Victor

3.5÷5
A quiet restaurant located on Mercer street in the Hotel le Germain. Beautiful décor and the service was great.
For entrees, we had the bone-​in pork chop, brick chicken and the scallops & pork belly, and they were all fantastic. The most memorable is probably the pork chop — despite being thick, it was cooked through and was still juicy.
The apps and dessert, however, were quite underwhelming. The crab cakes reminded me of a filet-​o-​fish and the sushi pizza was more of a sashimi cracker.
I would recommend Victor based on the quality of the entrees, but temper your expectations for the other courses of the meal.

I’m not sure if this place gets busy, it’s a smaller space and was half full when I arrived. It is on a quieter road and being connected with Le Germain hotel on Mercer it may not need locals to stop in (they would be missing out though). I’m always a fan to have a bite to eat here when I’m staying at the Le Germain in Toronto. I sat at the bar and was catered to by the bartender all night, she happily found options for me to dine on that were allium free and delicious! I had the scallops plus a cheeseboard the most recent time I’ve been in, fantastic.

This review is long overdue! Tried their Iron Chef inspired dinner with Foie Gras as our main ingredient. It was 5 dishes for $ 95…
— Portions were super tiny and each dish was served after 20 minutes or so of waiting. After the dinner, we were all starving still as ended up eating $ 3 street meat along King St.
— Two dishes were a hit with the group — one that was eggs benedict fois gras and the dessert at the end was a foie gras biscuit. Another dish at the beginning was a foie gras paste that I liked, but not everyone else in the party enjoyed it.
— The other two dishes were mediocre… One with scallop and one with steak strips.
— In the end, based on the scorecard results, the foie gras biscuit won and the chef came out to greet us.
— The experience was fun and unique, but was pricey considering the portion sizes and quality. We would’ve preferred to have gone to George for a 5-​course tasting menu with awesome seared foie gras instead. So probably wouldn’t come back for the Iron Chef menu unless someone was dying to try it. Would consider checking out their main menu though.
— What really impressed us was the level of service. There was a mix-​up where they hadn’t accounted for one member of our party. They realized after the first dish was served and one was missing. They apologized profusely and also gave us two additional bottles of wine complimentary! We already ordered 2 bottles previous, so there was A LOT of wine to go around! That made the whole experience worthwhile.
— The place looks gorgeous too with high ceilings and a nice dark atmosphere.

Overall my wife and I had really good experience at Victor. The only drawback was that I after confirming with the waiter that my curry meal is not spicy, I’ve ordered it and it ended up being very spicy. However I want to thank the waiter for not charging me for my meal since I couldn’t finish it. Other food, wine, and service were really good.

We came for an evening dinner during our stay in Toronto. I was hungry. My husband was not. The place is intimate and beautiful and has lovely low lighting. Our waiter was prompt and very knowledgeable (sorry I forgot his name!). He was easily able to recommend wines and dishes from the menu. I ordered the Strozzapretti pasta with short rib and tomato ragu. It was very rich and warm and satisfying but I found it slightly tangy/​acidic. The waiter also brought out an amuse bouche of beats and goat cheese I believe, and it was divine. The portions are good and the price is good for how elegant the place is. Finally, I like how they have specials for every night of the week.

I went there with my gf for a week day after work dinner*
Its not easy to find however it may be a good comfortable reason why its not jam packed*
We tried their curry soup which we both couldn’t finish a shared portion because the taste was too strong and spicy* my gf had a pasta which was average and i had the seared scallop that did not wow me*

Both the boyfriend and I had mixed reviews about Victor. Don’t get me wrong, the place is goregous with lovely décor, located in the Hotel Le Germain. Definitely more of a romantic setting. But the service that was provided was awkward? The server we had did not introduce himself to us when he first seated us. Then he went on to introduce the specials of the day but was reading it from a piece of paper? After we decided on a bottle of wine and getting the Buck-​A-​Shuck that they offered on special for the day, we asked to keep the menus to continue deciding on what other items we’d like to order. He presented the wine very professionally and even had both us of taste the wine before deciding if we liked it. But then a couple minutes later, he came back to let us know he’d take away the menus so we could have more space on the table for the oysters? (How do I decide on what to order if you take away the menus?). When we the oysters came, they were very tiny in comparison to all the other places that I’ve been to that offer a Buck-​A-​Shuck, so that was a little disappointing. We were also offered a complimentary pancake-​type appetizer, which I was not too much of a fan of. After eating the oysters, we had to ask our waiter for our menus to continue reviewing the menu. We decided to go with their Grilled Calamari and the Vic Burger with a side of fries. I thoroughly enjoyed my Grilled Calamari and the boyfriend also enjoyed his Vic Burger although he said that it was not medium-​rare as he had originally requested for. Another thing that I found weird was that they shared the washroom with the foyer of the hotel. Overall, I’d say it was an enjoyable date night but other than that, it wasn’t anything that I’d want to come back for.

This restaurant has a beautiful and classy environment, with a room perfect for a large party private dining experience. It is on the business casual/​dressy side, but we were casually dressed, and was not treated any differently. The service was really good, and the waiter was friendly, and went above and beyond for our simple meal. They have a long wine list, and the waiter is very knowledgeable.
Surf and Turf (Saturday Special — limited) |$ 30|: The steak was done to perfection, and the shrimp at this amazing flavorful smokey taste. If you have a big appetite, or just have a regular man’s appetite, go on Saturdays, and get this special!
Roasted Branzino |$ 28|: The fish was soft, moist, and flakey. The skin was cripsy and flavorful. It also came with fingerling potatoes, which were average, and braised kale, that was a big on the bland, and oily side. It was a well assembled dish though, where each element was needed to balance each other. It’s hard to explain.
Dessert: I can’t remember what it was, but it was a cake of some sort, with caramelized banana, with salted caramel, and some sort of ice cream. It was DELICIOUS.
I would definitely go again, try some signature cocktails, and appetizers, especially the poutine!

Although hard to find from the street this little gem should be less hidden. Great food all around and solid service makes the 3 min walk from busier streets well worth it!

We really wanted to like Victor, I did not realize this was in a Hotel, but the food was tasty. I was visiting Toronto, and do not have much to compare with in the area.

Only came here for drinks but ended up ordering a late dinner.
Victor is located inside the Le Germain Hotel. It’s a very nice venue, the entire hotel itself is pretty sweet, overly packed but can you blame them. It’s a wonderful place. Food came out in a timely manner about 20 minutes.
We first ordered a couple of double shot whiskey on the rocks by the bar then moved along to food.
Dinner :
Roasted Branzino ($ 28)
It was a beautifully cooked piece of fish with fingerling potatoes, braised kale and lemon pistou.
Pan-​Seared Gnocchi ($ 20)
Wonderful vegetarian option with brown butter mushrooms, sage and pecorino cheese, tasted so good, I wish the portion was larger haha

Meals are very tasty, my favourIte is the beef tartare. The price for one glass of wine or cocktail is a bit pricy. The service is very good, but you need patience for the meals, it takes a while.

Went here for a wonderful Valentines Dinner, big surprise from my guy.
The restaurant is located just inside the main hotel lobby doors off to the left.
Really liked the place for it’s simple, but super modern elegance. They had a special Valentines menu, but the items all contained chocolate (chocolate soup?) and it all seemed a little over the top, so we stuck with the traditional menu.
The special of the day on Saturdays is the Surf & Turf special, so we both went ahead with that and it did not disappoint. Steak was cooked a perfect medium rare as requested, and the lobster was tender.
Menu is balanced and they had a good cocktail selection and large vine list. My daiquiri was divine.
Perfect spot for either a date or a business dinner/​lunch.

I went to Victor for their Iron Chef experience dinner, which was very unique and fun.
Iron Chef at experience at Victor Restaurant allows you put their chefs to the test based on the way they incorporate one theme ingredient into their dish. The group I was with selected a theme ingredient which had to be incorporated into every course (each course prepared by a different chef). Our group had to judge each course based on the way the theme ingredient was incorporated, the originality, etc, and select the best chef at the end of the night. And our theme ingredient was chocolate!
The restaurant itself isn’t large. It has a very intimate atmosphere and inviting décor. We booked the entire venue for the occasion (group of 50), which was a corporate event. I believe the restaurant sits around 50 – 60.
I was quite sceptical about the whole experience at first given that our theme ingredient wasn’t something that comes to mind when I think of a main course or even an appetizer but it turned out to be exceptional. The chefs at Victor were truly creative and didn’t lack in originality.
We started off with a cauliflower soup with white chocolate — simply wow!
The second course was deconstructed tuna taco with chocolate beans. This dish is offered as part of their regular menu — minus the side of chocolatey beans. Tuna was very fresh and it literally melted in my mouth. They serve it with chips, Guac, beans and other typical sides. Everything tasted really well and the chocolate beans really pulled all the flavours together.
Our main was a lamb dish which was impressive and very innovative. This course was not party of their regular menu hence I will not go into detail.
Lastly, we finished off with a superb chocolate mousse dessert which was very delightful, perfectly sweet (not bitter sweet).
Each course was paired with a glass of wine from their regular wine list. Although their wine list is quite short and their selection of wine by the glass is quite limited, the wine that was offered was of good quality and I really enjoyed it. There was a white Austrian white which I particularly liked.
Overall the Iron Chef dinner is a unique way to celebrate a special occasion (ie engagement party) or entertain clients and provides an unparalleled experience with a wow factor. I highly recommend Victor’s team for your next corporate event or your special occasion. Your guests will be wowed!

I went to Victor in hopes of having a delicious meal for my friend’s birthday. Given that the chef was the runner-​up of Top Chef Canada, I was fairly confident in my choice. However, upon arriving, I was at first struck by how empty the restaurant was on a Saturday night at 7:30! We nevertheless sat down and I ended up having the following:
Beef Carpaccio — decent, nice thinly-​sliced beef but lacked flavour overall
Little India Samosas — flavourful, but cold as though they had been sitting around for awhile
Sushi Pizza — good, but nothing mind-​blowing
Lamb Pappardelle — easily the best thing I tasted all night — would recommend this dish!
Yorkville Taster — just decent
Burger — once again just decent. The burger also didn’t come with cheese despite the fact that we asked for cheese (extra $ 2)
Overall, the food was quite decent, with the exception of the lamb pappardelle which was delicious. The main issue was that we waited SO LONG between each course! I couldn’t believe how long every course took to come, especially since the restaurant was almost empty! No matter how good the food was, I simply could not come back to this restaurant based solely on how slow the service was. It was really a shame.

First of all, all those that gave this place a bad review, you’re crazy and petulant.
Victor’s Restaurant deserves all the praise it gets and then some.
I made reservations for my wife and I for Saturday at 7:30pm recently (Oct. ²⁵⁄₁₄). It was her birthday and I wanted to treat her to something special, we were NOT disappointed.
First impression is just WOW.
The décor and ambiance is perfect, the service staff very good, friendly and attentive.
We were seated and presented with the menus.
I had decided ahead of time that I wanted to try their tasting menu, and I know my wife LOVES lots of little dishes so she can try a lot of things without having to fill up.
We decided that we were going to both do all 7 courses of the tasting menu and when we told this to our server, he kindly explained that even though this is a «tasting» menu, the courses themselves were appetizer size, so 14 dishes would probably be way too much for us. Talk about honesty! Most places I know would have let you order all that food just so they can make more $ from you.
So my wife and I picked out 5 of the 7 dishes we really wanted to share preceded by 6 oysters, drank our cocktails and waited with much excitement.
First we received a wonderful couscous Amuse-​bouche which was just right, followed by the oysters with a fantastic mignonette which really elevated the experience.
Following the oysters we got our first 2 tasting menu dishes, the Samosas and the chilled spiced pork.
Simply saying «delicious» would be the understatement of the century. The dishes were both complex and simple. It was just wonderful how everything tied in together. My wife still can’t get over how great the Samosas were, her favorite dish of the night.
The 3^rd course was the de-​constructed fish tacos. For me, this dish was ridiculous in how good it was, by far my favourite. The tuna melted in my mouth, the tortillas were perfectly crisp, the pickled vegetables, amazing. If someone was to tell me I can only eat one dish for the rest of my life, this is what I would choose.
I normally don’t even like fish tacos at all, but to call this dish a fish taco is like calling the Mona Lisa a doodle.
The 4^th course was steamed fish Callaloo which was gentle and delightful followed by the 5^th course of roasted cépes and an amazing duxelle. Both dishes, a home run.
Through out the night our server explained not just all of the dishes, but also each component of the dish, his knowledge and explanation of all our questions was very insightful.
I had also let him know that if was my wife’s birthday and he had arranged for a delicious and absolutely stunning desert trio (which they didn’t even charge us for! Unexpected and totally amazing)
Having a service background (15 years as a server) I know what good service is and usually pick apart every little detail when I go out (though not out loud :)).
Our server this night was the best I’d had the pleasure of being served by in a long time.
Overall, the food, service and venue are all top notch.
The prices aren’t just reasonable for what you get, they are a steal!
I will most definitely come back here again and again and strongly recommend this hidden gem to everyone that will listen.

Amazing food, great service and music to vibe too! I love it here! Perfect gem on an unassuming street! A must-​go!

We ended up sneaking in for a night cap just at the place was closing. This was actually after we left a venue just up the street on Mercer, which we did not have an excellent time visiting (see most recent review). Victor has a very beautiful atmosphere, the décor is just gorgeous. People watching here is also very interesting as well.
My boyfriend ordered a craft beer and I ordered a dirty Martini made with Tito’s Handmade Vodka (if you haven’t tried this stuff yet, you really should!), with extra olives. Order yourself a «dirty Tito» next time you go lol delicious!
Since the kitchen was closed we did not have an opportunity to try any of the food. Next time I come back, I would LOVE to try the food here ;)

I thought maybe the place was named after Victor Hugo or the protagonist of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Apparently it’s named after a family member.
My beautiful GF took me here on a 1,000 point Open Table night. The real hit of the night was the gnocchi. The clam chowder was nearly tasteless. Big points for complimentary sparkling water.
Very long wine list although only a few by the glass. This is a swank place. Put on your best. So I’d imagine many people might not be cheap and order a nice bottle or two.
It’s small, dark, intimate. Service is attentive. A good off the beaten path (who even walks down Mercer?) place to take a date you’re really trying to impress.

VICTOR Restaurant + Bar is located inside the chic Hotel Le Germain; tucked away on Mercer Street, it is literally a «hidden gem.» I imagine many celebrities who want some privacy would love to dine here; I just enjoy the relaxing atmosphere, attentive service and delicious food that former Top Chef Canada competitor David Chrystian churns out of the kitchen. While he didn’t ultimately take home the prize — his dishes are winners for me.
The ambiance is laid back but sophisticated as giant «lampshade» fixtures loom over each table and large windows with tucked draping makes for great people watching.
Chrystian’s tasting menu pays hommage to the many ethnic neighbourhoods and streets that call Toronto home. Each dish on the tasting menu is $ 14 which is a bargain for the top notch dishes offered. There are no preset number of courses, which makes this one of the most versatile tasting menus in Toronto (it’s pretty much à la carte dining if you ask me, except dishes are tasting menu sizes which allows you to try more without overindulging). There is also a regular dinner menu available which include offerings such as lobster bisque, Berkshire pork loin and à la carte sides.
My best friend and I end up choosing to go the tasting menu route and we had no regrets!
LITTLE ITALY, COLLEGE AND CLINTON, roasted squash + gnocchi — This dish was absolutely delicious! The cubes of roasted butternut squash were nicely seared on the outside, but perfectly soft on the inside which actually also mimicked the texture and flavor of the gnocchi as well. Think of the texture of a really good pan fried taro cake — that’s what this dish was like. I daresay this is my favorite plate of gnocchi in the city at the moment!
LITTLE PORTUGAL, DUNDAS AND BROCK, Lobster + Chicken Cataplana — This Portuguese equivalent to the Spanish Paella was a blast of flavor. The Chorizo was not in its familiar sausage format, but were what I would call cured cubes. The lobster was chunky and tender and the kale chip was a nice touch. The dish was slightly tangy which no doubt helped cut some of the usual richness inherent in a Cataplana.
LES MISERABLES, THE PRINCESS OF WALES THEATRE, Duck Breast «A l’Orange» — The «orange» part of the dish is subtly incorporated into the veal jus in the form of marmalade which made for a nice glaze and intensified flavor. The duck breast was scored perfectly and its crispiness was akin to that of biting into a piece of roast pork. The only thing I wasn’t really fond of were the turnips in this dish as I felt it didn’t really go with the other components of the dish, but that’s just me. I don’t think I’ve had duck breast with a crispy skin quite as addictive as this one!
LITTLE POLAND, RONCESVALLES, Cabbage Roll — This is Chrystian’s take on a family recipe and is probably the freshest cabbage roll you’ll ever taste. The piece of beef tenderloin is delicate, tender and cooked perfectly. But while the cabbage roll is delicious, the beetroot horseradish definitely steals the show!
KENSINGTON MARKET, AUGUSTA AND ST. ANDREW, Moroccan Lamb — Of all the dishes from the tasting menu, this one was the winner! I guess that’s why they say «save the best for last?» The lamb sausage was succulent without being greasy, and the spices definitely made it pop. The chickpeas were to-​die-​for — it hits up the sour, sweet and salty profiles with precise proportions of each. This is haute comfort food at its best!
For desserts we decide to opt out of the Fall Tasting Platter (in essence, a sampler of the four desserts offered) and end up opting for full-​sized portions of:
Little Jamaica (Eglinton and Oakwood) «lemon tart» $ 10 — Whoa Nelly! You can never go wrong with coconut but I loved this dessert. The lime curd was just the right amount of tang, and the shortbread was light, crisp, and airy (thank God as the traditional kind would’ve sent me into a coma). But the simplest things in life are often the best; case in point the caramelized pineapple was the star of this dish.
The Parkdale (Queen and Ossington) chocolate tart ($ 10) — The tart base was divine; not too heavy. The chocolate filling was also good — not overly sweet nor heavy. The cherries were definitely intensified with the addition of booze and the Chantilly made every bite a perfect spoonful.
VICTOR definitely makes the rotation. Chrystian does a really good job at highlighting the many ethnic communities of Toronto. He’s not shy on flavor as each dish is well-​seasoned and delicious; it’s not just a bunch of sloppily thrown together dishes using iconic neighbourhoods and ethnic ingredients to reel you in only to be disappointed with medicore, pseudo ethnic dishes.
You even get a little take-​home treat; I’m just glad it’s not the usual tacky fortune cookie you get in Chinatown ;) And while my philosophy that restaurants attached to hotels generally are pitfalls to avoid — VICTOR is definitely an exception to the rule.