Hem Social — Restaurant in Toronto

I rarely leave Google reviews, but I felt compelled to after dining here! I was walking around the neighbourhood and came across this restaurant randomly, so I decided to try it out. And WOW, I am so glad I did!

My husband and I shared the fresh shrimp rolls, fried wontons, beef banh mi, and chicken wings. The chicken wings were my favourite, and I’m not even a chicken wing person! Everything we ate was portioned just right. More importantly, the food was absolutely delicious and made with care and good quality ingredients. It’s obvious that the cooks really put a lot of love into their food.

Upon speaking with one of the lovely servers, I learned that this is a family-owned restaurant, so it’s great that I was able to give some support! I can’t wait to dine here again to try the other dishes. I’ve recommended this place to friends and family, and they really enjoyed the food as well. So whoever is reading this review, definitely try this place out! I hope you will love the food as much as my husband...

Having been thwarted in my attempts to try Hem Social over the last few weeks (note, they are closed Mondays and Tuesdays) I finally got my chance this week to give the menu a tour. In short, Hem Social is a gem of a dining experience. The fried wontons, and the shrimp papaya slaw were excellent starts (and together, would have made a great little lunch on their own). But we couldn't resist getting into the Saute Garlic Beef Banh Mi, and a bowl of their beef pho (split between the two of us). Rarely have I enjoyed a soup and sandwich this much. We washed it all down with 2 of their homemade iced teas (kumquat/lemon, and peach/organge)--a fantastic accompaniment to the delicious food. The menu is focused (in stark contrast to many Vietnamese restaurants that seemingly feature hundreds of options). Service was friendly and attentive, and it won't be long...

Truly exceptional dining experience.

We were lucky to go at a time where the restaurant was mostly empty so it was very calm.

Let's start with the food: it is delicious. From their starters all the way through to desserts. Their summer rolls, pho (beef), and weekend special udon, and their affogato were all divine.

What really elevated this experience was the way the staff received us and ensured they explained all the options available to us and what they would recommend along with some interesting history about the dish. Service was very fast and delivered with a smile. Tyler was our server and he really had us excited to come back.

The ambiance was cute, nice music and quaint. Bathrooms are very clean!!

Can't...