Meataa 7 Authentic Charcoal BBQ — Restaurant in Toronto

TLDR: When in North York, be sure to look up at what some of the second floors of buildings have to offer or you could miss a great restaurant like this one. This place is not an AYCE (all you can eat) because the cuts of meat/food offerings are actually of good quality. Their drinks are also well priced as well. Service is great as the servers are friendly, and will offer to help you if you have never used a charcoal grill before.

-[CARBON FIRE FEE] $3.99 🔥 LOL that could entirely be the wrong translation as I used Google Translate to get the Chinese on my receipt for this item into English 🔥 I assume that's the fee for the charcoal grill which is very worth it 🔥 The grill's center does cook much faster than the sides of it so if you're not a fast eater, you can leave the cooked meat on the sides of the grill to keep it warm

-[MEATAA SEVEN HOUSE CUT] $17.99 🥩 Based on the restaurant's name alone, this dish is likely one of their signature ones which is why it was ordered 🥩 They do have a sauce statiom where you can go up, and create your own dipping sauces but this meat was well seasoned even without needing to use it 🥩 It was so tender, and flavorful, and the portion was great as well

-[KIMCHI PORK BELLY FRIED RICE] $13.99 🍚 Okay, I know this is a Chinese place BUT they make such a delicious kimchi fried ric here 🍚 They really have no business making it so deliciously because I think I have only been talking up this place to friends for that since I dined here 🍚 We had leftovers, and I really regretted not splitting this box of leftovers in half because I am STILL thinking about how flavorful it was

-[MEATAA SEVEN TOSSED MINI SQUID (SPICY)] $12.99 🦑 This is a sizeable portion of squid, sliced carrots, and cucumber all in a slightly sweet/sour, and spicy sauce 🦑 It was such a refreshing palette cleanser between bites of meat 🦑 Definitely something I would not hesitate to order again but if you can't handle spice, stay away as it does have a kick

-[KALBI COMBO] $29.99 🍖 If you want some of everything, you can get this combo which comes with sauced beef steak, black pepper kalbi, and sweet soy marinated kalbi 🍖 The kalbi variants differed from each other well enough that I couldn't choose a favorite between the two 🍖 Love that they give you this option to get so many choices in just one combo

-[SLICED POTATO] $4.99 🥔 Decently thin slices of potato 🥔 Ensuring these are cooked through without burning them is a little tricky, but I would start them out in the middle of the grill, and then once both sides start to see caramelizing, you can move them to the edges of the grill 🥔 Leaving them on the edges of the grill also can help to keep them warm OR if you're a really slow eater like I am, you can put them back onto the grill when you want to warm them up

-[SAPPORO 1.5L] $19.99 🍺 I completely forgot to take a photo of this but it's served in a chilled beer tower 🍺 It's easier to get a pour into your glass if you move the tower to the edge of the table too 🍺 The value for this beer tower is pretty good compared to other places with similar offerings so I highly recommend it!

-[SOJU 16.6% ABV] $22.99 🍶 I know the beer/soju mix is a Korean thing but they had soju here too so it just made sense to mix the two 🍶 Went really well with the beer in question, and all the other food we ordered 🍶 This is definitely a soju with higher ABV compared to the flavored ones but I prefer to actually...

After having an enjoyable meal during my first visit shortly after the restaurant opened, I decided to return with a group of friends. Unfortunately, this experience was disappointing. When we were seated, the servers appeared rushed to reset the table but neglected to wipe it down before placing the utensils. I politely asked if the table could be cleaned, but the server insisted it had already been done—despite us standing right there and seeing otherwise. When I pointed this out, she made a few quick swipes at the table, which hardly addressed the issue.

We ordered five items: two drinks, a beef platter, a rice dish, and a vegetable platter. Only the drinks and beef platter were brought to the table, with no sign of the remaining dishes or the necessary tongs and scissors. It was difficult to get the attention of the staff, and it felt as though three out of the four servers were intentionally ignoring our table. In the end, the vegetable platter never arrived, and we had to ask for it to be canceled as we were nearly finished our meal.

At the end of the meal, we looked through our receipt to find that they charge you 3.99 for the charcoal. For a charcoal specialty restaurant you're charging customers for charcoal?

This was an extremely disappointing experience, especially considering my initial visit was so positive. I sincerely hope the restaurant takes sanitation and customer service more seriously moving forward. There are other options in the city for BBQ with better quality, cleanliness and customer service. This...

Food: Excellent quality ingredients and vibrant flavors throughout. The meats were tender and perfectly seasoned, grilled over charcoal for that authentic Northern Chinese taste. The ability to create your own dipping sauce adds a fun, interactive touch that elevates the experience. Side dishes like the cheesy corn and spicy peanuts were great complements—and finishing with roasted marshmallows over the charcoal grill was an unexpected but brilliant dessert idea. Everyone left happy and completely satisfied.

Atmosphere: Fun, casual, and lively. The space feels open and bright, with an inviting setup for groups to cook and eat together. Ventilation and layout are well-designed for a comfortable dining experience.

Service: Staff were attentive and friendly, helping us grill and offering suggestions throughout the meal. Their timing and guidance made everything smooth, even for first-timers to Shenyang-style barbecue.

Timing: We came as a party of five right when it opened at noon—peaceful and relaxed to start. By 1:30 PM, the restaurant had filled up quickly, even for a Monday lunch, which says a lot about its growing popularity.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A highly enjoyable and authentic Northern Chinese grill experience with top-quality ingredients, great service, and a fun, interactive dining setup. Perfect for anyone who enjoys hands-on grilling and bold,...