REIGN Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Toronto

Nestled within the Fairmont Hotel lobby, the restaurant makes an unforgettable first impression with its exquisitely designed wine cabinet standing proudly at the center of the hall. Unfortunately, we were seated in a smaller side room, missing the grandeur of the main hall’s murals and opulent decor. The service met all expected standards, but the male waitstaff carried an air of formality—somewhat reminiscent of the electrified scientist from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire—lacking the warmth and attentiveness of their female counterparts.

Cauliflower Soup The dish was presented in classic tableside service fashion—ingredients meticulously arranged in the center of a deep plate before the velvety soup was poured in a circular motion from a small pitcher. Unlike many Western soups that lean on heavy cream, this was likely chicken broth-based, achieving a richness without any of the cloying oiliness. The essence of cauliflower infused seamlessly into the broth, while the toasted nuts added depth. A surprising highlight was the green apple, which introduced a refreshing sweet-tart contrast that elevated the overall profile.

Caesar Salad Crafted with Baby Gem lettuce, a smaller and more delicate variant of romaine, each crisp leaf was perfectly portioned for a single bite. Two types of cheese were sprinkled throughout—though their individual flavors were somewhat elusive. The sourdough croutons, instead of the usual crunchy cubes, were coarsely ground into textured granules, acting as a flavor enhancer rather than a textural focal point. The Caesar dressing and vinaigrette provided a balanced acidity, while the bacon contributed a robust, savory note, subtly enriching the entire dish with its natural oils.

Iron Frites The portion size was generous, but let’s talk about the fries—hands down, the highlight of the dish. Crisp, golden perfection, surpassing even Burger King’s best offerings. They arrived unseasoned, allowing the accompanying ketchup and garlic aioli to shine. When combined, the duo was like a stunning bride in a white wedding dress dancing with crimson ballet shoes—graceful, striking, and unforgettable.

The medium-rare steak was well-executed, boasting a beautiful sear and a tender interior, though it arrived slightly cooler than ideal. The chimichurri sauce, however, was a letdown—it lacked the intensity needed to complement an unseasoned steak. With no natural spice or heat, it neither enhanced nor balanced the dish. Attempting to compensate with a more generous dip resulted in an oily mouthfeel that threw the entire composition off. If this were served with charred chili sauce from Sichuan, it would have been a perfect score.

Toffee Pudding The pairing of malt whisky and vanilla ice cream was an absolute triumph—the warmth of the whisky lingered beautifully, rounding out the sweetness of the ice cream. The brandy snaps and nuts were also a delight; had they been the sole accompaniments, it would have been a flawless dessert.

However, the date sponge cake itself was unremarkable—softer than the standard commercial variety, but lacking any distinctive character. The toffee sauce, unfortunately, was overly sweet for my palate, bordering on cloying.

Indulging in this meal alone for a full ninety minutes was an experience in itself—a true moment of immersion in flavors and textures.

🔹 Best dish: Steak & fries (let’s be honest, it’s mostly for the fries!) 🔹 Above average: Soup & salad 🔹 Room for improvement: Dessert, with a sweetness imbalance that dulled its potential

Portion-wise, the soup and salad alone left me feeling slightly full, yet completing the entire meal resulted in only about 70% satiety—a well-paced but not overly indulgent experience.

Overall, I’d rate this 4 out of 5 stars: ⭐ Ambiance: 5/5 (The decor is stunning, despite being seated in a less impressive side room.) ⭐ Food: 4/5 (Solid execution, with minor missteps in seasoning and balance.) ⭐ Experience: 4/5 (Enjoyable but could have been enhanced by a warmer...

First, Kudos to the Chefs for the greatest food in town, including taste and food decoration. My complaint is about the service providers; I stayed at Royal York for 3 nights to treat myself after a challenging year, I chose this hotel to relax, get the best food, and get treated well. I asked at night about when the brunch buffet is, and I was told it is 11:30 - 2 pm.

I came to the Reign restaurant on Monday, Dec 25, 2023, at 1:30 pm. for the brunch buffet. There were three female receptionists at the door, and one of them told me that the restaurant is full. I told her that I am staying at the hotel and I am only looking for a place for one person, is there any chance for that? She frowned at me and looked to the other side, giving me her shoulder back and saying in a passive way: no. The other receptionist was standing very closely to the first one, so instead of talking to me, she asked her colleague about me saying: " What does she want?" Her colleague said : "she wants to get in. " The second colleague gave me her shoulder side immediately as well, completely ignoring my presence and humiliating me. I felt like they treated me as a beggar, not as a respected client of Royal York who is paying plenty of money for one of the best restaurants in town. Then I asked the first receptionist if I may stay in the lobby and if she can let me know if anyone leaves their table so I can get in, she answered angrily: no, no one will leave before 2 pm!!! Like, really!!!! How did she know that no one is leaving before 2 pm!! Is this a professional way of treating your clients who are also staying at the hotel!!!

I was extremely shocked, and I have not planned to eat anywhere other than at Reign! I had to leave the place and run in the cold weather looking for other hotels who have brunch/lunch and a good service! I ended up eating at Delta hotel who had a wonderful service, but I started to get cold and sick because of the ill treatment at Reign which really impacted my well being and ruined my experience at Royal York.

The next day, Tuesday, Dec 26, 2023, I invited a guest to have breakfast with me at the Reign breakfast buffet, we arrived at about 10:10; the same receptionists were there, they were very passive and unwelcoming but they let me and my guest in, the receptionist wanted to seat me at a certain table, and I asked her if I can have another one pointing at the one I wanted, she showed angry facial expressions, saying yes, with an unpleasant way, I felt too embarrassed in front of my guest, and I told my guest that this is not the first way these receptionists treat me with disrespect and with passive aggressive behavior. I felt totally intimidated, and I see the receptionists behaviors as pure racism because I am a visible minority person, and I was the only brown woman. Why would I pay and treat myself at Christmas time when I am getting this extremely shocking, unfriendly treatment from 3 staff and for two days!! The unprofessionality and discrimination from the staff made the experience too intimidating and unpleasant.

Before leaving, I asked the receptionist about her colleague's name, to know the name of the receptionist who seated me angrily and who frowned at me the day before, and she said: Julia. I did not have a chance to double-check the name as I had to run to the train.

I tried to reach out to Regin's manager through email to file this complaint in writing, but I have not heard back after emailing the restaurant's main email asking for the manager's email for complaints purposes. I truly wish that you investigate this incident as it caused severe emotional harm, where I was planning to pay for a good service and a good treatment! I trust that the restaurant management will do justice to me, and I am looking forward to a...

I just wanted to share my amazing experience with Reign's "Christmas Dinner to Go". Over the years, we normally go downtown for a nice traditional Christmas sit-down dinner. However, over the years, more and more have shifted to making pre-made, packaged dinners you could pickup and enjoy at home. So this was our first time trying this.

For the meal, we ordered the "Small" (and yes I do use the quotes intentionally) Turkey Dinner for 4. The bird was enormous and SO juicy. We picked up at around 3pm and had our dinner a few hours later. The fixings were delicious (2 sides, fresh buns, a soup, stuffing, amazing gravy, cranberry sauce and even a pumpkin pie). We decked out our dining room and sat down for the meal of our lives. I included a photo of the turkey just to show the size and to prove that we have had leftovers for days and even made both the bones into Turkey soup stock and used the meat for a variety of other dishes in the days after.

But what I really want to rave about as well was how organized their pick-up system is. I know that some places do deliver (for a fee) and I was wary about coming into downtown to pick it up. The day before I got a very friendly call and a special order number I was told to mention when I arrived in the street behind the Fairmont. When I got there, I found a little tent with a lady with a clipboard and a radio. She called my order in and before I could get out of my car to chat with her (assuming there would be a wait) a chef was standing at the back of my SUV asking where he'd like me to put the large box he was carrying. I was in and out of downtown (coming from Mississauga) in about 30 mins. They were so efficient and professional. I was absolutely blown away. They run a tight ship and there was no waiting around.

Finally, as for my choosing of Reign itself. I chose from about 12 options I could see online) and the prices did range. So I knocked out the cheapest and the most expensive and honestly, the Fairmont/Reign came in right around the middle of the pack. For the most part, the offerings were very similar. Unless there was something VERY specific you wanted as a side, then it might narrow down your choices.

But all to say, I could not have been more pleased to have gone with Reign's Festive-to-Go pre-made meal. We all loved the food and heating it up a little bit, was easy as could be. The kit itself is extremely well packed and all the containers are well labelled and even come with reheating instructions.

I will definitely be trying this again with Reign and just wanted to offer our thanks and gratitude to the team there for an amazing Christmas meal. Highly recommend. You won't be...