Stratus — Restaurant in Toronto

Stratus is a casual upscale restaurant located on the 36th floor of a TD tower in the financial district. The décor is modern and provides views of the financial core and of the waterfront. Tip: ask for the restaurant washrooms instead of being directed to the Toronto Athletic Club washrooms (if you would like).

This was my second time dining at Stratus – this time I was there for an event.

Nicole, our server, took excellent care of us. She was professional, attentive, courteous, and hard working. She delivered her top-notch service with such ease. For example, while there was a set menu for our table, she was able to work with the kitchen to make requested changes. In addition, she was attuned to the diner’s preferences, for example, she offered options to those who did not drink alcohol (but did not explicitly say so). And we were never rushed – she stayed until almost midnight until our party decided to depart before the elevators lock. Thank you, Nicole!

Onto the food: KALE & BABY RED ROMAINE CAESAR SALAD ($16 on the website menu) roasted garlic dressing, parmesan crisp, panisse croutons

The use of baby kale was a unique twist on Caesar salad. The stems on the baby kale made it slightly cumbersome to eat at times but that’s just me being a whiner (I do not mind eating the whole plant – more nutrition!). Overall, good salad that was not over dressed.

CRISP SKINNED BC CHINOOK SALMON ($35 on the website menu) roasted golden and crimson beets, sauteed baby bok choy, lemon dill

The salmon was cooked perfectly. The skin was crisp and the flesh left moist and unadulterated. The beets and bok choy were great accompaniments (never have enough vegetables)! The sauce tasted like butter lemon dill, it was citrusy and buttery. The sauce was drizzled around the salmon so one can decide how much of it to use. Excellent...

We recently celebrated my wife’s birthday at Stratus, and while the setting and service were exceptional, our dining experience fell short.

The Positives: First, the view from the 36th floor is stunning, creating an elegant ambiance. Our servers were attentive, friendly, and went above and beyond to make the celebration special. They even decorated the dessert plate and presented a lovely birthday card for my wife, which added a personal touch. The interior lighting and decor were pleasant, though the bright lights near the windows were somewhat distracting; perhaps chosen to enhance the view.

The Food: Unfortunately, the food didn’t match the level of service. I ordered the Eggplant Caponata Pave, which was excessively oily and dry—almost as though it had been pre-prepared, stored, and simply reheated with sauce. It was nearly inedible. My wife’s Butternut Squash Farro Risotto was soft and well-cooked but lacked flavor and left us disappointed. For starters, we tried the Steak Tartare Tostada and sweet potato fries. While the tostada was average, the fries were overcooked and partially burnt.

Final Thoughts: It’s disappointing that such a fantastic team would serve food that doesn’t live up to their professionalism. We truly appreciated the hospitality, but the quality of the dishes didn’t justify the experience. Thank you to the team for their kindness and attention, but the food definitely needs...

The night view was amazing. The servers are very kind and polite. My boyfriend and I had a romantic dinner on Valentine's Day. Overall the experience was good.

There's just one thing. When we made a reservation, they didn't tell us it's gonna be a valentines special menu. We checked at the website, still the regular menu. When we walked in and sat down , we noticed that the menu was different from the website. It's a valentine special menu. It's fixed. No price on it. When we asked, the server told us it's 85 Cad per person, which is waaaaay more than the regular menu price. We didn't know that beforehand. My boyfriend received a call just a week ago before valentines from the restaurant. They told him they would charge him if he didn't show up, which totally makes sense, but they didn't tell us there's gonna be a special valentines menu with a special price.

So I just think the restaurant should inform people of the special occasion price or menu when they confirm reservations. Also more information should be post on websites. I understand restaurants want to make more money on Valentine's Day, but customers also have the right to know more info beforehand.

Later the manager came and offer us drinks and twenty five per cent off on everything, which was good. I think I will eat there again. The night view was spectacular....