I've been to Marben twice now. Both were very different experiences, but both were memorable.
First Dinner:
My fiancee and I went with another couple for a few share plates before heading out for drinks afterwards. It was suggested by our friends so when we arrived we were a little surprised at the prices and ended up not ordering enough. To be fair, the prices aren't really that high, I'd say "upper-middle" but the quality of the food is top tier.
We all shared the burger, a vegetarian ravioli, a charcuterie, and I can't remember the fourth dish. All were excellent, but the burger was out of this world. Definitely the best burger I've ever had in Toronto. The service was solid, the decor is very rustic and relaxed, and the experience was overall positive.
Second Dinner:
Vivek's birthday! You've probably already read his review because it's surely at the top, but I'll give my take as well. The waitress offered to bring us a series of platters recommended by the chef. They started early and often and didn't stop. I can't even remember everything I tried, but here's a list of the most memorable:
- the burger (the best, I say, the best!)
- oysters (standard, nothing special)
- roasted sunchokes (the root of a sunflower....yes, we had to ask the wait staff)
- gnocchi with brussel sprouts (delish...mom would be proud)
- beet & endive salad
- crusted bass (amazing!)
- fries with truffle aioli (the fries were nothing spectacular, but the aoili left me weak in the knees)
The wait staff (all except one) could give a full, non-stuffy description of each dish and actively encouraged discussion.
Speaking of the wait staff, one waitress, in particular, was fantastic. I ordered a bottle of wine with 3 other dinner companions at one end of the table. As it turned out I ended up completely at the other end. The waitress found me and poured my glass of wine without missing a beat. Later, she made sure to include me in the second pour as well.
If you're looking for high-end food in a relaxed environment at a fair price, head to Marben. You won't regret it. -
Review from Vivek S.
1/16/2012
Six-thirty was kind of early for a dinner reservation I thought, but Marben is a fairly popular restaurant. As we checked our coats at the door I couldn't help but notice empty booths and tables in the seating area. "Good thing we made a reservation," I chuckled to myself. When we followed the hostess down some stairs I was confused. Hearing a table full of my friends yell 'surprise' cleared up the matter immediately. How do I keep falling for stuff like this?
Anyway, I visited Marben for the first time on Saturday night and what a night it was. Marben is in a rather weird part of town on that disjointed strip of Wellington St near Portland. Taking a cab seemed like the most sensible option. Once we got their we were treated to a beautiful space. Lots of natural wood, healthy noise level and fairly casual. We were seated downstairs (in the Bavette room) which is a cave-like space with a dedicated bar, dim incandescent lighting, and dark corners. Great place for a party.
Our server was charming and waxed enthusiastic about the menu. As an alternative to ordering à la carte, she offered to have the kitchen assail us with "a bit of everything" from the menu. While we recognized the risk of such a proposition, it seemed like a logical choice for a group of about twenty. In hindsight, it was the only choice. A brilliant move.
After inquiring about food allergies and preferences, our server disappeared to load the food cannon. We ate a lot.
They brought out charcuterie boards, fresh oysters, fish cakes, duck fat fries, a crispy sea bass, roasted sunchokes (these were killer), roasted brussels sprouts and buttery gnocchi, generous carvings of their amazing burger, a sausage made of like six different meats, broccoli tempura, spaetzle, slabs of juicy beef, and there was a salad in there somewhere (which I obviously avoided). I was impressed with every bite. Everyone was talking about the smoky beef tongue on the charcuterie board, and the burger was maybe-the-best I've had in the city.
Fabulous dinner.
Obligatory Title Pun: Get 100% of your MARB-ohydrate intake.
Menu Readability: I didn't have it for very long, but I remember good leading and lots of rounded sans-serif.
Need to mention: Since I was treated by friends, the value proposition was high. YMMV.
What this place teaches me about myself: Another year older, another year closer to death. Especially when you eat like I do.Listed in: Yet Another Good for Groups…, Pleased to meat you, Cocktail Boss
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Review from Brian K.
2/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
Fantastic experience; cf. http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
However, I will deduct a half-star as our long table was broken up by a mighty wooden post. Coulda done without the post. -
Review from Stefanie L.
Markham, ON
3/3/2012
Went here for dinner and it was very nice! The service was great. I asked our server to recommend a sparkling wine and it was faaaaaaantastic. So fantastic that I ordered two of them, which were $12 each.
I got Dennis' beef and it was very delicious. The brown butter sauce was really sweet but I liked it. The fries were good. The truffle aioli was awesome. My bf also got the beef and got fingerling potatoes. The potatoes weren't that special. Average.
For dessert we got a sampler with caramel ice cream, candied walnuts, chocolate tart, almond shortbread cookies, and the apple bread pudding. The bread pudding was my fave, but really, they were all amazing.
I think the only thing this menu needs is a bit more selection for the mains. -
Review from Kelly O.
1/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
This was one of the better meals I've had in a long time. Yes, the decor and atmosphere are great- but the food was freaking delish.
I love that you can get a ton of different things to try. A table of 3 of us got 4 sides and 3 mains and we all left stuffed.
The fries with truffle aioli were kick ass and a good value at 5 bucks. The gnocchi with Brussels sprouts - ditto.
I had the beef- sliced thinly and cooked rare, and so tender you could cut it with a butter knife. The brown butter sauce drizzled on the side was rediculously awesome. Epic.
Service was beyond 5*
I can't wait to go back. -
Review from James F.
St John's, NL
3/11/2012
This truly is an amazing restaurant.
The food was in small portions, but was absolutely delicious. From the gnocchi to the trout, it was great. The menu options change every day, so you always get something innovative.
Besides the food, the service was top-notch. Our dinner was taking a bit longer to come out, so they offered us two desserts on the house.
Overall, a great spot for a great night out. Highly reccomended. -
Review from Vanessa G.
Toronto, ON
2/14/2012
Hands down one of my favourite restaurants in the city. Staff is very hip, helpful and totally unpretentious. They even once opened for me on a Monday when I needed a venue for a large work party, which was totally amazeballs.
The space itself has a very reclalimed rustic vibe, and is very cozy.
The food is orgasmic, from the charcuterie plate and cheese selections to the burger (life changing) and home style mains I can honestly say I have never had a bad meal here. Plus they host a number of really cool events from Sausage League in the Summer, to i-Yellow wine tastings, monthly pig roasts and Social Feed events there really is something for everyone. -
Review from Jarita L.
Markham, ON
3/30/2012
had the bass, duck breast, charcuterie, and apple pudding. Bass was seared PERFECTLY (not even exaggerating). Wonderful meal. Love this place
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Review from Pascal P.
Toronto, ON
2/10/2012
I went last night at about 5:15. We were told that the kitchen doesn't open till 5:30 but that we were welcome to have a drink. We were shown to our table and given drink menus, I had to ask for the food menu. All the staff were hanging out around the open kitchen which I had a clear view of. I am still not quite sure who our server was. Everyone kind of seemed all over the place yet no where at the same time. They took our food order at 5:30, we received our soup appetizer at 5:45 and our entrees at 6:15...we were finished and ordered the bill at 6:21.
Food
Butternut squash soup- 5/5 amazing
Marianne's duck- 3/5 i don't think I am a duck fan
dennis' beef-4/5 very tender
caramelized root vegetables- 3/5 was the highlight of my meal and a sore disappointment -
Review from Noah G.
4/15/2012
Marben was a recommendation of a server at another restaurant - and auspicious sign. The resto is probably best described as rustic Canadiana. The menu is prepared daily but looks pretty similar to the "example" menu posted on the restaurant's website. Each dish (and speciality cocktail) is named after a person, a kind of gimmicky touch. I sat the bar and solicited suggestions from the friendly bartender. I started with the bull carpaccio with a glass of Ontario chardonnay. The flavors were good but the meat was on the tough side. The crispy capers that the dish was served with were a fail - they tasted of frying oil and lacked the pickled floral zing that capers usually bring to a dish. Fortunately freshness was provided by tossed microgreens. Jerk chicken with rutabaga puree was very nice with bold jerk flavor and vegetal richness for contrast. I had an Ontario red with the dish with a pint of local brew to finish. After dinner I tried nice one-off cocktail that the bartender had been working on. It had crisp citrus and flavorful bitter accents. The apple pudding is not recommended. The apple is subdued so the dessert ends up being a relatively dry bread pudding.
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Review from Renay R.
Toronto, ON
12/20/2011
I've been wanting to check out Marben and Bevette for a long time but never seem to get down to Wellington. I finally went today and I really liked it.
The place looks great. I love the roof and the careful mish mash of art. We sat at the back and we had a view of the kitchen which was cool. At one point they brought out huge pieces of frozen beef - I think they literally had a whole cow right on the counter. It was kind of weird to see that but whatever...
For the food, they brought out some hearty bread with a nice oil and chili sauce. For the meal, I had the plat du jour which consisted of pureed carrots, broccoli and I think turnups and the chicken (you order a side and protein separately). The veggies were really good.
The service was great - very friendly!
Didn't get a chance to go to Bavette, but I'll be back! -
Review from Michael Y.
Toronto, ON
12/7/2011 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
I've had this place bookmarked on Yelp for the longest time and I finally got a chance to go. We went for my wife's birthday and it did not disappoint.
The venue was smart and cozy. I liked the space and the lighting was perfect for a intimate setting. We had a fabulous waitress who attended to our every needs and answered all of our questions about the sharing menu. She even had (which I think was) an Irish accent which I think was charming. Our plates were taken away when we were done and our water was always constantly filled. I would say it was one of the better service I've gotten at a restaurant in a while. Or they were just making sure we left before the next reservation arrived. Either way, no complaint here.
Here's what we ordered (table of 6): Butternut Squash Soup, Cod Cakes, Pull Pork Croquettes, Tofu Tempura, Sea Bass, Braise Roast Beef, Fries, Rice and Beans, Roasted Fingerlings, Stir Fried Broccoli, and Gnocchi. Overall, the food was tasty and perfectly cook. Their cocktail drinks were top notch as were their beer and wine selections. A couple of complaints I have would be the portion size and the sides. Even though they were sharing dishes, there just wasn't enough to satisfy for a group and the price seemed a little bit hefty for the portions. The sides seemed more of an afterthought and there were misses here and there. They should have sides accompanied with the mains instead of separate dishes.
Didn't have desert here but heard they were marvellous as well. Must try some next time. -
Review from Alon O.
Toronto, ON
12/17/2011
Marben is one of my new favorite in Toronto. They have been open for two years and super busy. I'm worried that they may change because of their success! Prices are very reasonable to cheap for the superb quality and taste. Love the burger and the sides are also well done. Service is great once u get past the hostess. Don't let that deter u.
All in all a very recommended place! -
Review from Maheen M.
11/30/2011
I visited Marben last night with a few of my gal pals and we had a fabulous time. We ordered various items on their menu to get a sampling of what they had to offer.
Food
Appetizers
Cod Fritters - so yummy, potatoey and fishy all at the same time. I was expecting a greasy appetizer but that was not the case. The red sauce it came with was a great accent to the fritters.
Charcuterie Board - what a fun and interactive appetizers, great selection of meats, cheese and pickles. I loved the presentation. The gals and I gobbled the appetizer up.
Mains
John's Burger - wow - one of the best burgers I have had in the city. You must try their burger. Juicy, flavourful and melt in your mouth.
Sides
Gnocchi - oh so good, kinda small for sharing, I wished there was more. The gnocchi was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The fried onions and roasted brussel sprouts added a nice crunch.
Yukon Gold Fries with Truffle Aioli - lots of fries to share, the gals and I could not finish the side. The fries were well-executed, the aioli was delish.
Drinks
Sangria - great drink, it was like drinking a fruity punch. I did not realize how much i was drinking until my glass was empty. Oops.
Service
Quick and super friendly. We had to hunt down our server for more water and our bill.
Atmosphere
Cozy, intimate yet loud. We were tucked in a corner and I had trouble hearing my friends.
Overall, I had a great time with my friends and the food was wonderful. I will definitely be back to try out the other items on their menu and their desserts. We were too full after our meal. -
Review from Jason K.
Mississauga, ON
11/8/2011 4 Check-ins Here
I've got a major problem.
I've been to Marben way too many times and become a "regular" which I think disqualifies me from writing an objective review. If I gush, well maybe that's because I imagine that me and Carl are pals and I don't want to disappoint him. If I condemn, won't I be afraid that Carl will read this and send his Russian sous-chef to murder me in my sleep?
The truth is that Marben is just this kind of place-- not so stuck-up that they won't remember your name unless you buy the 05 Domaine Romanee Conti each time, and also awesome enough to make it your secret little hangout that you bring all your out-of-town friends to.
Too many crazy awesome things about it to really do it justice-- but here are a few:
- Beet salad -- just buy it. Every single time.
- SAUSAGE LEAGUE!
- Pulled pork croquettes -- crazy good. A crispy exterior that falls apart when you bite into it then melts in your mouth.
- Chef's table (dang, gave away my secret!)
The only complaint I have is the dessert selection. I am getting pretty sick of the ice cream sandwich and the bread pudding. I might have to buy them a gelato maker or something eventually.
Well, I honestly think that Marben deserves a five-star rating, so I'm giving it to them. And hopefully saying that means that I don't wake up in the middle of the night to a bald Russian wielding a Santoku. -
Review from Precilla C.
Scarborough, ON
I came to Marben for their sausage league. My previous two dining experiences here had been fairly pleasant, but unfortunately, I had some issues with the service this time around.
The menu for the night was significantly different from the online version, and I was rather disappointed because some of the dishes that I wanted to try was no longer on the menu (pulled pork croquette!!!). Although I appreciate that they change their menu frequently, it would be nice if they updated the menu online as well!
Everything came within 2 minutes of the bread's arrival! I wished the wait staff could've given me at least 5 minutes to sample the bread before bombarding me with all the food! However, my mom, who tried a piece later, told me that the bread was not very good at all. She also commented that the dip tasted like Chinese soy sauce.
We shared Julia's butternut squash soup with chantilly, croutons, and sage oil. The soup actually arrived last, after the burger and the two sausage dishes, which didn't really make sense to me. In addition to that, we weren't provided with spoons or a sharing bowl, despite explicitly stating that we planned to share the soup. I guess it wasn't a big deal, but it was slightly annoying. Now, onto the soup itself, which was actually quite delicious. It was creamy and sweet, but not too thick, and I loved that wonderful crunch from the croutons.
From Pizzeria Libretto/Enoteca Sociale, chef Rocco Agostino presented us with the Italian "chili dog" with mild fennel sausage, rabbit chili and pickled shallot. I really loved this dish! The sausage was pleasantly sweet and incredibly juicy! The rabbit chili and pickled shallot were great additions, even though I couldn't really distinguish the taste of the rabbit itself. The tangy pickled shallots were particularly refreshing.
From La Palette, we had wild boar Andouille in duck neck confit with Esplette ratatouille, arugula, Cerignola olives and capers. Unfortunately, the Andouille sausage was too dry, although it had great flavour. It tasted great when paired with the ratatouille, but by itself the sausage was awfully dry. I thought that the various components of the dish worked quite well. The arugula salad was lightly dressed and very refreshing, and the duck neck confit was tender and had that wonderfully intense duck flavour. Overall, I really liked the extravagance and creativity of the dish, but the components weren't as well integrated as it could've been. So in the end, I put my vote on the other dish.
Now onto some ranting about the service. Since $25 included a bottle of Steamwhistle, and neither my mom nor I are big fans of beer, I asked if I could take the bottle to go, and our server said she'd asked. She only informed me at the end of my meal that this wasn't possible. I mean, I understand if you won't let me take it home, but at least tell me earlier so I could have it with my meal. Regardless, I didn't want to waste, so I asked to have it anyway. Our server completely forgot about it, and I had to ask for it again while we were getting bill.
After I finally got my bottle of Steamwhistle and the bill, I anxiously waited for the ballot so we could vote! It turned out that our server completely forgot to give us the ballot, and I had to (yet again) ask for it while we were paying the bill. I mean... I thought the whole point of this sausage league event was that we, the diners, get to pick the winners!
There were also other minor issues, like pacing of the dishes, the wine glasses weren't taken away (our table already had no space for all the plates) and the extinguished candle wasn't relit for half the meal. So altogether, I wasn't very happy about the service, even though the sausage league event itself was pretty fun.Listed in: Brunch Extravaganza, Burgers! Burgers! Burgers
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/15/2011
I came to Marben for their monthly pig roast. Who doesn't love succulent, slow-roasted meat? I… Read more »
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Review from Viviana M.
Toronto, ON
Dining Experience: Lunch
Specialty: Carnivorous Paradise
Menu items: John's Burger
Vegetarians be aware! Marben is a carnivorous paradise. Although they offer salad options, the smell of meat goodness might overpower your own will. Known for their charcuterie, meats, pig roasts and the fact that Marben's butcher is non-other than Ryan Donovan (former Chef and famous Toronto Butcher); Marben promises to make your meat-eating experience worthwhile.
I was lured into Marben just to try John's Burger. Get this! They use braised ribs instead of ground beef for their patties (mouth watering). This burger is definitely all about the meat and its flavour; so much so, that the burger only comes with branston pickles (made from a variety of diced vegetables), aged cheddar and a specialty house-made sauce to butter the bread, which I am sure contains a lot of butter.
The aged cheddar is perfectly melted on the braised rib patty and covers it in its entirety. When you get your burger, you can barely see the cheese, it is only with good lighting that you are able to see it as as well my camera did. One bite into the burger, and you know you have just entered dangerous territory - otherwise called addiction.
The flaky pieces of braised rib mixed in with the branston pickle mix and topped with the nice coating of cheddar, deserves an applause.
The bread is also soft and moist and just a perfect pairing for this patty.
Marben's accompaniments - fries and coleslaw - are also good choices, but once again they just compliment the burger. If they wanted to up the ante with their fries, this for sure will have crowds coming in for more. All in all, a great Burger Quest experience and another addition to my list.
Buen Provecho,
Viviana -
Review from Ryan M.
Toronto, ON
12/2/2011
Marben's brunch was fantastic. I went with my girlfriend one dreary Saturday morning and had my spirits lifted immediately when they brought a platter of freshly baked bread with strawberry-rhubarb jam. It was unexpectedly sublime and paired well with their coffee.
My girlfriend ordered the bread pudding french toast (but skipped the accompanying meat). it was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious (a little too rich for my tastes in the morning but perfect for the person with a sweet tooth). I had the eggs benedict and asked them for a side of hashbrowns instead of the salad it normally comes with. The potatoes were fantastic- crispy on the outside, perfectly cooked on the inside, and coated with a wonderful spice rub.
The eggs benedict was one of the best I've had in the city. The egg itself was poached to perfection (firm with a runny yolk) and the hollendaise sauce was light and regretless. And while the pemeal bacon and quality white cheddar slice are what normally caps off a fine ol' benny, it was the english muffin that really stood out for me. Seriously. It was so good I asked them where they get them from. Turns out they make them *in house*.
Slam. Dunk. -
Review from Maddy K.
Toronto, ON
10/11/2011
i LOVE me a good burger and this was THE BEST i've had in the city. The Jack's burger is to DIE for - it was simply unbelievable. We had to have seconds - i just couldnt get over it and will definitely return for more.
Its a sharing menu here and the burger comes in 4 pieces making it easy to enjoy this little piece of heaven. The burgern bun is fantastic!
the fresh bread they bring to start with soy olive oil is really great as well.
All sides are $5 each which is a great deal and the gnocchi simply melts in your mouth - divine!!
We had the fish as well which was good but not memorable. The waitress insisted we try the pommes kennedy which were glorified potato chips - nothing special.
The ice cream sandwich was good - great size but nothing special. I wish the sandwich part was softer would be easier to bite into -
Review from Rachael T.
Toronto, ON
7/5/2011 ROTD 3/11/2012
Happy Birthday to Me, Happy Birthday to Me, Happy Birthday to meeee, Happy Birthday to me :)
What a pleasant surprise to see that this restaurant right by my soon-to-be-home was the location of my surprise party, planned by S :). As I walked in, there was this long table with familiar faces... boyfriends of my roomates... and then I see them - MY ROOMMATES from university.... it's hard enough to get all of us in the same place and for all of them to be here was truly wonderful!
Another bonus - all their food here is sourced locally and their menu changes based on what their suppliers / friends give them... which is awesome! Known to be a place of sharing, we all shared several appetizers and also each got our own dish as a main.
The bread was fresh with a dipping sauce tasting like maple syrup. We had run out and the waitress said she was going to bring us more.. but it never happened. Oysters were 3.50 / piece supplied by Rodney's Oyster House in Toronto, and also sourced locally.... So i am a bit of a seafood snob and didn't think this oyster would live up to my expectation.. but prove me wrong.... nah that didn't happen. The oyster was pretty small and didn't have any plumpness to it. The cucumber mignonette was too bland imo, as I like the usual vinegary taste that adds a bit of bite.
The sharables included the gnocchi - top of mind because I thought it was delicious.. it was chewy and puffy, different from what it seems to be the usual buttery and lightly friend gnocchi. They reminded me of little pillows, which is what I think they should be. Although starchy, it did not feel heavy at all. The beet salad was actually an orange/pink beet which was very refreshing..... the shredded asparagus with fresh cheese was okay, with the asparagus as the hidden element becuase the pieces were too fine, and had lack of taste. The cheese however, was nice and creamy... but i was hoping for more asparagus. We got some softshell crab to share, which was nice - good to have a little crunch in your meal. I'm cannot judge whether it was done well or not because I do not usually eat it by itself (but in sushi), but overall it tasted pretty good.
For the main - I had the duck with kale and puree of some sort.. if I remember correctly... it was seasoned nicely.. the meat felt a little tough - not sure if that's how they cook it, or if that is just Ontario meat? It was still very tasty. Everyone else also raved about the other dishes, including the burger, jerk chicken (which could use more heat), and the gnocchi once again.
Little did I know, S ordered dessert for everyone which included a very large portion of Chocolate ice cream sandiwiches - there are two in one plate .... definitely enough for two people and comes with chocolate and vanilla sauce. I'm not sure what was so special about it as I found it to be a typical chocolate ice cream sandwich. I was excited to try the apple bread pudding (you know... me and my apple pie). I'm not sure if the bread is supposed to be fluffy or light or heavy and saucy, but mine was definitely on the heavy side.. not warm... is it supposed to be? There was a dollop of rich rich marscapone cheese which had both sweet and pinches of saltiness to it... it was very delicious, but cannot eat the whole thing. I didn't want to waste as everyone was so full so I ate more dessert than I could handle!
I have to say that the food was great and so was the company. as much as the server was really nice and patient... there was also a lack of service. Our water glasses were never filled and no one ever came to check on us. We were supposed to get more bread, but it never came. The service between servers was very inconsistent. I'm guessing this is how the friday night service works?
Come for the food, don't be in a rush. Enjoy your company. I will be back.Listed in: King St W and Surroundings, I Love Apple Pie :)
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Review from Bahi K.
Scarborough, ON
7/18/2011
Went here on a Friday night with a large group of 10 people. There were times during the experience when I wanted to give Marben 5 stars, and there were other times when I was convinced I was giving them 1 star -- so I ended up averaging the ratings. Here is a breakdown of the good and the bad.
"The Good"
-We were able to call at 9:30 pm on a Friday and arrange to have a group of 10 people seated at 10:00 pm (it wasn't a total cold call as I had called earlier in the day about availability -- but point is that we were able to get seated)
-The food was, for the most part, pretty tasty. Special mention goes to the burger, which was especially delicious, and conveniently chopped into four pieces that made for ease of sharing.
-The music once dinner was over was outstanding a lot of fun to dance to
"The Bad"
-Service was excruciatingly slow (at one point, we witnessed servers doing shots in the kitchen area as though they were done, only they hadn't served us our main entrees)
-We were handed off from one server to another (who was totally oblivious as to what we had already ordered)
-Our initial server seemed a little too eager to inflate our bill, recommending an $84 bottle of wine (Atrea) that he described as life-changing (it was just ok) and pushing to order perhaps more than we needed to (despite all that, our final tab worked out to $60/person all in, which wasn't bad)
-Waiting for about 20 minutes to get served at an overcrowded bar after just ordering a massive feast was not exactly fun
In conclusion, I like Marben and will probably go back; I just hope that they make the necessary tweaks to retain their pristine reputation. -
Review from Mel C.
9/17/2011 2 photos
Came here for Saturday brunch and ordered John's Burger and Evan's Bread Pudding French Toast.
John's Burger ($17) came with fries and a coleslaw. The braised ribs in the burger was very juicy and tender. It didn't come with any toppings such as lettuce or tomatoes, which was fine because it was delicious on its own. The fries were very crispy and for shoestring fries lovers, you'll love Marben's fries. The coleslaw was also good but I think there was a bit too much vinegar taste to it. Nonetheless, it was good.
The real reason why I came here was for the Bread Pudding French Toast ($9). I really enjoyed the French toast! This is definitely a dish to split with a friend because it's very sweet.
If I ever come here for brunch again, it'll definitely be for the Bread Pudding French Toast and not so much for the burger (I'm not a burger fan, to be honest, I'm happy with fast food burgers).
I think the service and atmosphere were very nice so I'll probably come here for dinner one day. -
Review from Leslie-Anne W.
Toronto, ON
10/4/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Attention burger addicts. The marben burger blows my mind. Take an already delicious tasting burger, and fill it with braised ribs, and top with aged cheddar, served alongside fantastic fries with truffle aioli and, sadly, a forgettable coleslaw. As you take your first bite, a light shines down from above and you know you are entering burger heaven.
I have only been to Marben for lunches, and find the atmosphere relaxed, and friendly. The only gripe I have is that more than once I have succumbed to the idea of blueberry lemonade and then received a very expensive pink lemonade with muddled blueberries that had the distinct hue and taste of my childhood frozen lemonade.
Stay away from the lemonade, go for the burger! -
Review from Tamara l.
Toronto, ON
3/25/2012
I've had two bad experiences with this place and I've only been there twice. The first time the bottom of my glass fell out, and glass and my drink went all over my lap. Freak accident I know! So I wasn't about to hold that against them. Last night I attended a birthday party for my friend there. The reservation was for 9:30pm and unfortunately that meant the entire time we were eating we were being rushed by our waitress. Hey, if you need us to finish before 10:30pm then why are you taking reservations at 9:30pm in the first place? The waitress rushed us so much that she decided to keep our change, which meant we ended up wayyyy over paying and she was nowhere to be found after she got our money. I guess she thought she deserved a 30% tip. Normally, I would make a stink about this and speak to another employee there but my friend who's birthday it was, was already feeling really bad that she picked this restaurant. So we all pretended it was no big deal. The food was good, although sparse. We would've ordered double the recommended amount but again, they were rushing us to finish up. DJ was excellent, the bus boy really nice, but the waitress really killed it for us.
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Review from Jess W.
Toronto, ON
8/1/2011 6 photos
One Friday after work, my boyfriend and I were trying to figure out where to go for dinner/drinks and decided to give Marben a try. We sat on their nice patio in front of the restaurant, which most people seemed to be doing.
After ordering we were served some bread, which is house-made daily. It was delicious and was a great way to start off the evening (as was my white wine sparkler cocktail - super refreshing!).
We started off with Ryan's Charcuterie (all their menu items start with a person's name) for $30. I'm always a sucker for house-made cured meats. The charcuterie consisted of venison and heart pepperoni, a pork terrine, Moscow sausage, capicolla and bresaola. It was served with mustard, crostini, pickled vegetables and a delicious caramelized onion chutney. All the meats were fantastic! My favourite of all the items was probably the pork terrine and the venison/heart pepperoni. The two of us were getting pretty full after this... it was a lot of meat!
Next came Alex's Pork Rib Fritters ($14). There were five bite-sized fritters which was served with a chipotle aioli and topped with cilantro and arugula. When I first stuck my fork into one of the fritters I was surprised by how soft they were. Turns out they were mostly potato filled with bits of pork. Nevertheless, they were pretty darn tasty. Similar to the charcuterie, this makes for a great sharing dish.
Lastly, we shared John's Burger - braised ribs, aged cheddar, coleslaw and fries ($17). The server came by and told us that they take their braised ribs, ground them up and build a burger around it. The burger also had the tasty caramelized onion chutney on it.. and oh my god, what an AMAZING burger. Definitely one of the best burgers I've ever had. It was so juicy and flavourful... my goodness! Looking around at the other tables, almost everyone else had ordered this burger. Definitely says something if you ask me.
Overall, Marben far exceeded my expectations! For some reason I always thought it was a lounge and the food was second fiddle. Boy was I wrong. Not only was the food delicious, but the service and atmosphere were excellent. Highly recommended! Just remember... the burger is a must-order!
Next time I'll be back for the pig roast - held the last Sunday of each month! -
Review from Mike G.
Toronto, ON
6/23/2011
Almost fantastic.
Nice looking place, for sure. Tons of light wood throughout the entire restaurant, good soft lighting, some pretty interesting touches here and there.
Some other reviews mention reservation difficulty: I had no problem getting a reservation through OpenTable for the next day, and they called to confirm it about 4 hours ahead of time. The service from everyone except for our actual server was really solid; she was a bit on the confused & distracted side.
Food: pulled pork croquette, venison ragout, lamb shoulder confit with wild leek tortelloni, and the warm apple pudding.
The pulled pork was very good, not overdone in any way, just a great appetizer with top notch quality ingredients. The ragout was really disappointing and pretty much tasted like Hamburger Helper, and totally not what I expected.
The lamb shoulder confit & leek tortelloni was out of this world. Seared with some sort of cinnamon, clove, cardamom ish spices and with some fantastic tzatziki-like greek yogourt on the top, every bite was amazing. The tortelloni with it was filled with perfectly done leek. Everything about that dish was good.
For dessert, the apple pudding was incredible. Light and almost creamy, not too sweet, with caramel and sea salt on top and then dolce di mascarpone - dolce de leche folded into mascarpone cheese (!) - on top of that.
Excellent wine selection, too, a pretty wide variety of reds perfect for most of the dishes at Marben, including the Niagara red we had.
It was really a 5-star experience, other than the ragout and the server, and they could fix those things and I'd give it five stars in a second.
$150 for two, with a really good bottle of wine and moderate tip. -
Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
4/21/2011
It was the Group of Seven actually. We had +2 Ladies beside one of our late arrivals of the night. If you look at Rafi N's photos, you'll notice they were Twins and one was fully dressed while the other naked. (http://www.yelp.ca/use...)
Looking at the Menu, I didn't see my Name on it anywhere(http://www.yelp.ca/biz...). Decided to get a taste of Marben by random-sample method instead. Otherwise known as let the Lady choose while I lay back and enjoy the interaction between Friends.
Flavour-wise, no complaints whatsoever. In fact, Boar Belly was Pork-fat chicharrony crunch savoury oily cholesterol bite of death. Well almost because the Pork Belly portion size was equivalent to an Amuse Bouche/Tapas, hardly going to make anyone OD on Fat content or Food volume. 911 not required. Sugar Momma/Poppa optional.
Btw, the place was quite romantic dim lighting which made everything that accompanied the protein to look like brown vegetation mixture. Make sure someone has flash on their cellphone to make sure you don't get any additional surprises. Either that or ask for a candle per person instead of per table. 2.5'd
Service was a better part only that I wish I knew if it was their mistake or the kitchens mistake on the extended delay firing of our dishes. The waitress must have gotten a HINT actually when you have the 1000+ review Yelper tell you someone is hungry, that is by no means a small hint. They must have made it a strategy to fit in a few more Beers into the western girl?
Ryan's Charcuterie($11.00)
John's Burger($17.00)
Fred's Crispy Wild Boar Confit Belly($12.00)
Marianne's Duck Confit($23.00)
Evan's Warm Apple Pudding($7.00)
Ervinna's Ice Cream Sandwich($7.00)
Summary:
I enjoyed the Food/Ambiance but in that time between servings I could have eaten a Burger nearby and returned before the end of second-intermission. I've had empty stomachs leaving high-end restaurants before, I guess I'll add Marben to the list. I would have thought differently if it was bonus paycheque season during my diet phase and I'm in a jolly mood.Listed in: 2.5 **Stars**
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Review from Tonja B.
Toronto, ON
5/24/2011 2 photos
I've heard a lot of hype about Marben prior to my first visit last week for dinner, particularly from Yelp Elitist, Kent P. I was keyed up having skimmed a recent BlogTO article about sausage fest beginning at Marben on Wednesday's (article link below), however, I neglected to read to the bottom of the article listing the dates in which sausage fest was taking place: EVERY OTHER Wednesday. Of course, the Wednesday I show up, it's not happening.
Nonetheless, my dinner was fantastic. Roasted beef on a thin bed of mash complete with shallots, roasted winter vegetables, and an allspice jus to tie it all together. It was like Sunday dinner, only better (sorry mom). The beef was cooked to perfection pretty rare, but on the verge of medium-rare doneness. Ice cream sandwiches for dessert. Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate as this cold little Sammy had chocolate ice cream pack in between two soft chocolate cookie wafers, with a side of warm chocolate and vanilla sauce for dipping. Heaven.
On the other hand, I wasn't overly impressed with everything else. Our dinner reservation was for 7.30 but the kitchen had already run out of a number of the star entrées, leaving some of the others in my group unsatisfied with their meals. The restaurant wasn't packed, but as a group of 5 ladies we were squashed into the back corner in front of an elevator (?).
I will definitely give this place a second chance as my dinner was fantastic. Until then, 3.5/5*
Honourable Mentions:
- well rounded selection of cocktails and Canadian wines
- pig roast the last Monday of the month: $25
- The Exec chef looks like a high school boy but don't be fooled, he's a lot older than he looks! Plus, he runs a mean kitchen!
http://www.blogto.com/... -
Review from Kent P.
4/4/2011 ROTD 5/15/2011
I was so happy to finally have tried @MarbenResto . For some reason my understanding of the place was way off - that it was a just another overpriced restaurant downtown.
This was one of the best meals I've had in Toronto. Rolled in on a Monday night - and just so happened to be the monthly Pig Roast.
What luck. For $25 you get a plate of fresh of the spit pork plus two of 5 sides. Two of us were eating, so we were able to try: the fries, sauteed kale, sweet roasted vegetables (squash, apples, etc), and baked beans.
The pork was a perfect mix of crispy/fatty/lean pieces and the accompanying BBQ sauce was fiery, beautiful and bold (I like my BBQ sauces like I like my women).
There is an option for a "Jug of Beer" also for $20. That's just a pitcher that you pour into Mason jars. Not really a steal there - but it was a good addition to all that manly meat.
The normal menu looked great, too. No mains were over $21, if I remember correctly.
Outside of the food - the space itself is comfortably cool, organic feeling, with lots of wood accents and vintage signs.
You gotta go to Marben.
ALSO to Note:
They host butchery classes once in a while. One has been Cow and one was Wild Boar. $70 to learn how to slice up a wild boar? Invaluable.Listed in: Meat., Thanks Yelp!, You get what you pay for, ROTDs
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Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
4/30/2011 15 photos
2.5 star
Telus Tuesday Specials Restaurant #3
I am a little confused... I made a reservations for 7:30 pm for Marben... and ended up some of my guests showing up at 7..and some showing up past 8? And I ended up drinking all the Jennifer's Coronas that my wallet can handle while waiting till 8:30 before I can have my dinner...
This is the only Telus Special restaurants that have a "Special and Limited and Pricer" menu. And our waitress assured me that the portions are a little bigger than their regular tapas portions.
I have to tell you their Tapas versions are really small... small in portions but big on prices..
Telus Specials
- Ryan's Charcuterie (free) meh.. Black Hoof's Rule!!
- Marianne's Duck Confit ($23).. only decent choice and waitress' recommendations
- Ervinna's Ice Cream Sandwich (free)... skip go for Warm Apple Pudding!
John's Burger ($17) and Fred's Pork Belly ($12)
- Tapas small size.... and $17!! for a burger..with fries...(now I need to have another drink!) and Pork Belly is like 1 small piece...(great if you are on a low cholesterol diet!)
I feel sorry for my guests.. they were all feeling hungry before, during and after dinner... I didn't feel like a good host... All Marben's fault!
Marben's interesting choice of paintings deco makes the evening's conservations one of the more interesting one I have for awhile.. as how often when guys start talking about waxing?? Brazilian waxing? -
Review from Lynn C.
6/3/2011
3.5 for their brunch, rounded up because freshly squeezed orange juice is always a plus.
I had their Benny with peameal bacon. Nothing incredible about their hollandais sauce, nothing wrong with their poached eggs. The peameal bacon was unfortunately a little dry. I enjoyed the salad that came with it, though I'm not really sure what dressing it was. About $20/person after food and drinks, which is okay i guess. My favourite part of this place is the decor though. All the benches and tables seem to be made out of real pieces of logs and the atmosphere is really enjoyable. -
Review from Esther C.
Mississauga, ON
Loving brunch at Marben too! It's surprisingly quiet on Saturday mornings. This baffles me because people line out the doors for Cora's. It's a different feel in the restaurant, in the morning with the sunlight streaming in.
The English Breakfast is quite large and reasonable to share between 2 people. 3 eggs, a large selection of different breakfast meats. The bacon was sucking pork - so major win for me! I think they change up the meats in terms of flavours. Fries Kennedy are fries that are pressed and fried in a cube stack. It's reasonably priced for so much food - $15!
Michele's Eggs Benedict was delicious. The hollandaise sauce had flavour and wasn't too heavy or oily.
Bread pudding french toast - very good. It's thick, dense and sweet. Comes with 3 slices. I only had 1 slice and I was stuffed (of course, I was already full from the full English Breakfast).
Great prices for some quality brunch!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/10/2010
Marben is a great meal waiting to happen. Trendy decor, friendly and knowledgeable staff. Locally… Read more »
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