Prime Seafood Palace — Restaurant in Toronto

Thick pieces of blue fin tuna, kampachi, and king salmon are showcased in the Sicilian crudo ($45 for a small), cut to a sashimi-like thickness. There is no shortage of olive oil used in the crudo, the fish swimming in a plate of it. Yet, despite all the herbs, dish lacked flavour; if only they reduced the oil and added a sprinkle of salt instead.

Cheese and seafood aren’t a popular combination. Despite that, the delicate thinly sliced grilled Humboldt squid ($34) went remarkably well with creamy Stracciatella cheese. Maitake mushrooms, being a lighter fungus, didn’t detract from the squid and dairy’s natural flavours, the combination so tasty heaped onto a piece of well-toasted sourdough. Of all the starters, this was my favourite.

The Palace bacon ($18 for 3 pieces, extra $6 to add the fourth) was also delightful, a char sui flavoured pork belly that’s sticky and sweet. The fat was well-rendered, so the pork belly simply melted in my mouth. Delicious on its own (not overly salty), it could be equally tasty sandwiched in in a soft bao bun.

In hindsight, I should have put a piece of bacon into the molasses bread. For $21, the bread service was rather disappointing. Sure, the molasses bread was fragrant and unique - it was like having gingerbread in a bun form - but the accompaniments were lacklustre… the butter needed salt, the mustard pickles run-of-the-mill, and the kippered mussels weren’t the freshest tasting. If it weren’t for our waitress’ long story about how this was Matheson’s grandmother’s recipe and filled with East Coast charm, we would have skipped the bread service all together.

Perhaps I should have relied on my own instincts as I found her recommendations to be a let down. While the cote de boeuf ($275) was a beautiful cut of beef and cooked well, it was just so bland. Strangely, some Google reviews claim dishes are too salty, I wonder if the kitchen is overcompensating and has simply started under seasoning everything.

At least our waitress warned us that the cote de boeuf was neutral and suggested an order of sauce. The grilled onion chimichurri ($8) seemed like a logical choice but was too fussy - the mustard or wasabi added gave it a bitter after taste and detracted from the beef. Give me a simple chimichurri any day; or better yet, just some salt and pepper...

A Perfect Evening and Fantastic Culinary Experience at Prime Seafood Palace!

From the moment I stepped into Prime Seafood Palace, I knew I was in for something special. The ambiance is a perfect balance of refined elegance and warmth — minimalist yet inviting, with soft lighting and impeccable design that sets the tone for an elevated dining experience.

What truly made the evening exceptional, however, was the outstanding service, led by Molly, my bartender and server. She was not only attentive and knowledgeable but radiated genuine warmth that made me feel immediately welcome. Molly’s passion for hospitality was evident in every detail — from her impeccable pacing of the meal to her thoughtful recommendations.

The culinary journey began with the Sicilian crudo, a dish so vibrant and fresh it practically danced on the palate. Each bite was perfectly balanced, a refreshing prelude to what followed. The Prime Rib — what can I say? Absolutely masterful. Rich, tender, and deeply flavorful, it was cooked to perfection and paired beautifully with a medley of seasonal vegetable dishes that showcased the kitchen’s commitment to local ingredients and thoughtful preparation.

The cod was another standout — delicate, buttery, and accompanied by accents that enhanced rather than overwhelmed its natural flavor. Every dish was a celebration of texture, technique, and balance.

The sommelier’s wine pairings elevated the experience even further. Their knowledge was not only impressive but intuitively guided. Each wine complemented its dish seamlessly, enhancing the flavors without overpowering them — a true testament to their expertise.

As the meal drew to a close, I was surprised and delighted by a complimentary sorbet and amaro. It was the perfect final note — refreshing, sophisticated, and entirely in line with the thoughtful elegance that defined the entire evening.

Prime Seafood Palace is not just a restaurant — it’s a celebration of craftsmanship, hospitality, and culinary excellence. Whether you’re a seasoned gourmand or simply someone who appreciates good food and great service, this is a place that will exceed your expectations. Special thanks again to Molly for making the night so memorable — I’ll be back...

For a much hyped and very expensive restaurant, Prime Seafood Palace is the biggest disappointment I’ve dined at in years.

Firstly, I’ll start off with the service. We were a party of five and when three of us arrived, our waiter asked if we wanted anything to drink. We just stated that we’ll wait until our other friends arrive and the waiter who looked he absolutely didn’t want to serve us, rolled his eyes and left. The whole night, we got that vibe as even when our friends arrived and while we were ordering, he either asked them to order more food or when they asked if there was bread he condescendingly stated that the food is whatever he served. Lastly, when one member of our party accidentally spilled some water, the server didn’t respond in anyway, we cleaned up ourselves. Not that we needed him to clean it, but in my experience when these things happen servers are usually pretty quick to help out. The lack of attention to detail is very noticeable.

In terms of the food, for a place that’s got seafood in its name, there wasn’t exactly a lot of options for seafood. They didn’t have any oysters, crabs or other items. The menu had one raw fish platter, a lobster pasta with tiny morsels of meat and one fish entree. Quite the joke for a place called seafood palace. As for the other dishes, the beef was decent and though most of the side dishes were too heavy and not good complements to the meat. Again for such a high end restaurant you’d think they would put more thoughts into pairing the food well so the side dishes can help to balance out the richness of the main course. Of all the dishes we had, sadly the most memorable thing I ate was the palace potatoes.

I’ve dined at many places across the city/world ranging from holes in the wall to Michelin 3 stars and this is probably the worst “fine dining” experience I’ve had. With drinks and tips, the meal came out to be more than 200 per person. For restaurants at this price range, I think it’s readable to expect above average level of food and service. Instead all we got was overly greasy food and sloppy service. Only thing saving it from one star is the pleasant environment.

If you want to eat steak, save your money and enjoy a better meal at the...