IKEA Etobicoke - Restaurant — Restaurant in Toronto

Wyck Recommends: Meatballs, Miscommunication & a Micro-Hot Dog

Intro Scene

It started with a craving. IKEA meatball poutine—the holy grail of cafeteria comfort. I queued up like a hopeful pilgrim, ready to pay homage in gravy. I politely asked for poutine with meatballs. She began assembling a meatball dinner instead. I corrected her. She didn’t like that. Corrected her again. Still no dice. But then—maybe out of mercy, maybe just to end the interaction—she handed me the meatballs and poutine… separately. At first, I thought something went wrong. But we later realized: if the meatballs had been sitting in gravy too long, they would’ve gone soggy. Sometimes the universe saves you from yourself.

What Was Ordered

IKEA Meatball Poutine (requested, reworked, served apart like an estranged couple)

Meatball Dinner (attempted, swiftly averted)

Gravlax with dill mustard sauce (a little smelly, surprisingly good)

Zucchini Fritters (texturally untrustworthy but not offensive)

$1 Hot Dog (miniature but proud, with bonus fried onions)

Cinnamon Bun (hot, sticky, still the MVP)

Service Commentary

There was no rudeness, just an unspoken understanding that she was in charge. My corrections were received like unsolicited IKEA assembly advice—tolerated but not embraced. I wasn’t shouted at, but I was definitely overruled. Still, I walked away with everything I needed. Just… in two separate piles.

Vibe Check

Equal parts chaos and comfort. Children howling, trays clattering, and couples slowly unraveling under fluorescent lights. I sat in a sunny spot by the window with my divided meal and reflected on power dynamics and gravy ratios. The vibe? Surprisingly meditative.

The Space Itself

Big, bright, and built for turnover. Tables cleared quickly. Noise bounced. It felt like a cafeteria in a space station—functional, slightly dystopian, but ultimately nurturing in its own weird way.

About the Neighborhood

The area around IKEA Etobicoke feels like a lost page from Detroit—industrial, desolate, and humming with forklift energy. Auto shops, warehouses, mystery buildings. You start to wonder if your GPS is pranking you. But then, like a glitch in the matrix, you hit Sherway Gardens and it’s suddenly luxury SUVs, designer bags, and valet parking. A two-minute drive, and you’re transported from grease-stained pavement to clean marble floors. The duality of Toronto in full effect.

Hits & Misses

✓ Meatball poutine (the separation worked—preserved texture, accidental genius) ✓ Cinnamon bun (sticky, classic, undefeated) ✓ Gravlax with dill mustard (funky but fresh, sauce carried) ✓ Free fried onions on hot dogs ✕ Service clarity (misunderstood twice before the breakthrough) ✕ Zucchini fritters (jury’s still out, but the texture’s not winning awards)

Final Verdict

The meatball poutine? Solid 4/5. Hits that nostalgic sweet spot with salty, saucy goodness. Everything else? Purely IKEA—functional, familiar, and slightly uncanny. You don’t come here to be wowed. You come here for comfort food and chaos. This time, I got both—with a side of accidental wisdom. And listen, if there was horse meat in those balls like back in the day… it was tender, and I have no complaints.

Rating (out of 5)

2.8/5

Perfect For

Quiet life lessons served on plastic trays

Letting go of expectations

Reuniting meat and gravy on...

If you're looking for cheap meals and quick snacks to go, this IKEA has a lot to offer. Ranging from their Swedish Food Market and Bistro on the main floor to their Restaurant on the second floor, there are various food options to eat before and after your shopping!

On the main floor, you'll find the Swedish Food Market, which offers a wide range of easy-to-prepare items like bread, dairy, fish, pastries, snacks, sauces, jam, and condiments. They even have a separate cashier to cash you out, so you don't have to wait in the Bistro line-up. Also, on the main floor is the Bistro, where you can grab cold or hot snacks. Cold options include vanilla frozen yogurt or strawberry frozen treat (plant-based) in a cup, sugar cone, or waffle cone, as well as sundaes and cinnamon buns. Hot options include hot dogs, veggie dogs, chili dogs, chili, fries, and hot cinnamon buns.

If you're looking for a more substantial meal, head up to the second floor near the main escalator without going through the showroom, where you'll find the IKEA Restaurant. Their menu features classic dishes like Swedish Meatballs, Veggie Balls, Plant Balls, Haddock & Chips and Salmon with Vegetable Medallion, as well as new options like poutine in small or large sizes. There are plenty of side options to choose from, like soup, garlic toast, samosas, vegetable medallions, and desserts to grab while you're in line. They recently added a fridge with alcohol for consumption at the restaurant too! The food is pretty good overall, and if you need to, you can reheat it further with the microwave.

Overall, the food offerings at IKEA in Etobicoke are both delicious and convenient. Whether you're grabbing a quick snack or enjoying a sit-down meal, you're sure to find something to satisfy...

Unfortunately, it was the worst experience I've ever encountered. A dismissive, condescending, and uncooperative attitude from the employees made the entire return process unpleasant. I never thought that such a serious business as IKEA would be represented by such rude, unprofessional employees as Ms. Brigette and Sabrina in the returned items department. So, today, around 2:30 pm, I showed up at one of the counters of the return staff section, I had to return a table that I had purchased a few days ago. Accidentally. I couldn't find the receipt, and I was categorically refused by the ladies and with a rude presentation that was not at all serious, they communicated to me that without having the physical receipt, I could not return that item, while the item had a barcode, label, and the price as purchased, meaning everything was verifiable. I very carefully reminded the ladies that today we live in a time where technology has reached its peak and there are all possibilities to find any kind of information that they need to continue the process. However, the arrogant ladies with a hint of rudeness categorically refused to continue the process. The question continued for several minutes until I had to react and requested to see a supervisor, lonely then they agreed to proceed...