Loukoumaki x Smashed+ — Restaurant in Toronto

Decided to try this place. First issue- 1) The parking lot is absolutely horrible. One way in and one way out, Narrow front lot, narrow alley way and very hard to find parking even in the back lot. Its shared building with doctor offices, UPS, Asian Restaurant, Rehabilitation clinic.etc...

2. They is a air circulation/ventilation issue with the restaurant. I noticed at least 4 huge air circulation tilted fans the size of your car door. 2 in the front entrance on the floor where you have to step over to get in and at least 1 in the back towards the kitchen. anther one in the front of the store.

3. ATMOSPHERE- The place is loud with the music cranked up you cant hear yourself when placing the order. The poor cashier girl was on the phone and covering her other ear to better hear the customer. I should not have to raise my voice to place a food order. This is not a nightclub or bar, lower the volume of your music.

4. DECOR- Place is full of super giant screen TV all over the place and Huge art paintings of sweets of honey balls etc. hung on their walls. Money has been over spent to update to a modern setting however its overkill. Expresso cups with saucers to match with company logo/brand printed on it for sale, different size boxes for take out in different size with company logo/brand to showcase and hats and shirts for purchase.

THE FOOD-

1. I ordered the single smashed burger for $8.00 + tax. I also ordered a Chicken Gyro "Authentic Style".

The burger patty is no bigger than a junior cheeseburger you would order from McDonalds. a flatten patty with no seasoning. (i know what i smashed burger looks like). Its covered with lettuce and pickles and some orange sauce and soft bun. I could barley taste the the meat because there is so less of it and its super thin. You can go drive down the street to anther burger joint on Bellemy and pay $1.75 extra and get a homeburger or $4 more get a 8oz Mojo burger patty. that will satisfy you. (im not promoting or endorsing the other burger joint.) Paying $8 for 1/8" of patty meat covered in lettuce and pickles and sauce is not right.

Chicken Gyro "authentic style"- It was decent size serving i will give you that much. However, every bit i took the overpowering taste of feta cheese and cherry tomatoes. When the star of your dish should of been the protien (the chicken) Apparently the meat is Halah.??? Im not sure if its a vertical gyro spit being used for the Gyro.

In closing, this place is relying on a fancy website, a photo of a beautiful girl., social media to promote. They went over the top and overspent money on several HUGE TV's screens, Art work, shirts, hats, expresso cups and saucer plate with brand logo on it, to try and sell its food. When the main marketing purpose should of focused on the food you produce and the quality of the food.

Unlike the business down the street which recently relocated from Brimorton Plaza. There main and Majority priority and focus has always been the quality of their food. They only recently updated with digital TV display for their menu after opening a new location and got onto social media to stay relevant but not to rely on it.

(Im not promoting or endorsing the other business either) Yet you can see how different business models were used on where to allocate money to make the business last.

You can see the difference in the 2 business's. One business focused on selling the "Steak" while the other business focused on selling the "Sizzle".

Any real foodie can see past the smoke and mirrors and exaggerated google reviews from family and friends.

To...

Family of 6 10/10 Rating

Pros: Hands down, some of the best food I’ve had recently! Everything tasted so fresh.The Smashed+Fries was especially memorable. Must try! I’m still dreaming about my meal at Loukoumaki x Smashed+

My sons both got chicken burgers Simple style and Smashed+ Style, they both had to get a to-go box it was huge.

Each bite amazing and full of flavor, Don’t miss out on trying their signature Smash burger, my 5 year old got a single smash burger combo, my 16 year old got the double smashed burger and it was delicious, the combos are affordable with a heavy portion.

Onion rings couldnt have been better, they were top notch.

Our family especially enjoyed the variety of desserts, and the ice cream! The colour on the ice cream is flavoured! You have to see it to understand what i mean! We got strawberry and birthday cake mix!! The Honey doughnut ball was as they say "the star of the show", we got strawberry queen with white chocolate and strawberries and very bueno with nutella and chocolate. Never had anything like it WILL come back for more. Its warm and sweet comfort. Highly recommended! My family walked to the park with our dessert and did our happy birthday song outside with the desserts.

The service was impeccable from start to finish. The sweetest man in the back of house came out with free homemade vegetarian gravy for the table. It was the only thing i spilt on myself lol, everyone we spoke to had a smile a genuine beautiful smile.

I wish i got names but really it doesnt matter everyone that helped us was gracious and accommodating, even when my card declined, they said we got you and fixed the machine issue immediately. Ensuring every aspect of our dining experience was perfect. I brought a rowdy bunch of kids in there and it still had a friendly, warm atmosphere, we really enjoyed this restaurant, We would come back just for the service.

Cons:

Google map directed me to a brick wall when i put the address into google maps. I almost didnt even go

Could have a bigger table for all 6 of us ( it also may not fit, so i get it) we...

Picked this spot for brunch to kick off a long day and honestly, Scarborough isn't exactly the first place you'd expect to find a Greek donut and smash burger mashup like this. But glad I gave it a go. I went with the Original Smash Burger with triple patty and added poutine on the side. My buddies and I also split a box of assorted loukoumades (those Greek honey donut balls) and had Greek coffee to wrap things up. No question about it, they hit the spot. The burger was everything I hoped for. Perfectly cooked patties, soft bun, and while the sauce gave off a bit of an upscale Big Mac vibe, it worked. In a really good way. Not trying too hard, just solid execution. Definitely keen to come back and try the other sauces next time. Poutine? Textbook. Crispy fries, real curds, and that gravy. Nothing experimental, just the right kind of classic that reminds you why this combo became a staple in the first place. And those honey donut balls? Man. That’s the kind of dessert I didn’t know I needed until I had it. Crisp outside, soft inside, just the right sweetness covered the entire surface, not over the top. Total win. Pairing that with the Greek coffee was a moment. There’s something about that bold-but-balanced taste that just works especially after a hearty meal. And the fact that the lady brought it out and showed how it’s made? That was a vibe on its own. Felt personal, warm, and kind of nostalgic in a way you don't see much anymore. Honestly, the food was great but it’s also the atmosphere and energy here that really stuck. Friendly service, pride in the craft, and no shortcuts. Would I come back? Absolutely. If not for the food, then just for how it made me feel...