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Politica Resto Bar
Categories: Restaurants Canadian (New) Restaurants Italian Canadian (New), Italian [Edit]
127 Strachan AveToronto, ON M6J 2S7
Neighbourhood: Niagara
(416) 366-0990
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
13 reviews for Politica Resto Bar
13 reviews in English
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Review from Rachel N.
Toronto, ON
12/17/2011
I came here for a work christmas party for lunch on a friday. The place was packed, and by the time we had finished the place was empty. We shared a politica pizza as an appetizer and it was fantastic. I ordered the ravioli of the day stuffed with pulled pork and it was great as well. There were only about 8-10 raviolis and I thought I would need more, but it was the perfect amount of food. We had the vanilla cheesecake for dessert which was good and not as rich as other cheesecakes. The staff were also very flexible with vegetarian options and even created a meat-free penne arrabiata for my coworker that wasn't on the menu! We also sat and stayed for about 2 and a half hours with no bother from the staff. I would definitely recommend this place for anyone looking for some comfort italian food.
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Review from mike f.
Toronto, ON
1/29/2012
First, I must say the service was very good. The wait staff totally did their part. However, the food was deplorable. I went for a crab cake appetizer, and the surf and turf as my main course.
The crab cakes were dark brown, and greasy with zero flavor except for grease. You couldn't convince me there was crab in these things if you promised me a blow job. All I tasted was old fried grease.
I sent the appetizer back and the wait staff apologized profusely and removed the item from our bill. She was very accommodating.
When the surf and turf arrived, I was bummed out. The turf was chewy, and the surf was dry.
This kitchen is out of control in my opinion. When I mentioned this to server, she was embarrassed to say the least.
The manager never came to our table to say anything regarding the terrible quality of the food.
I would recommend staying far away fro this place. The prices don't make sense when you consider you're eating food that tastes terrible.
I wish I had better things to say about this restaurant as I like its location, and enjoyed the vibe of the restaurant.
Maybe they just need to fire their cook and all will be well. -
Review from Radhika G.
Toronto, ON
5/24/2011
This spot is easy to miss - it's in a bit of a random spot, beside a car garage - but you do not want to miss out on this place!
I came here with my family for dinner on a long weekend, and it was oddly deserted. Great for us though - we got amazing service. It was very dimly lit, which I found annoying initially, but over the course of the night, it added to the calm ambiance of the place.
Our waitress was really friendly and knowledgeable, and gave great recommendations for both food and drink. We started off with a bottle of aged Italian red wine. Though none of us considers ourselves to be wine connoisseurs of any sort, my cousin thought the wine tasted a bit off. The bartender tasted it and confirmed this... They apologized profusely and gave us a new bottle. I had a really hard time choosing a main dish since everything looked so good! I ended up going with the tiger shrimp pasta, which was delicious. I licked the plate clean. Everyone else really enjoyed their meal as well, whether it was salad, pizza, pasta, or seafood.
Overall, we had a great experience at Politica. I'll definitely be coming back. -
Review from Mariko M.
1/29/2011
Bought a voucher on Dealicious so I decided to redeem it tonight. I was really excited to eat here as I read the many wonderful reviews of this place... after the fact, I'm in my room scratching my head... wondering if I missed something.
Both the interior and exterior of this place are really nice. It's chic and swanky. The drink menu is extensive. I ordered the lychee martini and it was truly a 'meh.'
The menu is overly priced for mediocre food. I ordered the salmon and it was quite bland... reading the description in the menu, this dish had potential to be amazing. My dad ordered the pizza and it was apparently drenched in grease (you can get something like that at Pizza Pizza for 1/3 of the price).
I have one more voucher for this place (it's never a good idea to multitask while carrying a credit card... you might buy more than you want) so I have no choice, but to give Politica a second chance. I shall update my review if necessary after Visit #2. -
Review from Matthew R.
Toronto, ON
3/27/2011
I have to say I had concerns about going to this location as I received very mixed reviews from friends that had been there. It is only a couple of blocks from the house so we decided to give it a try. We made our reservation an hour later the day of and got a very cold reception when walking in the door, "your reservation was at 8 PM not 9 PM". Our reservation was rescheduled to 9 PM so that did not get things off to a good start.
From there things went up hill, the atmosphere and vibe on a Saturday was good and we sat in a nice boot in the back. The wine we ordered was fantastic but the grilled calamari was not my favorite. Both of our mains were great! I had the lamb and thought it was fantastic. Based on the reviews I received I was very happy to get a great meal.
The service was average at best, if they put a little more focus on providing a better guest experience I think it would really boost their reviews and return business. As soon as our plates were cleared the service ended, no cocktails and a quick check delivery. It seemed like 80% of the people there were on date night so this surprised me.
Food was great, atmosphere was very nice and all that was needed to turn this into a perfect experience was better service. That's just me though, I'm a sucker for a business that really focuses on the guest over and above the food. -
Review from Lia E.
Toronto, ON
1/5/2011
I went here for a Holiday Party. The service was.. not good. The waitress had a bit of an attitude and took her time coming around.
The food was good- not excellent. The dessert was awful. It was like a pita bread with some nutella on it. Very dry and unsatisfying. -
Review from Tanya N.
12/7/2009
In the middle of residential homes and a mechanic's shop, I didn't realize Politica was even there until my sister mentioned it (she lives right across the street...and yes, I still missed it after a couple of years). Anyway, I went there on a Friday night for dinner at 6:30pm. I didn't think too much of getting reservations but I'm glad my friend thought ahead. Most of the tables were already reserved for the night. Dark, espresso brown decor (the usual) with a nice bar. Our server was thorough when he explained the specials, recommending a nice wine to go with my dish and we were well attended throughout the night. He gave us enough space for us to chat and didn't rush us out once we were done.
The complimentary bread came with hummus instead of butter, which was nice. I have a thing for hummus, so it made my boat float. I had the gnocci w/herbs, garlic, extra virgin olive oil & shaved parm. The gnocci was lightly pan seared which gave it a nice subtle crispness to it. A good change from the way gnocci is usually prepared. My friend had the veal capaletti which tasted as good as it looked (though the big chunk of brussel sprout threw him off. We didn't have room for dessert but we both ordered lattes. You can get a large or small (just less milk) for the same price. I enjoyed the latte - better than your typical coffee joint.
Overall this place was nice and I have no complaints. I'd go back to check out the desserts - my sister raves about it. Another thing, is that you can't go wrong with a restaurant that plays Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels on the bar's TV. -
Review from Carolina A.
Etobicoke, ON
5/15/2010
I don't write reviews but I'm going to continue what my boyfriend has been doing on our collective behalf in the GTA while he starts new in Edmonton! So here goes my first review...
Ambiance was nice - dark with big light fixtures but dim settings, big bar set up and a nice patio. It was a bit warm when we first got there but it did cool off as the night went on and the sun set.
It was a girl's night out for a birthday so the night started with various drinks - Prosecco, French Martini and the house made Politika #5 were all popular choices. The French Martini was delish but I was a bit bugged out by the bruised strawberry garnish...it looked like it was oozing some gunk and that was enough to deter me from another.
Fresh bread with an olive oil/balsamic/grated parmiggiano accompaniment came out shortly after we ordered our meals. As always, a great combo but the cheese was a nice touch. My appetizer of Avocado and Buffalo Mozzarella Salad came out and the portion was quite big. But it was fantastic - the mozzarella literally melted in your mouth and the avocado was perfectly ripe and tasty. I shared with some of the girls and all agreed it was a winner.
I went with the featured Risotto with rapini, black olives and goat cheese - how can one go wrong with 3 of my favourites! It was creamy, tasty and quite satisfying.
Finally, we were all convinced to order dessert after hearing that the white chocolate/pistachio encrusted Cheesecake, Crème brûlée and Nutella Pizza (omg why didn't I think of this before!) were all made in house. We all ordered a variety of desserts and all of them were sinfully delicious! No one order the Nutella Pizza so that's enough to look forward to another visit!
Just as we were wrapping up the night, upon hearing it was a birthday celebration the manager promptly asked the birthday girl what shot she would like and arrived with 10 - even though there were 7 of us...so she had a few extras :) A good night overall. -
Review from Joe E.
Toronto, ON
8/24/2010
I've enjoyed Politica several times now and tend to agree with several of the positive reviews here, so I'll simply add that Politica is
- Perfect for a comfortable yet classy date night thanks to a warm and welcoming ambiance (second to none for Patio season) and exceptional cuisine;
- An outstanding option for small groups, supported by more than enough variety on the menu to satisfy most every palate, and with just enough space so as not to feel crowded; and
- An absolute neighbourhood gem for the locals tucked away in the leafy low-rise King West district, with a kitchen that produces each and every dish with quality and consistency.
In short, Politica has never disappointed. -
Review from Andre D.
Edmonton, AB
7/13/2010
My gf decided to write her one and only review on Politica. A pretty good one at best. I would agree with her on all that she's stated. I was dying to check this place out since I found out an old high school classmate owned the resto.
The resto is located off of King Street next to the Dominelli body shop. So maybe they own the whole block...lol. Anyhow, so we sat on the patio. Very quiet and away from all the hustle and bustle, I guess because of all the hassle from the G20 crap that was happening . It was a quiet evening of people watching and enjoying each other's company, not in that particular order of course.
We first enjoyed our alcoholic beverages and shared some salad. Then we ordered dinner. I ordered their special which was ravioli and she ordered the osso bucco. I liked my ravioli but she wasn't a fan of the osso bucco because of all the fat. I decided to get another drink and we ordered dessert. I ordered a cheese cake and she had her nutella pizza and they were delicious too. She didn't finish the pizza. Decently priced and definitely a place I would recommend going to for a lovely evening out as a couple or with friends. -
Review from John G.
Toronto, ON
1/28/2010
This is a good restaurant with a nice interior, friendly staff in a colorful neighborhood. If you can find it, and handle the area you won't be disappointed. There pastas are great made with lots of fresh ingredients. I'll definitely be back ...
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Review from David T.
Toronto, ON
3/13/2010
When we went the place was completely empty. The server was very personable and attentive. The food was good but not great. I ordered the scallop carbonara which was very tasty. My friends had complained that their meals were fatty and they didn't finish them.
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Review from Ryan D.
Toronto, ON
1/16/2011
Politica is not just our most convenient local, but a huge bonus because it is consistently good, a nice atmosphere, provides good service, and has the best pizza around (yes, that includes Libretto and Terroni) - my fave is the Politica's Brother. We've brought many friends here and their reviews have been uniformly positive. It has taken awhile for the place to find its stride and now you need a reservation to make sure you get a seat. One additional note, we've had them provide food for a party at our house and they offered excellent amounts at good prices, and even helped walk the food over to our house - right from their oven to ours! (I wouldn't expect that as standard service, especially now that they are much busier.)
