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The Senator
Category: Restaurants Diners Diners [Edit]
249 Victoria StToronto, ON M5B 1T8
Neighbourhood: Downtown Core
(416) 364-7517
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7:30 am - 2:30 pm
Tue-Sat 5 pm - 9 pm
Sat-Sun 8 am - 2:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Breakfast, Brunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
38 reviews for The Senator
Review Highlights
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"Delicious eggs, pea bacon and challah toast." In 6 reviews -
"Add a glass of real fresh squeezed OJ and you're set for..." In 3 reviews -
"...was very friendly, and breakfast/brunch is always good." In 9 reviews
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38 reviews in English
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Review from Asuka N.
4/15/2012
This place is pretty much straight-up what I would imagine your typical diner to be like. It opens early (even though pretty much everything else in the neighborhood outside of Tim Horton's is closed at this time), and the service is quick and speedy. And to boot, the food is above average as well. I had the French toast, which was the right thickness for challah bread (not too thick, but thick enough to absorb the syrup). The side of peameal bacon wasn't as delicious as it was at Carousel Bakery, but it was still miles better than versions of Canadian bacon I've had in the U.S. As a nice little plus, the orange juice here is truly fresh-squeezed - it's plenty pulpy and is a great way to start an early breakfast or brunch meal.
All in all, this was a nice spot near where we were staying to grab a bite before hitting the road. Service was lightning quick (we had our food probably 5 minutes after ordering), and it has a nice little old-time charm about it. I'd come back for breakfast if I was in the area. -
Review from Josephine C.
Markham, ON
5/6/2012 2 photos
Came here for brunch a while back. Searching through the reviews, this place seemed to be great place for breakfast given its high 4/5 rating. However, a huge disappointment as it was just typical diner food, nothing special, nothing unique.
Decor and pricing was average, although I highly recommend the waiters for being so attentive and offering to take photos for us when he saw me pull out a camera for this review.
So either it's overrated, or we ordered food that was just so-so. We ordered :
- Senator Breakfast ... Bacon & Eggs with Challah Toast, Beans, & Home Fries, Tea or Coffee
Before 11:30am $7.95
After 11:30am $9.95
- Huevos Rancheros with Black Beans, Tomato Salsa, Avocado & Homemade Corn Bread
$10.95
Looks and tastes like ordinary breakfast from other places. Definitely doesn't compare to Lady Marmalade despite the same average rating on Yelp. Photos of both uploaded. -
Review from Denise S.
4/14/2012 3 Check-ins Here
3.5 stars
Solid, relaxed neighbourhood diner with lots of history (Toronto's oldest restaurant - who knew?). Dining options around Yonge/Dundas are pretty unexciting and touristy, so this is a great option if you're in the 'hood. I have come here twice for lunch on weekdays. The service is fast enough that you could be in and out in 1 hour. I like the memorabilia all over the restaurant and the space-efficient layout (the restaurant is not that big, but the booths are close together). I like the cozy corner booths. The menu is fairly standard. I recommend the Cumbrae's beef burger. The beef is so tasty on its own that you don't really want to overload it with extra toppings. I got mine with a side salad. The other time, I had the Chilli which was very, very filling and just a little bit spicy. It comes with a nice, warm piece of corn bread. Nice to see a place like this still thriving as trendy restaurant come and go.
FYI - they also offer take-out.Listed in: Best Burgers
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Review from John K.
5/3/2012
It's just a diner. Nothing that incredible, but it's solid food. I was visiting the city and went there more for the history than anything, since it's the oldest restaurant in Toronto that's still in operation.
If you want cheap breakfast it's a good safe bet for sure.. -
Review from Tom L.
11/5/2011
So we started our first day in Toronto with a bit of Yelping and a slice of home in this cozy little diner. My wife and I love to frequent a little diner just around the corner form our home, and enjoy that simple, home cooked and cared for feel that they have. The Senator didn't disappoint.
Across a few streets from the Eaaton Center, this little gem was less Crowded than I expected on a Saturday morning. The cozy booths, the wood and simple decor, made this place seem very unassuming and welcoming. We were seated instantly, which was great, and provided with two deliciously piping hot cups of coffee, which was wonderful. A bit of a coffee snob, it was a pleasant medium roast that was quite delicious.
Liz ordered the Senator Special which includes two eggs, two pieces of bacon, home fries and challa toast...the toast came with delicious fresh raspberry jam...wonderful! The platter did come with pork beans, which was a pleasantly different planting, but appreciated by my protein hungry and pregnant wife. I decided on the huevos rancheros which were awesome. The avocado, fresh salsa and delicious black brand were rich textures against the eggs over medium and corn bread. Normally a sweet corn bread fan, this was more on the savory side which was welcome against the cumin and sweet favors of the beans.
It was wonderful. No rush to shove us our, we were able to finish our breakfast, our conversation, and get on our way back to our hotel...just in time to consult Yelp on our lunch and dinner plans! -
Review from Jonathan S.
York, ON
10/7/2011 ROTD 5/18/2012
Thank God for the Senator.
As foodies we lurch from trend to trend, our consciences flowering and withering with the seasons. In summer and fall, we pig out on local and sustainable food. By winter, we realize that we live in Canada, and the only local food is ice, which will keep our drinks fresh but otherwise provide cold comfort. We flit around the globe and flirt with regional cuisines, debating the authenticity of our city's reproductions despite never setting foot outside the continent. It's fun, but occasionally demanding.
Sometimes you just want a good burger, salad or mildly greasy breakfast, and that's what the Senator delivers; quickly, and with a smile.
The Senator's breakfast is legendary. Basic food groups are all represented; protein, carbs, bacon, more bacon, and other stuff that I don't care about. A request for burnt bacon results in properly crispy curlicues that shatter on contact with my fork, splintering into perfectly over-easy eggs, through which I drag slices of challah toast. Good homefried potatoes, Baked beans and token fruit garnish make up the rest of the plate. It's nothing I couldn't make at home, but tastes so much better because all I had to do was roll out of bed and choose the right direction on the subway.
The lunch/dinner menu sticks to reliable favourites. Grilled cheese arrives on more challah; sunny orange melting into dense egg bread, which in turn is fried to a golden crisp. It comes with salad or fries. Both are good, but you didn't come here for salad, did you?
If you did, you're better off with a roaring garlic Caesar, or the Cobb, which with it's combination of iceberg, tomato, bacon, blue cheese, chicken and avocado, may just be nature's most perfect food. An appetizer wedge salad riffs on many of the same flavours. in summer, the travel-hearty lettuce is a subtle rebuke to effete local baby organic kissy kissy shmoopypants mesclun blends.
Yes, I just questioned the manhood of salad greens.
A Monte Cristo sandwich is surprisingly light, while the club features in-house roasted, slightly overcooked chicken, and more of that fabulous bacon with fresh tomatoes on more challah. Burgers are just damn beefy good. To write more would do an injustice to this noble former cow.
Fish and chips covers a massive plate. Cole slaw is puckeringly sour, but a good contrast to beer batter and lovely thin fries. The fish itself is fresh; two pieces make for a massive dinner. Macaroni and cheese is never as good as homemade, but not for want of trying. The full-of-stuff version is a rare departure from the menu's penchant for classics. While bacon, mushrooms and caramelized onions do wonders for burgers, they make my inner five year old-you know, the one who would pay more than ten bucks for a plate of noodles in cheese sauce-weep. Stick to the basic version. Get a salad on the side so you can say you ate your vegetables.
Coffee varies from dishwater to delicious, depending on who mans the pot. Unsweetened iced tea (a rarity in Toronto) renders it unnecessary. A pity that they charge for it by the glass. I yearn for a better refill policy.
Desserts vary, including fresh fruit pies in season. I'm sure they're delicious, but I rarely finish my main plate, much less order more.
You can't go wrong here. Simple food, served in a room steeped in diner history, by a family that once literally anchored Toronto's downtown. Let the neighbourhood change; whether surrounded by crumbling hotels and peeler bars, or hidden by futuristic condos and mega malls, I'll take the Senator just as it is. -
Review from Renay R.
Toronto, ON
10/22/2011
I LOVE the Senator. This is the kind of place that could become my local if I lived anywhere near it. It just has good old fashioned, no nonsense solid food.
I also really like the aeshetic - its nothing fancy by any means, but is somewhat comforting. I came here the other night with a friend before we went to the Royal Alex to see Private Lives (great show if you have a chance to see it). She had the clubhouse sandwich which had a real, thick piece of chicken on it. She said it was great. I had the cumbrae burger as I was feeling in the mood for one. Excellent! It came with sauteed onions and the fries were great. I also had the strawberry milkshake and it was one of the old-fashioned kinds that they serve in the steel cup - fantastic!
We were both too full for dessert, but the pies looked pretty good from what I saw on my way out. -
Review from Gillian A.
Toronto, ON
9/19/2011 8 Check-ins Here
There are a lot of fancy-schmancy places where you can wait in line for forty five minutes to eat their brunch, but why do that when you can go to the Senator and have all of your favourite foods, unlimited refills on coffee and be served by awesome, funny servers?
i can't say enough good things about it. The Senator is a comfortable diner-style place where you can eat breakfast until 2, sit in booths and have great conversation. Also, they have HP sauce if you want sausages, which you do. -
Review from Mona P.
Montréal, QC
3/5/2012
Just had lunch here today. The Senator is a nice cozy diner to escape from the hustle and bustle of the Eaton Centre outside. I ordered the Cubano, which was a pleasantly flavourful slow-roasted pork loin sandwich. Good value for flavour. Be warned that some of the two-seater booths are a little tight if you plan on ordering a lot of food.
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Review from Danielle F.
Toronto, ON
2/20/2011
Gotta say, my expectations were a bit higher than what I got but I still had a good time. I went in for lunch one day and it was surprisingly busy for sit down place on a weekday. Our waiter was a super-friendly, super-cool, uber-hipster dude who one likes immediately. They have some really interestingly shaped booths; I like the feel of this place.
But it goes a little down from there; my burger came without the advertised caramelized onions and corn relish, two main reasons why I ordered it in the first place. However the server was very apologetic and it was brought out right away after I asked. I tried the chilli as well which was deliciously nice and a bit spicy. Lukewarm, though. Maybe it's because the burger takes 20 minutes to be cooked? The bottomless coffee cups were never refilled, but the water was. I don't know, I'm confused, I wanted a bit more!
Everyone was really nice and you get liquorice or Hershey's kisses when you pay the bill up front! Nevertheless, I did enjoy my meal and would still come back in hopes of an even better experience. -
Review from Andrea S.
Toronto, ON
4/11/2011
Great place for breakfast - and very convenient if you are going to see a show a the Canon Theatre.
The atmosphere is fun - this place has been around for ages and it looks appropriately retro which just makes brunch all the more fun :)
On the note of brunch...Brunch at the Senator doesn't start until 11:30, before that you are restricted to the breakfast menu so beware. Also - the price of the "Senator breakfast" goes up by two dollars at 11:30. However, our great waiter made light of this and was willing to let us wait 15 minutes to order just on the border of 11:30 in case people at the table wanted both cheap breakfast and yummy brunch.
Side note for coffee drinkers - the waiter was happy to tell us that they make their own blend on site...but beware that if you order decaf it will be instant!! This isn't a big deal for me...but I know a lot of people who would be really disappointed with instant!
Overall - fun place with yummy food (true greasy spoon) so have fun - and be aware that you may have to wait for a table. -
Review from Leona L.
Toronto, ON
12/27/2010
I went here a few weeks ago for the first time with a friend that kept raving about it. I - being a brunch addict - was quite exciting but my mood diminished when I saw the long line up. After waiting for about 30 mins and mentally hating my friend for making me wait in line, we finally got seated.
I was recommended to have one of the omelettes. I ordered the smoke salmon omelette and while I enjoyed it, I would have much rather had my salmon mixed into the omelette instead of sitting on top of my omelette (or what I secretly thought was unscrambled egg). Also, loved the potatoes and bread that came with my omelettes.
Overall, the food was great - but let's be honest, food is only 83% (Barney Stinson's favourite percentage!) of importance when dining.
I was impress with the quick service we received once we got in. We had a really friendly and awesome waiter who was probably juggling one too many tables but had an awesome smile on his face.
The seating arrangement was meh. Just meh. It was a bit squishy. I enjoyed the company of my friend that I went with but probably would have enjoyed it a lot more if I wasn't shrinking my legs so much to avoid footsy.
Overall recommendation? Thumbs up for people who like brunch, thumbs down for people over 5'8" squishing themselves in a small booth.Listed in: Brunch Crunch
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Review from Angela L.
5/26/2011
I've always had a soft spot for the Senator since it was one of the first restaurants I ever ate at when I moved to Toronto almost eight years ago. Beside the charming authentic decor, the restaurant's classic menu card can really take you back to a simpler time.
Rather than go with my usual trusty ol' big breakfast, I tried the huevos rancheros on my most recent visit. The plain as can be cornbread was damn good and served as a sweet sidekick to the spicy chorizo slices. Tea is served in the tiniest individual tea pots, but hot water refills come easily enough.
Kitschy salt and pepper shaker displays are somewhat commonplace at brunch spots these days, but I can bet that this is pretty much where it all started. -
Review from Isaac Y.
Toronto, ON
The missus and I love old fashion decor, and the Senator is just awesome for that. Downside of all these lovely wood benches is that they are designed for people from a very different era, so sitting is very "cozy".
The food there is just awesome. Highly recommend the country ham there. And peameal bacon is really good too. Portion is much more generous than we expected too.
For the coffee snobs, don't bother with anything coming out of the espresso machine. They are just Starbucks level. The brewed coffee is surprisingly good though. Want a good latte, make a trip to Sam James or Fahrenheit. Want a great cup of brewed coffee, get it here. -
Review from Tammy Y.
7/21/2009
When you're trapped at Yonge/Dundas and want breakfast food that is a little more authentic than say, Fran's or Eggspectations, tuck into this hidden little joint just east of YD-Square and you'll find Toronto's oldest restaurant.
Yes, that's right, Toronto's Oldest Restaurant, circa 1860. The space looks like it has barely changed since then - the booths are cramped and slightly uncomfortable, but it's all part of the experience! It's like a step back in time. Really, the only thing that jolts you back into the 21st century are the cool tatted-up kids that happen to be serving you.
Everything about the breakfast is good - bacon is extra crispy, eggs done right, coffee that is "amazing" (so I've heard) - but what really sets this place apart from the rest, other than its beautiful atmosphere, is their seriously mean Challah toast. Really, after a bite of this slightly sweet bread, I wonder why the heck other breakfast joints don't jump on this. With a spread of their delicious berry compote and mmmm.... you won't see any reject pieces of toast left to be taken away.
You pay at the front of the bar on your way out the door, and BAM, it's like a time jump back into the present ('Holey Moley! Is that a giant 40 foot Gerard Butler on top of the Adidas store?!?!') - but it sure is good to know that a little escapism from the madness of downtown is right there waiting for you, Challah toast in hand. -
Review from David M.
Toronto, ON
1/5/2010 2 Check-ins Here
My favourite place in Toronto for breakfast, and I've been to a lot! A disclaimer, though...I only ever have the same thing...Eggs and Onions! Comes with beans, home fries and challah toast like the other brekkies.
People have referred to this place as a diner. Don't think of one of those 50's metallic and chrome versions with sparkly vinyl booths, though, think of 30's or 40's film noir versions with lots of wood, and detectives with fedoras.
Great ambiance and history. Go early.Listed in: Breakfast places, Diners, Greasy Spoons and…, 5-star Reviews
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Review from Andrew C.
Toronto, ON
10/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Excellent brunch spot. Great food quality, service, and atmosphere. If you are looking for an old school diner feel, this is the place for you.
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Review from Kent P.
7/6/2010 1 Check-in Here
First place I became a "regular" at in Toronto. Probably mostly (but not entirely) because it was the first place in Toronto I had a crush on one of the waitresses.
The breakfasts here are great- I'd usually go early morning before the rush, grab the standard Senator breakfast with 2 eggs, meat, beans, etc, etc. Coffee usually quite nice- as is the challah bread used for toast. (7.95 if you get there early enough)
My other fav breakfast menu item was the "yogurt surprise" which (you'll likely be happy to know) is not what it sounds like. It's actually just yogurt and fruit and granola. (10.95)
At lunch, go for a sandwich- they're all pretty good but I found the best to be:
Cubano: Slow Roasted Pork Loin, Avocado, Tomato, Chipotle Mayo on Sourdough (10.95)
Dinner:
The menu gets pricier/fancier, so I'd usually just stick with the Senator Burger:
8 oz Cumbrae Naturally Raised Beef, Served with Sauteed Onions, Tomato, Lettuce, With Fries or Green Salad @ $14.
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Overall, it's a good spot. The atmosphere and waitstaff are great. The real problem is that it's gets up there in price- so if you're a habitual breakfast eater-outer, it'll put a lil' more of a dent in your wallet than 2 McDonald's breakfast burritos.Listed in: Brunch., You get what you pay for, ESTABLISHMENTS
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Review from Jonathan W.
Calgary, AB
Updated - 11/14/2009
Consistency counts for a lot and this place has it. Breakfast that never disappoints, like your most worn-in pair of jeans.
I don't deviate, No. 2 Senator Breakfast.
Bacon and eggs, Challah toast, beans and homefries with coffee. Before 11:30AM (I can roll out of bed at 11:15 and still make the cut)...it is only $7.95. Tasty and cheap...yessss. Add a glass of real fresh squeezed OJ and you're set for the rest of the day.Listed in: My Toronto Favourites
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/3/2008 First to Review
My go to for breakfast. Before 11AM, great value with the Senator breakfast, eggs, challah toast,… Read more »
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Review from Melissa G.
Toronto, ON
7/31/2010
Cant help but love this place. Diner food, with retro decor, how can you go wrong? Our waiter was very friendly, and breakfast/brunch is always good.
As far as lunch/dinner, the menu is a bit lacking. Vegetarian options on the dinner menu are slim, either a salad, or the macaroni and cheese, which always tends to be a bit overcooked and mushy. I'd reccomend maybe skipping dinner here and try it for brunch. -
Review from Winnie H.
North York, ON
10/2/2011
A Gem in Core downtown Yonge/Dundas area for diner-style restaurant.
Coffee is good, the peameal BLT is excellent and the chocolate cake is very moist ( with an ice-cream on side)!
It is the diner I am looking for in downtown. Good price and good food!
I will definitely return. -
Review from Gwyn H.
Toronto, ON
8/23/2010
It's a solid choice for breakfast. It's no fancy shmancy restaurant but I'm always happy to go back. Fresh squeezed oj and grapefruit juice and the french toast is solid and coffee cup is full.
Now I just have to go back for a lunch.... -
Review from Shawn R.
10/9/2009
I've only been to the Senator for brunch on Sundays, at exactly the wrong time, with a group of about 15 each time. Strangely, I can't recall waiting longer than 15 - 20 minutes with them splitting us into groups of 4 or so but all seated in the same general area.
The food has always been pretty good. I think I've had only egg platters - nothing outstanding and nothing bad has come of this. The service has been fast. I always seem to recall that the servers always have a slight little hint of an attitude, but that could also be due to the strange hungover mix of Americans, Canadians, Australians and Norwegians (I'm placing most of the blame on the Norwegians) that they're dealing with when I see them. This annoyance is in addition to the rest of the packed restaurant.
I'd give it a go if the other places you like right around there are closed on Sundays or the wait isn't too long. Seems like a great place for breakfast during the week when it's not too crowded. -
Review from Randy G.
Toronto, ON
12/31/2009
This marked the first stop on Part 2 of the French Fry Crawl, and from a fry standpoint they were pretty good. Tasty, not overcooked, looked like real potatoes and not overly salty. One of the better examples, I'd say, that we experienced - maybe #3 out of the five.
The non-fry parts of the experience were much more difficult to swallow. As the place was packed - to the gills - we couldn't get a seat, and apparently ordering take-out was a non-starter with the gentleman taking our order (Waiter? Proprietor? Could've gone either way). We wound up with the plate of fries at the checkout counter basically, trying to eat with other people pushing past us trying in vain to get a table. One exchange was particularly interesting:
WOMAN WALKING IN: How long until I could get a seat to eat?
STAFF MEMBER: Probably not tonight
ME (thinking): Didn't he JUST tell us that it'd be an hour for us six?
GUY AT COUNTER: Actually, I'm just about done, I'll be out of here in a few minutes
STAFF MEMBER: Yeah, probably not tonight
(likely paraphrased due to the passage of time)
My other problem is the hours - wanting to maybe come back some other time, I had a glance at the hours. Being a guy coming out from Oakville, places that close early aren't compatible with me having a job.
Which is a shame, because any other option at Y&D is either disappointing, expensive or both. -
Review from e b.
1/4/2010
The Senator has been around forever and its a great vintage space. I'd like to give it a better review but my recent experience was just OK. 9.95 for a toasted western (renamed the Roasted Western) and a few pieces of home fries is too much. The bread was also barely toasted. Coffee was a bit weak and barely warm.
Perhaps the rest of the menu for breakfast is better. -
Review from rebecca b.
Hampstead, QC
9/30/2009
I did not order the bug hidden on my plate,for breakfast.
after discretely informing them,there wasn't an apology only a discussion between staff & an assumption I still had an appetite to order something else which was not the case.
there are too many other places to eat
DON'T waste your time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -
Review from Payam Z.
3/4/2009
This place has/had good food as the other reviews suggested, nothing extra-ordinary, but always good. What made the Senator special for many years before I learned to appreciate it and the few that I did, was Jazz.
This was an amazing Jazz joint, unlike any other I have seen in Toronto. It seems that this scene is very quickly dying in the area in Toronto that is giving way to cheap, Times Square- like feel with tons of standard restaurant chains such as Milestone and Johnny Rockets.
Toronto culture will miss the real Senator:
http://www.georgeevans... -
Review from Christopher F.
3/2/2009
I could arm wrestle Zeus after this breakfast.
Well, I proved that I could at least walk 20 min in -16 through Toronto.
Great cappuccino. Delicious eggs, pea bacon and challah toast.
Challah! -
Review from Boonie W.
Toronto, ON
1/4/2011
Nothing bad to say about the Senator.
The breakfast is good on all levels - the eggs are fresh and dark yolked (tons of flavour), beans are a fantastic addition while the portion sizes are perfect. Most places give you mega servings of bad hash browns.
The Senator is quality and well priced.
Great spot. -
Review from Phillip N.
12/26/2010
Beans for breakfast? At any rate, color this uncultured American impressed. Fast, inexpensive, tasty.
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Review from K L.
2/21/2011
Delicious.
My first introduction to Canadian bacon and it wasn't a disappointment. Very hipster crowd, waitresses are cute!
Very fast service. When we told them we were from out of town, they were very quick to offer recommendations for things to do. Great atmosphere, not pushy, great food for a modest price. Would recommend. -
Review from Ramanan S.
Toronto, ON
9/14/2009 ROTD 11/14/2009
I've been to the Senator twice, once for brunch and once for dinner. It's a really nice restaurant. The place is apparently a million years old, but manages to look like something out of the 50s without actually looking old and worn out. I quite like the restaurant space. It's filled with booth after booth. Who doesn't like sitting in a booth? The food is really good, and priced reasonably. Burgers are definitely worth getting, though the fries were a bit meh. Brunch is typical dinner fare, and didn't disappoint. This place is one of the better restaurants in the sea of shitty places to eat that is Yonge and Dundas.
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Review from Jeremy D.
Toronto, ON
8/28/2011
A very interesting little diner. Not much to see from outside, but a very nice busy atmosphere. The service was very good (no complaints) and the food was simple but tasty. Their "homemade" chilli sauce wasa particularly nice (comes with the omelettes).
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Review from Brian C.
Toronto, ON
4/26/2010 3 Check-ins Here
This is a proper downtown diner a la Nighthawks. Grab a booth, or saddle up to the bar, have a coffee, and read the paper. The menu is just what you would expect from a diner: comfort food. Quality is always consistant, the oil is always clean, and your meal is made to order. On top of that, the service is fast and courteous. Make sure you grab dessert (even if you are there for breakfast), its worth the extra time at the gym.
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Review from Ian C.
Toronto, ON
8/1/2010
Exactly as Yelp describes a two star rating... Meh. I've experienced better. As far as ambiance, it's quite cool and the servers are really nice. However, in terms of food, the pancakes and senator bfast were alright but nothing special. Also the server, though very nice, almost overcharged us by $10.
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Review from Elisabeth T.
10/17/2009
Mmmmm, challah toast and REAL orange juice. The ambience was nice, as were the waiters. A little pricey, but a good breakfast here.
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Review from La C.
Vancouver, BC
1/23/2011
DO NOT go here for dinner. Prices + so-so food quality + stingy portioning = rip-off. I will not be back.
We assumed that paying $18 for fish and chips would result in, well, delicious fish and chips. We were very wrong. We got two skimpy pieces of deep fried frozen fish in mushy bland batter. The battering seemed old, or like it had been done off-site en masse...fish sticks anyone? We had a side of mashed potatoes instead of fries, and they were very good: nice red potatoes with the skin left on...but again, skimpy on the portion. Half the price and this dish would be decent value.
In my experience you can often judge a restaurant by its Caesar salad. The Senator's was $9 for a boring plate of lettuce and croutons. The sourdough croutons were nice and tangy; too bad there were only 4 of them.
Usually Caesar mistakes are due to over-dressing. Until I ate at the Senator I didn't think it was possible to err in the other direction, but they managed it. I had to send a search party out to find the dressing on my palate with no success, so I used the lemon wedges to give the salad some kind of sauciness. What dressing I could taste was ok, but there was no anchovy to report, or shredded parmesan, all those things that make a Caesar a joy to eat. Parmesan is mentioned in the menu description but I can't describe it from my Senator experience. Perhaps it was applied with the same microscopic zeal that dressing was doled out with. Near the end I found a large hunk of bitter Romaine heart/base that had missed shredding (yuck), as well as a few pieces of lettuce with (gasp) visible salad dressing that had not been mixed in. I savoured those last to enjoy the illusion of having eaten a real Caesar salad.
I also had the "Senator Famous House Smoked Salmon, Cucumber Salad, Pickled Red Onion" for $12. This was good: price normal, portion normal, homemade pickled cucumber and onion were a very nice compliment to the (mild) smoked salmon. Call me a traditionalist, but the lack of capers made me a little sad. The salmon had a lovely plump texture. It came with some store-bought pumpernickel bread and a forlorn schmear of cream cheese. Forlorn because it was underdeveloped, unloved, puny. Looking at it and trying to figure out how to stretch it over 2 slices of pumpernickel made my brain hurt, so I instead let myself imagine back to the Camelot of portions at the Senator, a time when the kitchen bestowed food generously and appropriately, until perhaps a succession of diners ruined it for the rest of us, sending the chef into bouts of rage over mountains of unused cream cheese sympathetic dishpigs tried valiantly to hide from view. To keep the chef's blood pressure down, those days are gone and now the kitchen primly doles out stinge revenge on a new generation of hungry big-walleted prey...
If a restaurant is going to charge these prices for upscale diner cuisine, it better be delicious. You can even get away with skimpy if it's delicious. But if it ain't delicious, and it's skimpy and expensive to boot, scr*w you and the price you rode in on.
Service was ok, fast and friendly. It was the pre-theatre rush, and they were able to accommodate our request to get fed and out within 45 min. Only real objection would be that our server seemed to be on auto-pilot -- when he asked us any questions (e.g. how was the food) , he obviously ignored the answer, looking all over the place and giving no sign that he registered our actual response, only that we had replied in some fashion. But then we went there for dinner, not therapy :P
It must be pointed out that it is ridiculous to call this place "wheelchair-accessible". The bathroom is down a steep flight of stairs, and the room is long and narrow with small booths. I suppose diners in wheelchairs could sit by themselves at the door to eat, as long as they don't mind people clambering over them to get into the rest of the place, and don't have to go to the bathroom...how memorable for them.
And yes, the decor is gorgeous and fun, high ceilings, wood booths, cozy. Even the tiny table in the back affords a fun view of other eaters and their talking heads. However, it will probably be difficult to get over my poor first experience here to try their brunch menu. Especially since the coffee isn't even good. Sigh. -
Review from nathalie f.
Toronto, ON
3/15/2009
great atmosphere, good service, yummy french toast and eggs.
