Enigma Yorkville — Restaurant in Toronto

MILESTONE BIRTHDAY DISSAPPOINTMENT

In early December, my wife told me she wanted to have her milestone birthday dinner at Enigma on February 13th, 2025. Booking through OpenTable was not possible the date was too far out. I sent emails to Enigma asking for a quiet romantic table for us at 7PM on February 13th and after four emails and providing my credit card details, Daria responded that we were on the Guest List, she would follow up once reservations were opened and secure a reservation. I honestly believed that arrangements were all set.

However, when we arrived that night, the hostess said there was no reservation under my name. I went through the email stream with her and she pointed out that I was only put on the Guest List. She told me I should have followed up with Enigma when my credit card was not charged and I explained that many restaurants only put holds on credit cards. There was no apology for Enigma not doing their job; just blame on me. Apparently I had to do their job too.

Fortunately, 26cm of snow had fallen in 24 hours and I didn’t think it would be a problem to get a table even after the mix up. I asked to see what tables were available so we could pick out a quiet one but we were stopped at the door and not allowed in. Instead, we were ushered into the bar. We were given 2 menus (the 8 course and 10 course) to decide which one to choose. The Enigma team was still huddled at the front desk trying to figure out what to do. My wife asked the bartender the difference between the two menus and the answer from the hostess was $70. My wife asked about the difference in dishes between the two and she was stumped. Roberto, the General Manager came over and when my wife asked him about the differences, Roberto said only the 10-course menu was available. He said the only seat left was the Chef’s Table which he called the best table in the house. We were then led to a counter facing their giant soda stream where four empty chairs were set up. On the way to the Chef’s Table (Counter), we noticed six empty tables but Roberto said none of them were available. I can tell you that throughout our evening, there were at least two tables always empty.

Our experience that night turned out to be anything but romantic. Sitting at the Chef’s Table (Counter) meant that we constantly had to be moving left and right so the staff could refill water glasses, remove empty pairing glasses, remove empty plates, and replace cutlery.

The food was okay and I would give it a 3 out of 5 but the lobster dish was almost inedible. I wonder how they got their Michelin Star and if this is their normal menu and service practice then how they will keep that star. We had been out every night that week (for birthday week) and this was the most disappointing yet most expensive evening of the week.

Given that it was my wife’s actual birthday the night at Enigma, I did not want to make it worse by getting into it with the staff and was hoping for a quick ending. My wife, who is typically very demure, decided to talk to Ricardo, the General Manager, when he came by to ask about the night. She asked him why we sat at the counter by ourselves when there were at least two empty tables the whole time. She told him that the Chefs’ Table was very uncomfortable for her and how annoying it was. Ricardo, the GM, seemed to listen carefully and then asked how the food was. He told us again that the Chef’s Counter was the best seat in the house. He paid us lip service and had no interest in addressing my wife’s concerns.

Roberto went on to say that the Chef’s Table (Counter) came with an auto gratuity of 20% and presented us with a bill for $1,320.70 and the portable terminal. I thought I was going to be sick.

Yes, my wife’s milestone birthday will always be remembered but for all the wrong reasons. I just hope that this review can help other unsuspecting couples out there avoid a similar fate. It isn’t worth the money you pay at...

My boyfriend and I had the most disappointing dining experience at this restaurant for Valentine's Day. What was supposed to be a special evening turned into a series of misunderstandings and miscommunications that left us feeling neglected and unfairly treated.

The process started off simple with an online reservation for a table. We were later contacted by the restaurant, offering us a choice between wine or another item from their package to take home, which we mistakenly thought was a complimentary gift as part of a special Valentine's Day dinner package. We were so exciting to be there.

Upon arrival, we were stunned to learn that our reservation was actually for a "take home package" and not for dining in. This was a complete surprise to us as our confirmation clearly stated a "table for two at 4:00 pm," with no clear indication that we were not going to dine in. The fine print mentioning "home dinner pickup" was easily overlooked by first-time visitors like us. It supposed to be “time to pickup” bottom and no mandatory 18% tips if it is a pick up order, they should not mislead people.

After explaining the situation to the first manager, a table was reluctantly offered in an adjacent dining section. However, the owner/chef approached us in a confrontational manner, claiming our accusation of being misled was "unfair," despite our claims that no such clarification was made during the initial phone call.

The situation escalated when we were informed that dining in would require paying anew, as the home package and dine-in menu were priced differently. A second manager attempted to resolve the issue by offering us the dine-in menu without extra charges, applying a discount to accommodate us. However, this quickly turned into a nightmare when, just before the main course, we were told we needed to pay an additional sum, drastically exceeding our expectations based on earlier conversations.

Feeling cornered and with our evening already ruined, we sought a resolution, only to be met with further indecision and lack of empathy from the restaurant staff. Our request for a partial refund or to simply enjoy our meal was met with bureaucracy and a lack of decision-making authority. I don’t understand why the manager cannot take in charge, so what is the meaning of having two managers in the restaurant? Managers were trying to help, but as they said they are small people, that could not decide. I felt so helpless at that time.

Eventually, after expressing our immense disappointment and distress, we were promised a full refund, though the constant changes in their statements left us with little trust in their word. We left the restaurant heartbroken, having spent hours for what turned out to be a distressing ordeal, questioning if our treatment was influenced by bias or prejudice.

This experience has not only ruined our special occasion but also left us questioning the integrity and customer service ethos of this establishment. It is horrible. I would NEVER recommend this restaurant, as the treatment we received was unacceptable at any level of dining. The most “impressive” thing in this restaurant is changeable responses, and my tears. If I can rate 0 star, I would...

Celebrated my birthday at Enigma last night, and will not be back.

Let me explain why:

Ahead of the reservation, we were asked if there were any dietary restrictions, and we noted shellfish. Upon arrival, we were asked again if there were any dietary restrictions, and when we once again said shellfish, the hostess said "let me check with the chef" - what kind of response is that? And why ask ahead of time, if you don't intend to do anything with that important information? They then asked which one of us was celebrating the birthday, I said myself (more on this later...).

The ambiance of the place is beautiful and very well appointed. My husband and I both noted how wonderfully quiet it was (a rarity in today's culinary scene) - we could actually hear each other without screaming! However, we were sat in one of the corner tables directly under the air vent, which was freezing. The staff was very nice and turned off the air at my request, but that made the restaurant really warm. They ended up turning the air back on, and it was so cold, the woman at the other corner table was under a blanket - which is a bit ridiculous. The other table offered was facing the service station and entry into the kitchen, which really should not even be an option at a high-end restaurant (who wants to see everyone running around while they are trying to enjoy a nice meal?).

The food itself was exceptional, kudos to the chef. The Cornish hen was probably one of the best preparations I've ever had, and the dessert presentation at the end was beautiful and very creative.

The front of house service was lacking. Cutlery was dropped, and the staff could not seem to figure out the wine glass situation (the same staff cleared the empty glasses, while trying to put down the fresh ones) - it all just came across as clunky and uncoordinated.

The pace of the menu was also rushed - we could not have a proper conversation without being interrupted constantly. It really ruined the mood. I see other reviewers have noted this as well.

The sommelier was fantastic and gave great information about each wine, however, the pours were laughable. I think they may have added up to two glasses. And he even gave us a bit extra of one of the wines.

Then at the very end as we were leaving, the same hostess (who greeted us initially), wished my husband a happy birthday (reminder, it was my birthday, not his). If you cannot get it right, best to stay away from mentioning it completely. And there was absolutely no other mention of the special occasion at any other point (no candle with dessert or acknowledgement from the waiter) - similar to the dietary restrictions, why even ask?

So if you've read this far, you may be thinking, wow, you're really nit-picking. And I am, because when you are charging prices that are north of $1,000 and are significantly more than Alo (which delivers perfection), you are setting the expectation for the customer.

Ultimately, I hope this review provides a bit more colour, so you can make your own informed decision. But having gone though this experience at that price point, we certainly...