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Martiniboys.com
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The appetizer prosciuto plate is a fair size, arriving with cantaloupe and honeydew melon. Pair this with perfectly cooked beef tenderloin and a scattering of stilton butter and you'll leave full and happy. Another noteworthy entry is the plate of steamed mussels in ginger-coriander broth with black beans and preserved lemon.
After all this comfort, you may think you'll skip dessert, but the chocolate cake with crème brulee topping is worth the extra splurge. - A.V.B.
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 AT A GLANCE
Byzantium
499 Church Street, Toronto, ON
416-922-3859
Middle Eastern
Church Street Village
Venue:
Restaurant
Hours:
Daily: 5:30pm - 11:00pm Sun. to Wed.: 5:30pm - 1:00am Thu. to Sat.: 5:30pm - 2:00am
Price Range:
$$$ (within reach)
Payment:
Master Card, Visa, American Express
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THE BUZZ
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IN THE AREA
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10 Reader Reviews | My partner and I had always wanted to check Byzantium for dinner. The menu promises much but fails to deliver consistently. We reserved for my partner's birthday along with her family. Now while the staff was very friendly and talkative, the service was horrible. We had about 4 or 5 people who came to our table about once during the course of our stay. The server who took our drink orders wasn't able to recommend a wine to pair with our meals. It took 25 minutes before my partner and I actually got the wine that we ended up choosing. That server told us it was busy at the back, so he would be handing us off to someone else. None asked about our meal, we had to flag people for refills of water, wine, drinks ...the dessert menu.
My partner's father found the meat to be tasteless and ate less than a 1/3 of it. When the staff arrived to clear our plates, he told them of his experience and the response we "ah well, I'm sorry." Had anyone asked during our meal, it could have been remedied! And yet we were still charged for it.
My partner's grandmother ordered a glass of wine with her meal and our second server disappeared. We had to flag someone else down to order it again - after she had eaten half her meal.
The shining stars were the appetizers but not nearly good enough for any of us to ever return.
1. Karen's Review :: October 08, 2008 Karen's Rating: 1 Stars |
I had a great time. Terrific service. Attractive decor. Pleasant surroundings. Nice people. I'll be back!
2. Chris Miller's Review :: July 31, 2008 Chris Miller's Rating: 4 Stars |
The people that are bitching about this place, most likely have their own problems. I have been going to the resteraunt for many years and have never had a bad experience. The food is allways consistant and very good. The management and staff are friendly and will stop by for a small side conversation. They are very quick to fix anything that your not 100% satisfied with (which is very rare).Overall I would give this resteraunt 10 stars if I could..
3. Kevin's Review :: July 21, 2008 Kevin's Rating: 4 Stars |
Rude staff, horribly under-cooked meat, terrible service = Red Light!
I would not reccomend this restaurant to anyone who is of a discerning palate, or to anyone who is used to being treated with class. I was disgusted by the lack of care and attention and disapointed that other reviews are high. Maybe the staff was too...
4. Disgusted's Review :: June 30, 2008 Disgusted's Rating: 1 Stars |
If your looking for an average meal with servers who pay more attention to looking in the mirrors than their customers, well this is the place for you to dine.
We were one of the three tables in this questionable establishment and the service was not what we expected for a nice looking restaurant in Toronto.
5. Anonymous's Review :: May 09, 2008 |
If your looking for an average meal with servers who pay more attention to looking in the mirrors than their customers, well this is the place for you to dine.
We were one of the three tables in this questionable establishment and the service was not what we expected for a nice looking restaurant in Toronto.
6. Vince Ramazatti's Review :: May 09, 2008 Vince Ramazatti's Rating: 1 Stars |
Enjoyed the atmosphere, but after watching the bartender's standard practice in making a martini, complete turnoff. Three of us seated at the wood, watched both bartenders handle cash at their till, handle bottles, lick their fingers, and then proceed to shake drinks. Once shaken, they flipped the mixer cup over and nested the two cups, with the drink being strained over the contaminated cup.
Yum!!
7. Anonymous's Review :: September 23, 2007 |
Enjoyed the atmosphere, but after watching the bartender's standard practice in making a martini, complete turnoff. Three of us seated at the wood, watched both bartenders handle cash at their till, handle bottles, lick their fingers, and then proceed to shake drinks. Once shaken, they flipped the mixer cup over and nested the two cups, with the drink being strained over the contaminated cup.
Yum!!
8. Deano's Review :: September 22, 2007 Deano's Rating: 1 Stars |
I rated atmosphere 3 out of 4 as it varies depending on the night, the dj and the crowd. The place is always hopping on a Saturday night, but sometimes lacks a feel-good vibe. Once glaring problem is that the speakers are located near the ceiling, so anything bass heavy just proves annoying.
At least two of the bartenders know how to make a perfect French Martini (vanilla vodka, chambord, hint of pineapple juice). Getting the proportions right is an art form. Too much vodka and it is too harsh, too much chambord, and you are drinking cough syrup out of a fancy glass, too much pineapple juice and it's just plain wrong. Just the right proportions, and it's 4 ounces of heaven on earth.
9. Jason Lisenchuk's Review :: February 01, 2006 Jason Lisenchuk's Rating: 3 Stars |
Tried Byzantium for the first time for a friend's birthday with a large group of people (eight women/two men). I arrived late with my girlfriend and discovered we were to be seated at a separate table than the already present group. The server was courteous enough to pull a smaller table to add us to the rest of our party. They had a good selection of martinis to choose from, all of which we ordered were very tasty. The food came very quickly making me wonder how many people manned the stoves. Of note is their version of ceasar salad (presented as leaves standing in a crisped cracker ring with parmesan shavings and whole cloves of roasted garlic). I thoroughly enjoyed their maple glazed salmon while my girlfriend happily experimented with roasted ostrich. I'm typically not a fan of cheesecake, but ended up finishing the rest of my girlfriend's pumpkin cheesecake dessert. I would definitely go back and would recommend others try this place out.
10. Vince's Review :: October 25, 2005 Vince's Rating: 3 Stars |
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  499 Church Street, Toronto, ON |
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MBO Toronto :: Toronto Restaurants & Dining Guide
