Earls Kitchen + Bar — Restaurant in Toronto

Edit: Sadly, despite sending my number and available times, I never received a call or even email back from Earl's regarding my experience. Very disappointing.

My girlfriend and I have been to this Earl's location three times now. Overall, our experience is mixed. The first time was was okay, the second was amazing, the third was rough. Last night we came here for our anniversary dinner. The night started well. The hostess promptly seated us, it was super busy but we had a nice table in the corner away from any large groups, and our server was quick to bring water and ask about drinks. As always the menu was nice: several new items (including a seasonal drink), lots of options depending what you feel like, and a robust plant-based section. For an appetizer, we ordered the chips with an avocado & and sweet corn dip. Delicious, filling, but some chips were a bit too salty. After we agreed that we still like the crispy tofu tacos more for an app, but the chips and dip were definitely more food (which was a win for me). For our mains, I ordered the new kale and mushroom pizza. This was excellent. The flavours were balanced, the crust was crispy and fluffy, and it was definitely filling. (Unfortunately - getting to that next), my girlfriend and I fully shared this as our meal and were satisfied! My girlfriend ordered the the vegan hunan kung pao. We've ordered this several times before and it has been excellent. This time, however, there were major issues. Overview: the regular kung pao comes with chicken while the vegan does not have a protein (we order crispy tofu with it but this is extra), the regular comes on a bed of egg noodles, the vegan comes with jasmine rice. The issue: the first time it arrived, our vegan kung pao had the egg noodles. Our server was quick to respond and asked the kitchen for another. 20 minutes later, the vegan kung pao comes but again with egg noodles! Our server (who was super helpful) asks the kitchen to do it again and makes sure they know we ordered the vegan dish which comes with jasmine rice. Another 20 minutes later, when the right dish finally comes... the rice was undercooked (the dish clearly being hastily made). We really didn't want to be difficult and at this point we were ready to go, so we just cancelled the dish. Thankfully, our server ensured we were not charged for it and was incredibly apologetic. Overall, most of the food was on point, our server (Kristlyn?) was amazing, but the kitchen was truly struggling. Perhaps it was super busy or people were out sick, but that was really a poor showing that put a damper on our anniversary dinner. I should mention that our previous dinner here in late summer was spectacular (our server Carl was so helpful and friendly). So mixed review for this location so far, but we'll be coming back and still recommend it! General comments: (1) the washrooms are clean, (2), the ambience is definitely classy, perfect for a date or a nice/fancier night out with colleagues, (3) the plant-based menu is decent, but they really need a plant-based...

Two stars because the food was decent, and the waitress was nice enough—but that's about where the good times ended. Brace yourself for the adventure that is this restaurant’s unique approach to time management and reservations. A few days ago, we thought we’d casually walk in and enjoy a meal. We were told the wait would be 30-40 minutes, so we added our names to the list and took a little stroll, confident we'd be back in time for our table. Fast forward 30 minutes: we return, hoping for our table to be ready. But no, we were told we were "next in line." So, we plopped down and waited... for another 25 minutes. Curious, we asked again, only to be told we had at least 20 more minutes to go. Now, I don’t know about you, but when 30 minutes stretches into a time warp of over an hour, I start wondering if I’ve entered some kind of culinary purgatory. If they had been upfront, we’d have been happily devouring tacos elsewhere. Still, we were determined (read: foolish), and based on great reviews about the food, we gave them a second chance with an actual reservation a few days later. This should go smoothly one would assume… well, nope. Upon arrival, we were informed our table wasn’t ready, but hey, “just five minutes!” Spoiler alert: it was 25. By the time we had our drinks, a full 45 minutes had passed since our reservation—and that’s if you can call it that, because instead of the cozy dining room, we were seated on the patio. Where it was cold. But we didn’t dare risk waiting another eternity for a table inside. Then, just when we thought things couldn't get more ridiculous, the Customer Experience Manager made an appearance. Naturally, I thought she’d offer something to smooth things over—a drink, an appetizer, any little gesture of being sorry. Nope. Instead, she gave us a lukewarm apology and noticed we were missing straws. Yes, straws. For our already-forgotten drinks. I guess that was their grand gesture—making sure we could sip our frustration through plastic tubes. In summary, unless you enjoy extended waits, eating in the cold, and faux apologies, I can’t recommend this place. It’s a shame because the food truly is great—if only they served it sometime...

We've always had fantastic experiences at Earls restaurants, and our recent visit to the King St W. location was no exception. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted warmly by Grace and Priya, who were both exceptionally professional and welcoming. Their smiles and friendly demeanor set the tone for the evening. We initially booked the dining room as there was no option for the patio, but they were kind enough to accommodate our request and moved us to the patio, which was a delightful surprise.

Our server, Will, was outstanding. He was incredibly kind, attentive, and patient throughout our meal. His great attitude and professionalism truly enhanced our dining experience. Will made sure we had everything we needed and checked in on us regularly without being intrusive. The managers, Paige and another manager whose name I regrettably forgot (she was wearing green dress pants from Dynamite), also made our evening special. Paige, in particular, was a delight to converse with. She is an excellent guest experience manager – kind, welcoming, hard-working, bubbly, and friendly. Our conversation was enjoyable, and her perfume recommendation was a lovely personal touch that I appreciated.

The food, as always, was exceptional. We ordered the fettuccine Alfredo, which was creamy and delicious, and the truffle tortellini, which was equally outstanding. Both dishes were a solid 10/10. The drinks we ordered were perfect, and I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't have any adverse reactions to the alcohol, which is usually a concern for me. The highlight of the meal was the complimentary dessert for my best friend's birthday. It was a thoughtful gesture that made the celebration even more special.

Overall, our experience at Earls on King St W. was nothing short of amazing. The exceptional service provided by Grace, Priya, Will, Paige, and the other manager made our evening memorable. Their dedication to ensuring we had a wonderful time did not go unnoticed. We will definitely be returning and look forward to seeing these wonderful staff members again. If I could give more than 5 stars, I absolutely would. Thank you, Earls, for another unforgettable dining...