The Caledonian — Restaurant in Toronto

I was first introduced to The Caledonian over a decade ago by an old friend who'd studied abroad in Scotland, and found himself frequently missing the national fare. When I first visited, it was purely about the food- it would be my first time trying haggis, which I'll admit I initially saw as more of a novelty than anything, but ended up falling head-over-heels in love with. I was hooked from that first visit, and kept going back, each time bringing a different friend along, subsequently getting them hooked. The last time I touch on the haggis- which is truly incredible-: you simply must try it; it's not at all what you're thinking, and you will most definitely fall in love with it if you allow yourself to (and not approach it with some silly bias/notion). Now that that's out of the way... I am yet to meet a dish, over a decade later now, which I did not thoroughly/wholeheartedly enjoy at The Caledonian. There is simply not a single dish on the entire menu which I wouldn't recommend to anyone- it's all absolutely stellar, just bursting with flavour and great texture, perfectly cooked and seasoned, sometimes featuring a playful/unique edge over whatever classic dish it is. The food is simply 5/5 on every level and doesn't require further discussing- just go eat here. And so, the food was the reason I kept going back for all those years. But then a couple years ago, I got into Scotch, and well... that was the beginning of the end (for my bank account). If you are at all a whisky nerd on any level, this place is ground zero- actually, it's the only ground you ever need stand on (save for distillery visits over the pond) if whisky is of interest to you. To have such an expansive library of Scotches spanning the various golden-era's of each respective distillery (60's Bowmore, Laphroaig, Springbank, 70's Ardbeg, 80's (and earlier) Macallan, Port Ellen, Brora, St. Magdalene, Rosebank, etc.,etc.... and not to mention the countless different bottlings from each era, both IB and OB)... yes, to have such a mind-blowingly in-depth resource right under our noses is truly priceless. There is something to appease every imaginable Scotch-enthusiasts palate, from every era- it is the closest I've come to seeing an infinite collection, it is just so comprehensive. Ok, granted, the price to experience these legendary drams is often eye-watering, but that's the price you pay to drink literal history. Since the launch of my Scotch-obsession, I am yet to visit any other bar in the city- likely even province- which can match the breadth and immense quality of Donna's carefully curated collection here. I cannot possibly emphasize just how impress The Caledonian's collection is. You owe it to the serious Scotch-enthusiast in your life- assuming you love them even just a little- to take them to this utopia of an establishment. This is where I want to be all day, every day. The food is always absolutely banging, the staff always friendly and attentive, but that Scotch library... it is truly what dreams are made of- it is precious liquid history. Bless this place- may it stay open and under Donna's...

The Caledonian was great the first few times I went, but today's experience was really disappointing and has me doubting that I'll ever go back.

Food: two times in a row now I've ordered the smoked salmon and had to request the atomizer because the waitstaff didn't bring it themselves. Today, rather than an atomizer, the Ardbeg was brought over in a squirt bottle with a pump. This results in way more Ardbeg being sprayed in a liquid stream, which is just not the same experience. The crostini were also uncomfortably hard. My fish and chips were good as always, but the sticky toffee pudding was room temperature with almost no caramel sauce. It was hot and well-sauced the last time I ordered it, so I know they're capable of better.

Service: hard to flag down a waitress who isn't paying any attention to your section of the room and isn't checking in with your party. While my SIL and I ate our puddings cold, my MIL requested to have hers warmed up, and the waitress seemed quite irritated about this.

The bigger issue is that the menu mentions an auto gratuity of 18% for groups of six or more, but we were charged 20%. We didn't check the gratuity section of the receipt until after we'd paid because we knew what it should have been off the menu, so it was really irritating to get home and realize we'd been charged an extra 2% without being told or given any reason as to why. The misses with the food I could probably get over, but charging me more than was listed for poor service? I don't think I can get past that, and I absolutely won't be recommending this...

I've always enjoyed having a meal at The Caledonian, so I chose to go there as the first indoor dining spot after COVID restrictions were lifted. There were 3 of us and we arrived at 7pm. Our vaccine status was checked and our contact info taken which was a good sign. We were seated and although there were people there there were empty tables between us which I thought was another good sign. We ordered drinks and appetizers and then our mains and all food was top notch as usual. My review is about what happened during our meal. More and more people came in and by the time we were leaving every single table and some seats at the bar were full. All packed closely together. We could barely get out squeezing between people and chairs. I was both appalled and scared. I've done everything to keep as safe as possible during this pandemic and to be subjected to business as usual attitude at a restaurant I trusted just turned me off. I'm sure they want to make as much money as possible after being severely restricted for months, but to have the place packed to the rafters when the pandemic is still going is mind boggling. Little regard for the health and safety of their patrons as far as I'm concerned. Yes, the servers and employees were all wearing masks, but no one at the tables were and we were all elbow to elbow in there by 7:45pm. Unfortunately, I don't know if I can ever go back to The Caledonian after this...