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Messis
Category: Restaurants Modern European Modern European [Edit]
97 Harbord StToronto, ON M5S 1G4
(416) 920-2186
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 5:30 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm - 11 pm
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
18 reviews for Messis
18 reviews in English
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Review from Grant P.
Toronto, ON
3/4/2012
went here with my mom as a grad celebration dinner. good experience on the whole. i ordered the duck, which was really excellent. highly recommended. the dessert was pretty good as well (can't recall the exact dish)
i don't agree with the previous reviews stating that the service was lacking. i mean we didn't get dining table-type constant service but it was pretty good nonetheless. and yeah the prices were relatively high but pretty reasonable for this type of restaurant. i'd say it's the best restaurant in the U of T downtown campus area. -
Review from Carissa S.
Toronto, ON
3/1/2012
Food was quite delicious, but service was lacking.
Came here for dinner with my bf and we ordered the goat cheese/phyllo appetizer, which was excellent. I got the appetizer size risotto with shrimp for my main, which was a good call as we got a heaping amount of risotto with 3 shrimps for only $8 vs. getting the main size risotto for $15 (according to the waitress, we'd get the same amount of risotto, but with 6 shrimps). It didn't make sense for me to pay an extra $7 for 3 extra shrimps.. Bf got the rack of lamb which was quite tasty, but the polenta was not great.
Service was definitely lacking - with a full dining room, there were only 2 servers on the floor. Each course took a while to be served, and even waiting for the bill took a while.
Overall, I think I'd rather spend my money elsewhere in the neighbourhood. -
Review from S D.
Toronto, ON
1/13/2012
This place is excellent. I went with a large group, approximately 10 people, and we were all impressed by the upscale but cozy atmosphere, the attentive service, and the quality of the food and wine. They have a great wine selection and the food was very flavourful. I ordered the fusili with chicken and my group ordered a couple of bottles of the amarone riserva, and both the food and wine were incredible.
I would definitely recommend this place. -
Review from Mitch S.
Toronto, ON
1/15/2011
Came here for dinner with friend's on a Friday night and it was a great place to catch. The atmosphere is warm, welcoming, and quiet, perfect for catching up and lots of conversation. As far as the food goes, everyone at the table was happy with their meals, but nothing blew anyone away...
The duct was tasty but nothing special. The lobster appetizer was probably the highlight of my meal. I believe there is much better in Toronto for the same price (and within walking distance of Messis!).
All in all, great atmosphere but the food left me wanting more. -
Review from Tamar A.
10/24/2010
Once upon a time I went to University of Toronto, and lived at Bathurst and Harbord. That means that twice a day, five days a week, for two years, the good people at Messis had to scrub my poor student drool off of the exterior windows.
I FINALLY crossed the threshold for my graduation dinner, and let me tell you: anticipation is one sweet mother of a sauce. The highlights I can still remember were the lamb, a plate of perfectly cooked, savory, tender magnificence; the crispy filo pouch filled with luscious goat cheese; and the slice of white chocolate and blueberry heaven. The ambiance is classy industrial chic, and our dinner for 12 came to a little over $400, which blew my five-minutes-out-of-undergrad brain at the time, but now seems like quite the steal.
Also, the bathroom downstairs is where my mom and stepmom had their first hug. I don't want to give all the credit to the incredible meal we'd just shared, but I bet it didn't hurt.Listed in: Hangin' in Hogtown
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Review from Ellie A.
4/2/2011
My sister (and yelper extraordinaire) will be very disappointed with this review (see her glowing 5-star review below), but I think Messis has gone downhill. Either that or I've become snobbier - which is, I admit, a possibility.
I remember Messis as being one of the tastier mid-range restaurants in the Annex/Harbord area, but it just can't compete with far better 93 Harbord next door.
We were a table of four. Bread came right away (we were grateful since we were hungry and waiting for the second pair to arrive) but it was a little stale - as though it had been cut for service a hour earlier and then sat in the bread basket. Everything was pretty good. Appetizers: a perfectly cooked - but stingy - 3 scallops, an avocado and sprout salad with unfortunately too much heavy dressing. Mains were also decent: over-salted (according to my friend) but rich and tasty lamb shank, a solid vegetarian quiche and beautifully cooked fish with beurre blanc and steamed veggies. Service was a little forgetful and slow. We waited a long time for our food, but it was a busy Saturday night so that's pretty common.
The problem was...nothing shone. None of the food was as good as its description on the menu. It's not a bad place for a decent plate of food and some good conversation, but I'd rather spend a little more and get wowed next door. Too expensive for what you get at Messis.
Vegetarian score = 6.5/10. Interesting choices, better than the average pasta or roasted veggies. -
Review from Ayelet B.
9/4/2010 1 Check-in Here
Had a nice walk over to Harbord Street and was impressed with Messis. They have a nice wine list and I enjoyed a glass of bubbly. The daily specials are incredible - there are so many of them and so much to choose from. It was tough especially when also trying to connect with friends who I have not seen in 4 years.
I loved the Halibut special - it was cooked to perfection and had a nice coconutty sauce and the purple potatoes were nice and crispy.
I did not save room for dessert but my friends did and absolutely loved them. Great spot. -
Review from Alex K.
Toronto, ON
7/27/2011
Arrived at 7:30 on a Tuesday with my girlfriend to meet family I hadn't seen in much too long. I had made a reservation for 3, which proved unnecessary as, apart from two other tables of seniors, the place was pretty empty. The side patio, however, was a bit more lively, but we had opted for A/C and there was no way that we were going to suffer through another hot Toronto night.
Service was great to start. Our waiter was very friendly and always around. He wasn't an insightful waiter - apart from telling us that the salads were always really big, he didn't have any thoughts on plate or wine selections. But then, his help wasn't particularly necessary as the menu mostly spoke for itself. The wine list was a bit shallow, with mostly NZ and CA bottles, which is never what I'm looking to spend $40-60 on, but we found a California Pinot that was just fine. Scallops, green salad and asparagus salad to start. Everything was good, even if the green salad was indeed way too large to serve as a starter. Salmon, smoked chicken pasta and rack of lamb for mains. Everything seemed fine although my GF was a little put-off by the pink chicken (which she acknowledged it's supposed to be when smoked). Everything was fine, and had we sat outdoors I have no doubt it would have been a bit livelier, but we were looking for somewhere quiet to talk and reminisce so the ambiance indoors was just fine.
The problem was that as outdoors was so much more bustling, our waiter disappeared. Apart from opening the wine, he never came back to pour it. And twice when my GF - who was drinking white by the glass - wanted another glass, we had to grab a busboy to put in our order for us. Eventually I saw that our waiter had finished his shift while we were still eating. That's fine, but it wasn't clear that he'd effectively handed us off to someone else, so with his cashing-out and a fumbled hand-off, it felt like service could have been better.
All in all, a perfectly nice place, although considering the price, wine list and service I think I'd select Loire over Messis.
ps - The bathrooms, however, are very nice and to get to them, you walk along a cool hallway that looks onto the wine cellar, which is a nice touch. -
Review from Tina H.
1/11/2011
Nice atmosphere.
They have half-bottles of wine. They only have a cocktail of the day and no menu, so if you're like me and like to pick a cocktail off a menu you're probably going to end up drinking wine or ordering something you know of already.
Service was nice and friendly but a bit slow to start. Kitchen sends food out really quickly it seems. Tables are really close to each other so you can hear everything other people are talking about.
Great food, pretty big servings for a restaurant of this calibre. Great value. I ordered the garden salad I think, which was delicious, as well as the steak with (prepared) horseradish mashed potatoes. I really enjoyed my meal and the steak was big enough to take home half. Very good... I'm still thinking about those potatoes, which has inspired me to make them myself someday. Loved them.
Dessert is disappointing, especially the fruity ices. The shortbread and crème brûlée combo is not as good as at Boehmer. The dish is too shallow, something I never thought I'd say.
It's nearby and delicious so I'd definitely come back. I recommend it for something not too expensive and still delicious. -
Review from Mark H.
Toronto, ON
11/15/2010
I had not been here since accidentally suggesting it on a first date in 2002. Well I didn't suggest it - I suggested Harbord St. when I meant Baldwin St. My date thought I was a star because at that time it automatically meant going to Messis. For some reason I forgot about this restaurant or it wasn't that good or I forgot about the date or the date wasn't that good.
Anyway, I was blown away by the quality of the dishes at the relatively affordable prices. At a table of 8 all apps and mains came out hot, fresh and with attention to detail. Everyone loved their meals, service was prompt and not pushy. All plates were generous sizes too and desserts had a great variety of classics that were sharing size.
Thinking about it a little more - there menu is similar to Nota Bene but much more affordable. Quality-wise it is on the same level. Decent wines here too. I will return on a date or otherwise. -
Review from Angela L.
5/31/2009
I walked into Messis without any expectations with my U of T grad school friend for an impromptu catch up dinner. Although only a short walk away from the university, this more upscale spot is on Harbord restaurant row, and is not exactly student budget friendly, so it wasn't exactly surprising that the two of us were the youngest and most "casually" dressed patrons the other night. Backpack and non-high fashion jeans bedamned though, we received good, attentive service and ate some seriously tasty food.
Highlights include: pinot grigio by the half bottle ($27), grilled calamari with shiitake mushrooms and toasted cashews in a sweet and sour citrus broth ($7.95), oven-roasted Atlantic salmon with an unconventional asparagus artichoke jasmine rice spring roll ($18.75), basil crusted NZ rack of lamb with polenta ($24.95), and ginger creme brulee ($7.25).
Okay, so that's actually everything we ordered, but it was truly one highlight after another with everything so intensely flavourful. What a pleasant mid-week surprise! -
Review from Katrina L.
Richmond Hill, ON
2/20/2010
I came here for a staff Christmas dinner, I didn't know what to expect but I definitely was not expecting such an upscale restaurant. I would NOT have shown up in what I was wearing if I had known this ahead of time! It's not snotty but because it was a weekday and most of the clientele was straight from work and what not I did feel underdressed.
The great part of going to dinner with a big group is sharing appetizers and other various yummy foods. The best thing on the menu was the phyllo pastry with goat cheese and spinach...I think, whatever it was, it was delicious. But all the appetizers were really good but the must-try is the phyllo pastry. The pizza was pretty good as well, crispy dough with a great tomato sauce and lots of toppings.
I had the pasta special and it was great. A rose sauce with seafood and vegetables. I also tried the lamb, the liver and the veal chop, all of which were amazingly tasty and surprisingly good, especially the liver, I was extremely surprised at how good it tasted. I think I would actually recommend that dish to anyone to try, I'm not even a huge liver fan but it was cooked to perfection and was tender and flavourful.
Again with the desserts, the phyllo pastry was one of my favourites, I'm not too sure of the blueberry filling as I'm not a huge fan of blueberry sauce but the pastry was perfect and flakey. The only dessert on the menu I haven't tried is the creme brulee but realistically, how hard is it to mess that up? The chocolate mousse is a little too rich for my liking and very dense, I wouldn't recommend it after a hearty meat meal. The trio of ice creams are a great way to end a meal and the pistachio flavour was amazing!
Overall the food was amazing and I didn't have any complaints, I'm not too certain as to why it's not a 5-star review as the service was good but there just was something about it that put me off, it could have been the fact that we were left standing at the door waiting for someone to greet us and seat us for a few minutes but everything about this place impresses me and I love it and will definitely go back for more! -
Review from Paul R.
Toronto, ON
11/1/2009
Messis is a great little place on Harboard, located among a group of great little trendy places.
The food was good, atmosphere was nice, and the acoustics allowed for easy conversation. The service on this busy Saturday was prompt and friendly. The clientele does seem to be predominately (i.e. all) middle-aged and older and white. We were the youngest couple eating there by at least 10 years. Dress code is lax, some people were casual and others more formal, it ranged anywhere from jeans to jackets and ties.
The daily specials really make the menu so be sure to check them out. Price wise it seemed reasonable, about $120 for two with appetizers, a few drinks, entrees, desert and a tip.
The wine list did leave something to be desired, but I big fan of California and French wines so it really depends what you are into.
I certainly will return. -
Review from N. C.
Toronto, ON
12/28/2009
All I can say is that this is a bit of a homecoming restaurant, meaning that you can always come here for a great dinner when you get overwhelmed by over-hyped restaurants with arrogant service and underwhelming mains.
Here, the service is professional. The wine list is carefully selected. The meats are terrifically prepared. The veal chop is legendary but the fishes are never overcooked. Vegetables are nicely done and the portions are ample.
For dessert, try their famous blueberry white chocolate strudel.
All in all, this is a restaurant that you'd take your parents out to eat at. I have taken out a few older colleagues here for a good meal when they come to town. Also, it is quiet enough so that you can have a great conversation without shouting, or hearing the conversation next to you.
The ambiance is one where the crowd is a bit older, but the room is not stuffy and you will likely remember the great conversations you had at the restaurant as much as you'll remember a wonderful dinner. -
Review from Jessica C.
Toronto, ON
2/23/2009
Messis is a small restaurant located in the Annex with delicious food and excellent service.
The menu reflects many seasonal ingredients. The duck is crisp and perfectly cooked.
Don't skip dessert though, their strudel is to die for! -
Review from Denise S.
5/10/2010 1 Check-in Here
Excellent restaurant on Harbord! I came here with my family for a celebratory graduation dinner. We went on a wednesday without reservations and luckily snagged the last table. This place is spacious but fills up rather quickly. Lots of profs and students from U of T -- I overheard many charged philosophical debates over the course of my dinner!
The place is elegant and understated, service is attentive. The atmosphere is cozy, even with the random music selection (at one point, the theme from "Austin Powers" was playing?!?).
I went with a sweet potato and cream soup, which was flawless. Not too thick and with just the right hint of spice. I had the vegetarian entree (every day there is a vegetarian option among the specials) which was a sort of phylo pastry thing with goat cheese and mixed vegetables, with a side salad. It was divine. A lot of restaurants have really boring vegetarian dishes, so it was a pleasant surprise. (I'm not even vegetarian, but I don't eat that much meat). My Dad raved about his fish.
Definitely would come back here again and not just for a special occasion. I'd also love to eat on their patio once the weather warms up! -
Review from Jennifer L.
2/18/2009
I've never had a disappointing meal @ messis. This is where I go for my favorite dessert in toronto - blueberry & chocolate strudel.
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Review from Colleen G.
12/23/2009
My sister and I recently had dinner at Messis this past weekend on a Saturday night. The food was excellent!!! However the service was terrible. Not what we had expected for such a pricey restaurant. We had no idea who our server was, we had to ask a server several times to bring an item we had requested, and worst of all no one came to check on us after the main course was brought to us. I then asked to speak with a manager, which I was told there is no manager. The server told us that "the location of your table is hard to get to." OMG! Not cool. Anyway, a server tried to make up for the poor service buy comping dessert and coffee. The food is so good in this restaurant , its too bad the service doesn't match.
