Pasaj — Restaurant in Toronto

Pasaj did not give what it needed to give, mid asf.

The interior and ambience? Beautiful. I liked the contemporary elegant Mediterranean design. The sunroom and greenery took in the advantage of natural sunlight which was nice. However, the food was just not it. We were in a group of 8 and shared 4 dishes between us: Poseidon, Salmon Benedict, Shakshouka and French Toast.

The Poseidon plate felt like a betrayal of its name, it seemed to have everything but what the god of sea would offer. Two lonely bites of smoked salmon drowning in salad. Salmon felt like a guest appearance than the main act, the salad however, was fully committed to the role. For a dish named after the god of sea it was giving more of Poseidon's Diet Plan. I could munch on some grass and swallow a gold fish and it'll be the same thing for cheaper. We were so thrown off that we asked to take it back and thankfully the staff let us swap it out for another Salmon Benedict. Even Poseidon himself would've sent this back.

The Salmon Benedict was okay, although it did give us the egg-ick by the end of it, and the potatoes weren't seasoned properly.

The Shakshouka was also just meh. The eggs were there, the tomato sauce was there, that's about it, no spice, no depth no flavour. The bread was dry as well. At that point I can make it better at home with my eyes closed and I don't even know how to cook.

Lastly, the French Toast was probably the best of the bunch. Soft and baked nicely but not sweet enough and like with everything else the portions are too small for one person, let alone to share.

A few more things to point out... The staff took their time to explain in detail which dishes were halal since they weren't halal certified, which I appreciated. The menu felt very limited, not a lot of variety and the drinks are super expensive starting from $15 and up. They don't have their drinks menu online so you have no idea what you're getting into until you're actually seated. Because we came as a group, they automatically added 18% gratuity to the bill. Which, combined with how mid and small portioned the food was, made it feel like we were being robbed. Generosity shouldn’t be mandatory when the experience didn't match the price tag. While the place did looked stunning, the lack of proper soundproofing meant the place got loud fast. It can get overwhelming for those sensitive to sound.

In the end, you're paying more for the aesthetic, vibes and decor--not flavour. Pasaj is great if your sole purpose is to take cute pictures for the 'gram. If you're hungry and coming for food and value I suggest going...

My sons and I treated my wife to brunch at Pasaj for Mother’s Day (by request). We were all excited for fluffy pancakes, good coffee and charming ambiance for our celebration. Unfortunately our experience, from the moment of placing a reservation, continuing at our arrival, and throughout the meal, left not something, but everything to be desired. The reservation system was malfunctioning at the time I attempted to secure a table, and two email requests for assistance yielded no response, even after 24 hours. When we were eventually able to make a reservation for Mother’s Day, (at a time not ideal for our schedule) the confirmation message Pasaj sent cannot be described as anything less than pretentiously rude. When we arrived (early, due to Pasaj’s thinly veiled threats of financial recrimination and dire warnings of reservations being cancelled if a late arrival occurred) our hostess could not find our reservation under my wife’s name, despite this being the name I used, hoping to make the experience feel centric to her as much as possible. Fortunately I had retained the (rude) confirmation email, and we were eventually seated at a dimly lit table near the back of the space. Hoping the positive portion of our experience was about to begin, we were further disappointed when the waitress unapologetically misgendered my son, before informing us that the children could not have juice unless they ordered from the children’s menu. The coffee, where much of my personal hopes for the experience lay, left me not wanting more, but rather looking forward to my reunion with the tavel cup of home coffee I had left in the car. Once our food had arrived at our table, our waitress abandoned us entirely until we were forced to seek out a member of staff and request the bill. Rather than bringing it however, she and another waitress took turns harassing us to leave a positive review. Good food can of course, gloss over significant acts of ignorance, poor manners and incompetence on the part of restaurant staff. Our food however was inadequate, not only to satisfy our disappointment, but also our taste. The fritters were soggy and cold, the eggs overcooked, and the pancakes a sorry excuse for those so often photographed, which had incited our curiosity. Following such an experience, I would be tempted to say that I will never return, however in this case, I would be more than happy to eat at this location again, should another restaurant, one more able to deliver at least adequate food and staff capable of basic courtesy, replace the clearly inadequate, tasteless and...

Update to My Review of Pasaj

After posting my initial review, the staff at Pasaj reached out and went above and beyond to make up for my previous experience.

When I visited the restaurant again, I was warmly welcomed, offered a delicious coffee and pancakes on the house, and received a sincere apology for the earlier incident. Their genuine effort to improve my impression did not go unnoticed.

Because of this, I’m updating my rating from 3 stars to 4. Thank you for showing that customer care matters — it made a big difference!

My experience at Pasaj was, unfortunately, disappointing from the start.

When I arrived, I was greeted by an unfriendly girl at the entrance wearing a green sweater, glasses, and piercings. She didn’t smile and gave off an unpleasant attitude, which set a negative tone for the visit. I had the impression that the girl at the entrance was upset that I showed up for my reservation😒😕

Once seated, I waited for 20 minutes without anyone approaching me. No water, no offer of drinks — nothing. Meanwhile, three women were constantly attending to other tables, ensuring those guests were taken care of, while I was completely ignored.

When I finally managed to place an order, I was made to wait again — this time for tap water! To make matters worse, a couple who arrived much later than me received their drinks and food far quicker. It felt unfair and disrespectful.

I couldn’t help but wonder if the poor service was because I came alone for brunch. If so, that’s absolutely unacceptable. Dining solo doesn’t mean one deserves subpar treatment. It’s disheartening to feel invisible in a place that should prioritize all guests equally.

To be fair, the other women who served me later on were polite and seemed more attentive, but by then, the initial bad impression was hard to shake.

On a positive note, the food itself was delicious. By the time it arrived, I was so hungry that I finished everything quickly.

I sincerely hope Pasaj focuses on improving the experience for all customers, regardless of the circumstances. Great food deserves equally...