259 Host

Very good place to visit, great presentation of indian food, very friendly team, taste super, rightly priced.

phoned for reservation for lunch because I have mobility scooter had the most delicious lunch the service was excellent and the lunch menu was excellent fresh just the right amount of spices this place is a must go

Don’t get fooled by the exterior– this is a genuine Indian place. The food tastes just like Indian food should taste-​spicy and rich. I tried the chicken lababdar and palak paneer which brought to mind the real recipes that I must have had at authentic Indian restaurants in India. The naans were made and cooked perfectly. Take your non Indian friends there and they are sure to become fans!

What’s not to like? The food was awesome, the service was warm and friendly, and the atmosphere was modern and casual. The samosa sample is amazing and is a must get for an appetizer. I had the sea bass and garlic
Naan as an entrée. The flavor was off the charts delicious. I finished with Indian ice cream, again, yum. Everything was so flavorful. I can’t say enough great things about this place!

I came here with a friend for dinner because he recommended it and I honestly recommend to everyone else. It was my first time ever experiencing Authentic Indian food and I’ve grown to love it so much after this one visit. High quality, great ambience, and delicious food. Definitely try out their Samosa you won’t be disappointed. Oh, and their chicken xacuti and garlic naan bread! (I’m currently having cravings for these while I’m writing this review lol).

I’d eat here again. Butter chicken and chicken tikka were both quite flavorful. The naan and rice were both good.

This is a pretty good Indian restaurant in the Entertainment District of central Toronto. The food is good, the service is decent and the atmosphere is relatively nice. The Mulligatawny Soup is particularly good and I also like the Chicken Xacuti. The prices are a little expensive but not out of line for the quality of the fare. With tip and tax, you can expect to pay about $ 30 — $ 35 CAD per person. This is an OK deal for the quality of the experience.

I guess Im catching up on my reviews. This is about a year late.
I believe I was here for last winterlicious?
I can say I would def be back and would recommend.
Great portions and great selection and tasted yummy!
Im not Indian though but a couple of my friends that went with me are and they liked it (not sure how much they raved about it but they liked it)
From the Naan to the main to the desert and service. All very good.
The place is also well ventilated and has a closet to store your jacket.
As most know but maybe dont want to say that sometimes a night out for Indian food makes you come home smelling like the delicious food — which isnt so great. (Just like going out for Korean BBQ) Not so much in this place.
Classy ambiance for a romantic dinner.
I’d be back for any of the –licious events!

Excellent service and very nice food with an original twist and flair, very enjoyable and nice Argentinean red Malbec!

Knew the Host in Yorkville days for 20 years — great then and this is its equal although the setting is newer and better in many respects. Glad to find it down here!

(This review pertains to summerlicious from August)
Prior to dining at this restaurant I told a friend of mine whose family is from India that I was going to 259 Host for dinner.
«Oh, that overpriced place on Wellington?» I weakly nodded a yes. «You know what the restaurant is? It’s like they put a bunch of Indian street food and throw it on some nice French platters and it’s suddenly „fine dining“ with European elements. Voila, now they can charge you three times the normal price».
I was determined to prove her wrong, so I adamantly decided to still go to 259 Host.
I am saddened to say that there were no culinary fireworks combusting into gastronomic heavenliness. What I did have however, was a slightly confused stomach, a hefty bill and admittance that my friend was right.
Let me give 259 Host this though– the décor is very lovely. It’s quiet, private and very romantic. I really liked the dim lights, dark furniture and gold railings. This is exactly what I would think a «fine dining» restaurant should look like.
Unfortunately, the food does not live up to the décor.
The Chicken Mirch Tikka was assembled very well, but the boneless chicken was flavoured in a weird proportion of chilli and coriander.
The Lamb Roganjosh was a bit overwhelming, once again seasoned too heavily. The portion was too large for my size. I would rather see them cut down on the amount of food and pay the same price to be honest.
The food is not bad but honestly not worth the price.
Off to Yorkville for Indian it is.

Great indian food. Chicken tikka — loved the sauce. Best I’ve had in TO. Naan and rice really good too.

BEST INDIAN FOOD EVER!!! Heads up, it’s a bit spicy but explodes with flavor. Many dishes have a smokey flavor which is fantastic. The Aloo Gobi is a must and black lentils.
I like the ambiance, it’s very romantic. It does get busy and the waiters seem a little short staffed, but the food is so incredible, nothing would stop me from going back.
Go with a group so you can try everything!

Invited to dinner by friends here, so I had no say in the matter (and was not paying). The food was mediocre and rather expensive, but the service was good and friendly. I think there is better to be had, though if ambience is important, then this is an acceptable option.

So, the ambiance is good. Being from the States, this restaurant has pretty good Indian food. A little spicy for kids. Service is a little so so. Great location and if there is ever a convention or an event in Toronto (anytime between May-​Sept) then book it in advance for a group over 2. Place the order if you are waiting for a table and food will be served as soon as you sit down. Overall, great food and fantastic location!

High quality! The food is obviously cooked with love and the service is exceptional. This is a repeat!

Arrived without a reservation seemed a bit disorganized with people waiting in the entrance. Questioned if we should look for an alternative but we waited and it was worth it. Once seated service was good ordered Shrimp Malai between 2 of us great plump shrimp cook in garlic in the tandoori oven. Then we ordered green chicken tikka, Panir masala garlic naan bread, washed down with a couple of kingfisher beers This was ample for 2 persons. Very relaxed atmosphere no rush to move us out as the evening went by the place became really busy.

I’ll make this short. I’ve eaten here a few times. This is arguably the best North Indian food you’ll find in the downtown area and I would even say Toronto.
However, the service and atmosphere keeps me coming from visiting often and spending my hard earned money. I know they’re trying to be a ‘fine dining’ restaurant. But that doesn’t mean that the ambience and décor should mimic that of a funeral house. Eating at the host is a dreadfully boring experience. Times have changed guys — the Host doesn’t have to be the New Delhi Imperial Gymkhanna club and resemble the bygone era of British Aristocracy.
The servers are at times rude, arrogant, and lethargic. They don’t make any effort in being friendly or providing recommendations. I’ve been seated at the lower section of the restaurant. As soon as the food is served, the servers are MIA. No water refills or even someone to ask you how the food is. Last time I had to walk up to the ‘upper deck’ and plead for a sever’s attention in an half empty restaurant. These guys have the serious potential to break the stereotypical traits of an Indian restaurant in North America if they bring the service level up a notch and provide a modern ambience. I suggest the owners hop on a flight to Delhi and visit restaurants such as ‘Dhabha by Claridges’ or ‘Punjabi by Nature’ for inspiration. Damn I miss home :(. And I guess that wasn’t short after all!

Great service. I loved our server who gave us great advice when she thought we had 2 dishes that were similar. I thing the 2 rooms are weird and broken up but that may be just me. Everything we ate was delicious and beautifully presented. Musts are the shrimp and crab cakes filled with mint, coriander and figs, spinach paneer, Chaat salad, Green chicken and a stewy lamb.

Where do I even begin?
Firstly, whenever my fiancé and I eat out, we always try and be friendly and engaging towards our servers. We try to keep an open mind if we receive terrible service, and give them the benefit of the doubt. The service we received at 259 Host was the worst I’ve ever experienced in Toronto.
We had made a reservation for my birthday. When my fiancé made the reservation he stated that it was my birthday and that we were hoping to do the Summerlicious menu.
When we arrived we stated that we had a reservation for 6pm. The male server asked, ‘Are you with the party of 4?’ and I said, ‘no, there’s only 2 of us’. At which point his expression changed and he gestured towards a table near the front window telling us to sit there. He didn’t even ask us for a name for our existing reservation or anything.
The wine glasses at our table were filthy. A waitress came by and dropped off two Summerlicious menus at our table and asked us if we wanted anything to drink. My fiancê doesn’t drink and I was on meds at the time that didn’t allow me to drink so we just ordered water which initiated some eye rolls from the waitress.
We noticed that another couple that arrived after us were seated at a nicer booth, and were also given the full menus and not just Summerlicious ones. We were offended by this as we felt as though we were judged based solely on appearance or attitude. We were dressed well and were very polite which was extra upsetting because it wasn’t reciprocated.
When the waitress came to take our order, I had trouble pronouncing something on the menu which just prompted more eye rolling. If I wasn’t starving I would have left right then.
Turns out we ordered the same things that the couple seated after us did, and despite the fact that we were seated first, ordered first, the male server brought them our food! Thankfully we didn’t have to wait long until our meals came, but still. It was just another fault against them in my books.
The food was mediocre at best. We’re huge fans of Indian Food and have tried loads of places around the city and this place ranks lowest for us. Also, because we have a lot of allergies between us, we read all descriptions thoroughly and they didn’t specify nuts being in one of the dessert options we ordered. A close call which really settled that we would never dine here again.