LIBRARY BAR — Restaurant in Toronto

My father took me to the Royal York when I was nine years old and I've always credited that visit as what sparked my interest and eventual career in the hospitality industry. I've always treasured the feeling of awe I felt while walking through the hotel and consider it to be a core memory. I've held this establishment in high esteem since then and I'm really sad to say that this place was a let-down.

For context, I'm a career mixologist and I've drank a martini in every single CP/CN/Grand Trunk Railway hotel in Canada, including the one I currently work at. The Library Bar was saved as the final bar in my nationwide quest and was the single worst experience out of them all.

Food and drink were delicious, but our server Majid completely tarnished the entire visit. He dropped the ball multiple times throughout service. His ineptitude truly proves that service can make or break an entire guest experience.

No introduction or greeting were offered. We only learned his name from what was on the final cheque. We felt unwelcome and like we had been pegged as a "bad table". No suggestions on the cocktail menu were offered when prompted. He seemed to assume that my partner and I would prefer beer or wine rather than the cocktails. His indifference and side-eyed comments were both unnecessary and unwarranted.

Our cocktails arrived after the appetizer had been dropped. I understand there was a hold up due to the caviar being frozen. Aside from that, the drink was dropped with no explanation or additional instructions. Seems like a missed opportunity to offer an elevated service experience for a guest, especially for a $75 "masterpiece".

Cutlery was cleared and not replaced between courses. I ended up having to ask the host to bring us cutlery so we could enjoy our main courses. Sadly my partners dish had gone cold by the time we received utensils. I would also like to point out that Majid passed by our table three times and topped up water at a neighboring table. No quality check was performed at our table.

He offered us a plate of fries, espresso or a glass of wine to make up for the mess up. At this point we were throughly finished with the Library Bar and decided to leave before it got worse. A discount or comp on what had been ordered would have been more appropriate than fries. Service recovery should always reflect and remedy the original issue.

Anyways, the lesson here is don't get too excited about a famous bar. It's like that saying about never meeting your heroes.

Majid, I recommend you check your prejudice at the door, learn to sell, and perform table maintenance. I would have tipped you 50%, but left you 15%. Fairmont asks you to make moments into memories, but not...

We finally had a great excuse to visit the Library Bar! My mother-in-law visited us for a the weekend and was catching the VIA train home, so we decided to visit the Library Bar (opposite Union Station) and have a lovely lunch.

Ok, so I was expecting how lovey the bar was - elevated, luxe, Art Deco with a nod to the CN luxury hotels of the past - the Library Bar is a feast for the eyes. It's gorgeous.

I was also expecting wonderful service - Fairmont never lets a guest down and it is always a pleasure to know that a person will be very well taken care of in a Fairmont hotel. Fairmont hotels and their restaurants are bliss.

The lunch menu is varied and one can easily find something to suit one's taste. I must say a special thank you to both our server and the kitchen on the day of our lunch. Most restaurants now make French Onion soup with beef broth and I don't eat mammals. I thought I would ask the waiter, just in case. Today was my lucky day - our waiter offer to double check with the kitchen and that day they made the soup with chicken broth! I ordered it, as did my mother-in-law.

The French Onion soup was beautiful - rich, flavourful, decadent in the way only French Onion soup can be :D I was so happy with my meal.

My husband was very pleased with his meal as well, although I don't remember what he had because I was very focused on my soup :D

The cocktails are varied, innovative and pull inspiration from novels, paintings, music, films and artists of all types.

It was lunch, so we didn't try any cocktails but had a glass of wine. The wine list is short but very well curated and we were all well-pleased with our selections.

This one restaurant we will be returning to - next time for dinner and we'll absolutely try a cocktail.

Thank you so much for an...

Great service time and time again at the Library Bar at the Royal York Hotel. Now I'm a bit biased; my friend works there as a bartender. But I receive the same good service even when he’s not there. I typically only drink there as the menu items are a bit out of my price range, so I sit right up at the bar - I prefer this as it’s very intimate; your bar chair is snug up against your neighbour’s and it almost forces a friendly conversation to happen - and I am a social guy, so I like it. The customer is always greeted immediately by a friendly smile and a coaster tossed ever so delicately right in front of you; a statement that says: “I see you, and you are now my customer.” The drinks they concoct are unbelievable, and strong (my brother and his wife joke that it’s dangerous for them to drink there as they inevitably get into a fight because of how strong they are) and are each nurtured like a newborn baby. You are left with a warm feeling and the thought, “Aww, this all for me?” The bartender will no doubt give the ubiquitous, “How are you doing?” but you’re left with the feeling that they actually mean it. And they do; a lot of these customers are regulars. This is usually followed by an in-depth conversation, and after a couple drinks, typically the bartenders have the whole bar engaging in conversation! Overall the good service starts at the hostess stand where you’re pleasantly welcomed and seated as swiftly as possible - it’s typically rammed on a regular night. I always send my friends there - yes, okay, I am sending my friend my customers, which means more tips - but they always come back with high praises for the beautiful ambiance, excellent service, and amazing,...