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Rosedale Diner
Categories: Restaurants Diners Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Diners, Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
1164 Yonge StToronto, ON M4W 2L9
Neighbourhood: Summer Hill
(416) 923-3122
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
16 reviews for Rosedale Diner
16 reviews in English
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Review from C M.
North York, ON
3/14/2012
Kitschy, eclectic, hole in the wall'ish . . .
Went here with a group last summer & here's what we had:
The Caesar (pretty much as expected)
French Onion Soup (to die for & I am a huge Gruyere fan!)
Mains:
What I REALLY wanted but could not get because finger-lickin' ribs just aren't always appropriate was the Sticky Asian Pork Ribs but (sigh!) instead ordered fish 'n chips which came with a surprisingly large portion of fish and a decent coleslaw. Honestly, after a year, I forgot the fries but if I even made it to the coleslaw they couldn't have been amazing!
My husband ordered steak frites which was a well-cooked juicy steak with a garlicky, buttery sauce.
Would defiantly come back here as we often visit the fantastic Summerhill LCBO across the street and all those aisles and aisles of booze shopping can really wear a girl out!
The only reason I would not give this restaurant a 5 is because it was so sweltering inside, I had to get up and make a fake phone call just to cool off outside - turn on the air or get a fan please!!!! (and maybe the onion soup wasn't the best idea also) -
Review from Charlotte S.
Toronto, ON
2/15/2012
Dig, if you will, a picture of my Husband and I on Valentine's Day 2012.
If you choose to celebrate this Hallmarkiest of holidays, Valentine's Day puts a lot of pressure on one to impress. Just think: it's your one day of the year to stand in a lineup 30 people deep for a card she probably won't remember a year from now and a stuffed animal she definitely won't like and to pay $90 for a dozen roses that might already be dead now, or at least dying.
Add to the mix that Valentine's Day is actually your wedding anniversary, your 2nd wedding anniversary and your first anniversary since your marriage that you haven't been pregnant.
Then, consider that your wonderful husband (who is observant enough to know that you love kitsch) plans an evening at the Rosedale Diner, to your surprise, complete with a babysitter for your 11 month old, a box of chocolates and all the V-Day fixin's.
Despite the fact that by virtue of your busy life which now includes a nearly-walking toddler, you are completely exhausted all the time, you are excited and harness the right attitude to slip on a dress and a pair of heels and go with the (surprise) flow. I checked the menu out online and it looked great. I was excited to try out the poutine, among other things.
When we walk in, everything kind of falls apart right away. I'll condense from here.
Our "reservation" really just meant that as soon as a table became available they would give it to us. Then, the regular menu wasn't in play, just a prix-fixe menu they set with little to no vegetarian options (not that I'm a vegetarian, but just noting it) and only a few choices.
We decided on the roasted beet and chevre salads and wild mushroom agnolotti (for me) and bison tenderloin (for Seth). 20 minutes after we placed our order, the server came by to advise that the bison was no longer available and offered a beef tenderloin in it's place- no big deal, it's Valentine's Day and we're enjoying an evening away from our kid.
80 MINUTES LATER our first course arrives. No lies. No one came by to explain, no one apologized. It's a small resto and a wait like that, on a prix-fixe menu night, is inexcusable. Other people appeared agitated as well. You can only soak up the kitchy vibe (complete with Bob Dylan soundtrack) for so long, before your hunger gets the best of you and your stomach starts to eat it's own lining.
When the salads arrived, without apology for the delay or even recognition of the delay, we ate them in about 5 minutes. They must have run out of goat cheese, too, because I couldn't find any in my "roasted beet and chevre" salad.
Another 35 minutes pass before our entrees arrive. This is literally 2 hours and five minutes after placing our order. I knew there was a problem when I heard two servers, directly behind me (it's a small, small place) arguing about where my agnolotti was. But still, no apology. A server offered a list of desserts to the table next to us to which they responded "we'll think about dessert, once our main course has arrived....". When they offered me the dessert list, I almost responded with "You know, I would LOVE dessert, but I don't have another 90 minutes to wait for it...." but I didn't.
So, in short, $130 for a small steak, four pieces of pasta and about 2 ounces of goat cheese and half a beet later, we leave, still hungry and annoyed and having wasted a date night on this horrible restaurant experience. And my husband, always the diplomat, still tipped these people. I realize it was likely the fault of the kitchen, but still. There are about 20 tables in there, not 200. Figure it out. Never going back. -
Review from Diane-a-Banana M.
Toronto, ON
3/31/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Love this place - it's one of our regulars. Service is very friendly and well-paced (sounds like one person had a bad night a couple months back, but honestly we have never had any issues whatsoever). We tend not to eat meat so the vegetarian and fish options are a big draw for us, but one of our sons recently had the cassoulet and it was utterly divine. I hadn't had cassoulet since my summer in Provence as a teen - sweet memories! Everything is fresh and the portions are perfectly sized. As for the deserts, the sticky toffee pudding.....to die for. The back patio in the summer is also absolutely delightful. And a fist full of candy on the way out satisfies the 5 year-old in me. Reason I'm not giving them a 5 - check my other reviews, I just don't give 'em - I guess I'm still holding out!
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Review from Julia H.
East York, ON
9/27/2011
Server was a little rude.
Ordered the calamari, duck confit poutine and the trout fish with miso soba - all very tasty. Definitely not your typical diner. -
Review from Nicole B.
4/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
My months-long hiatus from Yelp ends with this review! I may be a bit biased as I was finally meeting up with my twin Danielle P. after months of not seeing her. But I love Rosedale Diner. This is definitely not your typical diner. The food is a lot more upscale and drool worthy. It has a great, warm atmosphere. At one point, I was listening to some Jon Legend then mixed in with some generic reggae and I felt pretty peaceful. They had the cutest table in the window and although it's not the most practical, it was fun to sit there and chat, as the world went by. We decided on the burgers and I was interested to see how it would taste with a pita instead of a regular bun.
I don't know how long we waited for our food as I was talking and enjoying my twin's company. But it tasted delicious. The pita complimented the beef nicely and all the toppings I asked for were on the side so I could decide how little or how much I wanted. I added caramelized onions, fresh avocado and jalapenos to my order. I'm not an expert on fresh avocado, but it tasted really good altogether. The fries were delicious and lightly salted.
Our waiter was extremely nice and accommodating, letting us know that he could bring any condiment that wasn't listed on the menu. He didn't overcrowd us and they never rushed us out even hours after we had paid the bill. Icing on the cake? The waiter ran down the street after us when D forgot her umbrella there. Many little things that definitely made a difference on going back there again. -
Review from Imran N.
3/27/2011
Lets be honest - it's great diner food if you think it's really diner food.
the menu is good, certain things are amazing , and certain things could be better. Their duck confit is a little too sweet and flaky. The duck poutine is conceptually good, but please, it needs to be an appetizer for the amount of salt in the dish. Then again, their ossobuco is rich and amazing and then also served on gnocci - touch my inappropriately please.
I would go here for sure. -
Review from Dale M.
Toronto, ON
12/14/2009
I'm taking Decemburger into the backwoods, reviewing restaurants not found on the sanctioned list. Think of me as a liburgeral, trying to promote equality of opportunity in the overheated Toronto market.
Given my mission this month, it was serendipitous when my faithful brunch companion Emily "Could I have some cheese with my cheese please?" H. suggested a burger instead of the usual weekend jumpstart. Since reading the Rosedale Diner's claim that they made Toronto's Best Burger, I had been dying for an excuse to check the place out.
Sitting just outside Summerhill subway station, it's not surprising that this place is a little on the posh side. My locally-raised, grass-fed, shiatsu-massaged* ground chuck burger was cooked to order, topped with Brie and avocado and came tucked into a pita instead of the usual bun. On the side were shoestring fries with a little bit of toasted onion mixed in. It cost me $19.
When you're paying this kind of money for a burger, it had better be done right and done well. It had also better not be well-done. While my meal was delicious, it wasn't exactly "just right." I had held high hopes for the Rosedale Diner, so this was a bit of a disappointment.
I'll start with the good news. The patty was remarkably thick and incredibly juicy. It had a tang of Worcestershire sauce (love!). In short: delicious. The pita pocket it came in kept the bun from crowding out this hunk of meat - it got centre stage. The fries were delicious; that bit of toasty onion in there was a nice touch.
Now for the bad news. As noted, burgers here are cooked to order. I asked for medium, and got medium-well (no pink, from what I could see). Having paid $2.50 each for Brie cheese and sliced avocado on my $14 burger, I was disappointed to see a thin layer of Brie melted onto my beefy behemoth (Emily, too, was shorted on Swiss**). While the pita pocket was a nice approach to understating the bun, it left little room for toppings and I found myself jamming avocado between pita and patty to the point where I could only use half of it. Great idea, but needs improvement.
* Just kidding.
** I'm not just talking about the holes.Listed in: Decemburger and Beyond!
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Review from J H.
Toronto, ON
8/27/2011
I like this place! The patio is really lovely and feels like a little oasis in the city. I love how when I was sitting back there, I could see the kitchen staff scurrying back and forth between the kitchen and upper levels of the building carrying fresh ingredients-- include the trellises and the lights, and it was a charming scene. The food is good but a little overpriced I think, unless you are getting burgers.
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Review from Anna V.
Toronto, ON
10/22/2008
It's just a neighborhood joint that's been around forever.
It's small and cozy ad serves all the homemade stuff you crave every now and then.
They do takeout and delivery through Restaurants On The Go.
It's the kind of place you crave when it's freezing outside in the middle of December and you're stuck up by St. Clair and Yonge. it's a two minute cab ride from there and conveniently, right across the street from a giant LCBO that stays open late. -
Review from Meena A.
4/6/2011 12 Check-ins Here
So clearly the word "diner" is being used fairly liberally here. This is not your mom and pops greasy fries and smoothies joint. I went here late tonight hoping for homestyle basics like chilli or fries and was surprised to walk into a chic bistro atmosphere. I definitely felt like my lululemon sweats and ponytail did not fit with the after-work-professional crowd.
The server did not make me feel uncomfortable for being underdressed. Fairly standard service, nothing too spectacular.
I ordered the beef burger (it was one of the least expensive entrees on the menu) and it came to $14. The patty and fries were delicious. I was annoyed by their definition of "burger" which apparently doesn't involve a bun but a pita wrap. My friend was vegetarian (oh ps they only have one entree that is vegetarian-not including the salads) but the staff accomodared her by altering one of their pasta recipes. She really enjoyed the rosee sauce and vegetables.
All in all, good location for a chic yet casual date or for a meal with a few friends. Definitely will not be returning in my sweats. -
Review from Kevin D.
Toronto, ON
9/4/2009
I QUITE LIKE IT HERE..
Like I say, not love. But, if we were in Grade 7 "quite like" could go a long way...
I've been to RD several times, but mostly for lunches. I love (yes love) the old-timey interior and plush velvet curtains come wintertime, then adore the garden patio in the summer. Interesting wine selections as well- go for the McManis Cabernet; jammy, fruity, yet fine leather on the finish.
I find the service quite good and all the staff very friendly. This is a great spot for a first date- not too fancy, but quaint and fun.
For food- I recommend the Rosedale Burger - served at lunch (and possibly dinner, not sure..) It comes with decadent garlic frites and is served in a fresh pita. Scrumtrilescent... -
Review from Denise M.
Toronto, ON
10/19/2008
When I first went to this place I just walked by and thought to myself "cool, a cute little diner", but when I saw the menu realized it's more of a mid-priced small bistro.
I ordered the burger with frites and it was pretty tasty but a little too pricey for a burger. They have an interesting list of toppings you can pay extra for to put on your burger, but at $3 per cheese slice(or something like that) not really worth it.
One good thing about this place is the pumpkin beer they have on tap. If your a beer drinker, you should definitely take a gamble and try it. -
Review from Luke A.
Toronto, ON
9/20/2008 3 photos
Like Bentley's famous critique of Pope's Iliad ("pretty ... but you must not call it Homer"), the Rosedale Diner is a cheerful establishment with some good food, but it takes a big stretch of the imagination to call it a diner. About the only thing that is diner-like is the aluminum on the facade. Once you get inside, the ambiance is cafe-like, especially in the trellised patio out back.
As if that weren't enough of a hint, they don't have "fries" at this "diner," they have "frites." The rest of the menu is suitably upscale, with prices to match. Even the modestly-sized (but quite tasty) avacado-tomato omlette with "frites" is about ten bucks. On the other hand, there are some nice touches that go with the uptown cache; for instance, they have very good rustic-style sugar cubes (you can put a real "lump" in your tea or coffee). -
Review from e b.
6/17/2009
A good neighborhood spot in the Summerhill area. Although more bistro than diner, this is a consistently good spot for a mid priced meal. I would give the place 4 stars but the drab decor makes it lose a star. Its previous eclectic cheery interior was overhauled by the HGTV design show Restaurant Makeover. Its now a drab grey room which is already showing its age. Worth a visit especially for brunch.
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Review from Michael T.
Toronto, ON
7/27/2010 36 Check-ins Here
Solid food. The best Asian sticky ribs and hummus in town. The organic steak, duck confit and duck poutine are all worth the trip. Consistent. Comforting. Nice patio, although the trip through the kitchen to get there is a bit weird.
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Review from Mike S.
Toronto, ON
10/10/2008
I don't really get the Rosedale Diner, it seems to me that if you're going to call yourself a diner you should be a diner not some pseudo chic, post modern diner that serves nothing you want and has art (that looks suspiciously like a bed sheet) for sale on the walls. I exaggerated a little there, the Diner does have some things you want, but they're not exactly the way you would want them. When I went, I got the hamburger which made the claim that it was the best hamburger in the city. I always try to order things like this because there is the off chance that they may be telling the truth and then I will have come across something really good. I will admit that the hamburger was definitely an above average burger, it was juicy and meaty and tasted like it should. Where it lost me was in the bun, which was less a bun and more of a pita, which to me is ridiculous, no one wants to eat a hamburger in a pita. I don't recommend the Rosedale Diner because while it's not bad, it's not special and so it's really not worth your time.
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