The Island Cafe — Restaurant in Toronto

We have visited the Toronto Islands for years now, even during the pandemic time. Never before we had such a terrible experience at a food place there, like this one. We decided to grab a snack, just hot dogs and drinks. We wanted 4 beef hot dogs, 1 veggie hot dog and 2 drinks. Well, they ran out of hot dogs and buns at 5:00 pm. I was told, "I can only give you one beef and one veggie". Ok, that's fine. 2 mins later, "Oh, good that you didn't pay yet, I don't have any more buns. I can give you one beef hot dog without the bun, and one cookie, perhaps?" I do not understand how they ran out of something so basic at 5:00 pm, when people are coming to the Islands way past evening, and this cafe closes at 10:00 pm on Fridays. Anyway, we agreed to have some takeout from the restaurant instead. This is not a real restaurant or cafe, it is an open space with some tables, benches, and chairs. One of my daughters suggested to sit for a minute, and take a look at the menu, so I sat at the corner of a bench. Almost immediately, I heard a voice behind me, "You cannot sit here, unless you have a reservation". Ok, got it, someone reserved the bench. We were told to order and pay for takeout at the bar; so, we did. While waiting for our order at the bar, I heard the same annoying voice behind me, "Are you waiting for takeout? Well, you cannot be here, you have to wait over there". This person pointed out the backyard, and yes, you figured it out. My daughter and I had to move from the bar area and wait for the order in the backyard. Gabriel, that is your name. You are in the wrong business. And yes, I have the right to tell you so, because I am a customer. And as a customer giving money to your business, I deserve some respect. There are polite manners to say, "this area is reserved, but you can sit here or there and look at the menu for takeout". You do not send people to the backyard as if we were beggars, moreover when I had already paid not only for my takeout food, but twice earlier in the day for drinks and more food in the same establishment. There is no excuse for such behavior. It is for people like you, rude, annoying, with zero customer service skills, that customers like me decide never to come back. Oh, it does not end there, unfortunately. Let me elaborate on the takeout order: We asked for 2 orders of tacos, NO pico de gallo (one person in our party is allergic to onions). I usually ask for the receipt when I buy something. Why? Because I pay taxes, I keep my receipts in order. Also in case, just in case something goes wrong, and I might need some evidence. Well, the person who took my order was in such a rush that she didn't even hear me when I asked for the receipt. I asked someone else (yes, at the bar; yes, a person dealing with the cash register), and he was unable to produce the receipt; he told me to ask the same person who took my order. 25 mins later, no order, no receipt. Finally, Dominnica (who took the order) gave me the receipt and, oh surprise, some Jerk Pork Dinner had been charged! Let's be fair, Dominnica admitted the order was wrong, and gave me a refund. It was a takeout order, correct? Well, the tacos were presented to us in a cardboard tray, open. What part of takeout/to go do you not understand? Remember that I said, "NO pico de gallo". Because I mentioned that someone is allergic to onions, right? You already know how the story ends: Both orders were FULL of onions. Our food ended up in the trash. And you might be thinking, "Why didn't you come back and ask for your money back?" We wasted more than one agonizing hour dealing with these people and their awful service; honestly, we decided it was not worth one more minute of our time or effort. To the Island Cafe staff, ask yourselves: Where would you be right now if the person who is allergic to onions had eaten the tacos you prepared without even paying attention to our request? I love the Toronto Islands; I will definitely come back. Certainly, I will not spend one cent of my money in this place, masked as "fancy" with such a...

Choosing to dine at the Island Cafe was a downer during an otherwise lovely day spent at Toronto Island.

The Food: I ordered the veggie burger and fries as they were sold out of my first option. The fries were good but the veggie burger was not my favourite. Not only did I receive the incorrect toppings, but the ingredients that made up the burger itself just didn't mesh well together and the patty easily crumbled apart. Overall, nothing to write home about.

Drinks: I got a cider on tap which was really good and a great portion size for the price.

The Service: Awful, terrible service. After seating us, the server took an inordinate amount of time to take our order and even longer to clear our plates once we were done. What could have been a quick 45-min lunch turned in to almost a 2-hour affair simply because of how neglected our table was. People who arrived after us were served before us and others received much more attentive and friendly service. One server who kept passing by our table literally had to crane their neck to avoid making eye contact with us. As the only Black customers in a moderately packed restaurant, it's not unreasonable to think that we were treated so poorly because of the servers' biases.

The Concept: While I recognize that the restaurant may be called Island Cafe as it is a cafe located on Toronto Island, it's hard not to see elements of Caribbean misappropriation. For example, the cafe was selling merchandise featuring a caricature of a Black woman dressed in a headpiece similar to one you might see in a Caribbean carnival costume but it was made out of kale (as the restaurant grows its own kale). Wish this establishment would have emphasized the unique features of Toronto Island (or literally anything else) in their brand instead of trying to create tourist traps by half-heartedly mimicking aspects of Caribbean culture.

Overall: I will not be spending another dollar at Island Cafe and encourage others to either seek out some other restaurants on the island or to pack...

I visited The Island Café on Wards Island on a Wednesday evening and had such a great experience. They were running a happy hour for draft beer, which was a perfect way to start the evening, and there was a live singer performing who was absolutely incredible. The music created such a welcoming and relaxing atmosphere that made the whole visit feel special.

For dinner I ordered the Jerk Pork Dinner featuring Ontario pork belly served with rice n’ peas, garden kale, and creamy coleslaw. I was pleasantly surprised at how authentic it tasted. The jerk sauce had just the right amount of spice and depth of flavor, exactly what I was hoping for. The kale stood out too, because it was freshly picked from the community garden next door, which guests are free to walk through and enjoy. It really adds a farm-to-table touch that you don’t often find so close to the city.

The patio itself is reason enough to visit. You can sit outside, sip your drink, and watch the sunset while the Toronto skyline glows in the background. It feels like you are on a little getaway even though you are only a short ferry ride from downtown. The setting is casual yet beautiful, and it has that hidden gem quality that makes you want to linger.

The food was fresh and tasty, the staff were warm and friendly, and the whole experience felt like a perfect mix of good food, good music, and great views. I am already excited to check this place out again next season and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a unique spot to relax and enjoy Toronto in a...