Symposium Café Restaurant & Lounge – Woodbridge

This place has really good food but service can be slow. We really like that server A. K… Such a funny and nice guy!
Also, I’m pretty disappointed that the breakfast menu no longer extends into the late hours. Customers would come back for that option.

I remember the glory days of the symposium, where you couldn’t find a spot on a Friday night and it was filled to bursting with teens drinking coffee and eating desserts. These memories are about ten years old though, and needless to say, it’s changed.
My friend and I decided to meet here for dinner. When I arrived close to 5 it was nearly empty — three other tables were occupied. By the time we left around 7:30, it had amassed a bit of a crowd. Nearly half full. This is nice in terms of ambience and being able to hear your conversation. The music was amazing — 90s hits. I mean spice girls, Hanson, coolio. It was awesome! A nice level too. I liked being able to hear the music but also easily able to drown it out.
There wasn’t a whole lot in terms of gluten free options, but I have to applaud them for knowing what it is and having a ready response. That sometimes makes all the difference.
So there was the basic grilled chicken/​baked fish with salad. Or pad Thai! So of course I went for pad Thai. My friend had souvlaki. She also eats gluten free but won’t die if she eats gluten so I’m not sure how safe her meal was. So go for the pad Thai, or ask some detailed souvlaki questions. The pad Thai was great! Very flavourful and super spicy! The only part I didn’t like was the egg. I would have preferred no egg, or for it to be crumbled much smaller. It pretty much seemed like a piece of an omelette on my pad Thai. I also really enjoyed the carrots, bok choy and red peppers. There were tons of veggies mixed in. I couldn’t even finish the meal and that’s saying something!
Our server Daniel was great. Very chatty and nice. Not annoying, didn’t hover. Checked in just enough, added in some fun humour. In all, he was exactly what you look for in a server.
The menu itself is huge. Tons of options for all of you people who are able to eat gluten. Sigh. The menu is somewhat reminiscent of a pickle barrel. Lots of drink options as well, fun, fruity, martinis, wine, and of course tons of speciality coffee and tea choices. Not a bad place to spend a Friday.
Oh and the chairs are super comfortable!

This is honestly the worst meal I have eaten in years.
I had the chicken souvlaki dinner which was under seasoned rubbery chicken and a side of souvlaki with no garlic.
My husband had the jack Daniels steak which was overcooked and smothered in a sickeningly sweet sauce.
Perhaps their breakfast and deserts are good but quite frankly I’ve lost my appetite.
I would advise against eating dinner here.

Service is amazing and the waiter we had was very honest. Not that I care so much about saving a few bucks on appetizers but he actually told us that if we waited 5 minutes before he punched in our order our apps would be half price! The fact he was courteous enough to mention that resulted in us staying for dinner instead of just drinks and apps!

Tried this place again since I was in the neighbourhood, and the food was just how I remembered it… BLAH.
On Saturday they advertise their special — $ 18.95 for an appetizer platter. I chose the calamari and fire cracker shrimp flatbread.
Literally I got a handful of calamari rings. I, however, cannot complain about the size of the flatbread. It was still small but for ½ of the appetizer platter thats under 19 bucks it was ok.
Calamari was good. Nothing special, but you can’t really mess up calamari. Or can you.
The fire cracker flatbread on the other hand was unbearable. I’m sure it would have tasted great IF MY TASTEBUDS WEREN’T ON FIRE! My god I felt like they used pure hot sauce instead of tomato sauce.
All in all, you can get much better at a chain restaurant like Moxies or Milestones.
Interior is nice though. A– for that!

They made very good desserts. I had the carrot cake which tasted great. The problem was the slice was very thin and costs $ 9. I also had their chicken pesto flat bread and the pulled pork sandwich. Those were very disappointing! The flat bread tasted bland. The pulled pork tasted like they used cheap Kraft BBQ sauce. I couldn’t even finish the meal. The décor was very chic and clean. Service was slow even though not many people were there. I won’t be coming back, sorry.

Stopped by Symposium Café on a Thursday night this past week with my boyfriend for a date night after work. We’ve eaten here several times before, usually during the afternoon. Surprisingly, it was packed. There was a 10 minute wait as well as another couple that came before us waiting for a table. We were quickly seated and our waiter came within a reasonable time for menus and drink orders.
The food took around 15 – 20 minutes. I ordered the mushroom swiss burger and my boyfriend got the NY Jack Daniels steak. I’ve had this burger before, and my favourite part about it is definitely the sautéed mushrooms and soft tender burger meat. Unfortunately this time the mushrooms were practically raw (legit I kid you not) and the burger was dry. I didn’t want to send it back or complain because the waiter seemed stressed out and busy… actually everyone did. And I’m not picky I just really like sautéed mushrooms. :(I ordered sweet potato fries as well, which were good with the chipotle sauce.
It was probably just a busy night and the kitchen was backed up or something. Overall, I would come back.

This place has really good food but sometimes service can be slow. We really like that server A. K… Such a funny and nice guy!
Also, I’m pretty disappointed that the breakfast menu no longer extends into the late hours. Customers would come back for that option.

amazing service, food and ambiance. we’ve been here many times at different hours and are never disappointed.

Food was yummy! We got a pitcher of white wine sangria for $ 13.99 which was great too. If u like pineapple. Steak sandwich wS a little fatty but had good flavour. Onion rings were perfect. Service was ok. A little too much personal tlk between staff. Didn’t bug me too much tho; ill def go back.

Very slick atmosphere, and «laid-​back» setting. Good food for your money! Not an expensive place but a great place to go out for dinner! Music wasn’t too loud, so it is a nice place to have a business discussion.
Great website to check what special they have daily! Awesome touch!

All around lousy place. The people who go here clearly do not have a taste for good food. It’s a jumbled mess of bad service, large menus and cold food. About the only positive is the patio which there are few of around.

I’ve only been here for breakfast and while the food was very good, I found it to be a bit on the pricey side considering what you get. Due in part to it’s location and the fact it was a weekend, we had a nominal wait at the door. Certainly not the problem of the restaurant.
Our service was not stellar… our server was over quickly enough but the wait time it took to order our food was abnormally long. We waited and waited while our server spent her time telling another employee how she spent the previous evening.
Once our food came out… we never saw our server again and had to chase them down to get our bill. No offer for a coffee refill… no refill on tea… nada.
Considering there are so many other places for breakfast/​brunch, I opt to go elsewhere.

This was the first time my friends and I have come to Symposium. I did a google search on local restaurants in this area and we thought this place would be something different to try– especially given the selection for desserts for after dinner.
I read some previously reviews and was a little hesitant on having dinner here, but thought to give it a try anyways.
My meal was actually quite good– I ordered the Chicken Slovakia meal with a side of fries in my meal. My chicken was cooked great (a bit salty) but nonetheless good. My fries were really good– but not salted and my greek salad was alright, nothing special.
Despite my meal being good, my friend’s and husband meals weren’t so great. One ordered the pull pork on pita, the other chicken on pita, chicken parmesan sandwich, and mussels as a starter. The pitas were more like crakers — so this wasn’t a true meal on it’s own, more like a snack. The chicken parmesan was a dry breaded chicken and taste like from frozen and just heated up and the mussels didn’t taste right– like it was thawed and re-​froze or just cooked from frozen.
We returned the mussels and the server was kind enough to take it off the bill. Later on, a manager came out to apologize for the mussels not being good.
For dessert, my dessert — fruit festival was really good– and large; 2 people could easily share this. We also ordered a cookie dough cheese cake, a mouse cake, and an apple dessert. These menu options were just OK according to my friends. Nothing spectacular. It was unfortunate that the blender was broken. On a saturday night where we wanted to order some blended drinks (visited Sat. March 1).
Service seemed slow and the server had seated us to a table of 4 when there were 5 of us eating full meals. We asked to be moved to a larger table, or to even attach the empty table of 2, but she said no she can’t do that.
Overall, I would only recommend this place as a café and dessert bar lounge. The entrée menu was too diverse, which makes it hard to be proficient in making one food category. Therefore, it’s understandable why other reviewers didn’t enjoy their meals as well.

I found this place after Googling good places for breakfast/​brunch to enjoy on my birthday. I was not disappointed at all.
We got there at 9am on a Tuesday, so there was only one other table when we arrived. The place looks nice and well kept. The chairs are comfortable, though if you’re not very tall, it can feel like you’re sitting a little low at the table, but it wasn’t so noticeable that it made it uncomfortable to eat. They also have a large wrap-​around patio that looks like it would be great for a Sunday morning brunch, I can’t wait to test that out when the weather permits!
My husband ordered the Eggs Benedict with a side of bacon and I got the Eggs Florentine. Amazing! Even though we were one of two tables in the place, we were pleasantly surprised with how quickly our order came out after placing it. Each plate came with three poached eggs. We both like our eggs soft and they were cooked beautifully! The English muffins we fresh and warmed perfectly. The pea-​meal bacon on my husbands Benny was fresh and perfectly cooked, nice and tender, not rubbery like it can get when it’s overcooked or not fresh. The spinach on my was tender but not soggy, it still had a good texture to it. The Hollandaise sauce was delish! And, the bacon was perfectly crispy, but not burnt. The potatoes that came with the dishes were so yummy! Perfectly cooked to a crisp outside with a tender inside and deliciously seasoned! I normally don’t eat potatoes but I finished every things on my plate!
We took a look at the dinner menu while we were there, it looks like the dishes might be a little dated, but given the very European area we are in it probably works well with their clientele. That being said, we are looking forward to trying them for dinner given how wonderfully cooked and fresh breakfast was! If you’re in the area and looking for a nice place to Brunch, I would highly recommend Symposium Café.

It’s been a while since I’ve been to Symposium. I forgot how relaxing the atmosphere is with their many couches as well as their table settings. Their food is really quite fresh and tasty. I had their fresh spring salad and steak. Really healthy and filling. The waitress was very friendly, helpful and patient as I was with my daughter and two little grandsons. My daughter’s and grandson’s hamburger was so juicy and well cooked. The French fries were plump and crispy. Delish!!! All in all, I would definitely recommend anyone to have a great time and great food at this great venue!

My boyfriend and I always come here! It has a nice atmosphere and feels like a café or lounge. They have the most delicious cripsy chicken wraps and their Asian salad is good as well. Their smoothies are also made from real fruit and tastes fresh. Only complaint here is that they serve their chicken tenders as an appetizer, so it does not come with a side. Their service is quite decent as well.

I never ate at Symposium before and one cold Sunday morning, we bundled up and headed on over.
The staff was good, not super friendly but they did their job.
The atmosphere is okay, It just didn’t feel like the usual places I got for brunch but rather would probably enjoy the night scene alot better.
I got the waffles with caramel banans and eggs. It was good, sweet and was what I wanted. No complaints.
My bf for the crab cake with eggs benedict. The concept was good and it tasted good. The problem was that the crab cake was very thin and just didn’t have much to it. It was a miss.
The food was okay. I’m not jumping to go back to Symposium for brunch again as they are a lot better places around Toronto. I would go again to try the martinis for a girls night.

I’ve embarrassed myself. I stopped in for breakfast looking for Eggs Benedict, my common measure of a good breakfast restaurant. Symposium does not look like a typical breakfast joint, with its cushy padded deuces and quads, warm, rich décor and an enticing desert counter.
I asked the friendly waitress if the Hollandaise for the eggs benny is fresh or synthetic. She advised me that it depended on the day. I suspect not all the cooks can pull off a stable Hollandaise. I settled on the Banana Caramel French Toast.
A few minutes later, six perfectly done slices of French Toast robed in a succulent caramel sauce with a generous punctuation of hot banana slices arrived at my table. The side of crisp bacon was exactly correct.
I am a sucker for a good caramel sauce – not too sweet, with a rich buttery flavour and the right consistency. This was a handmade caramel, perfectly ambered without charring, and almost exactly the right amount (I always want just a bit more). How could this be any better? Maybe a dollop of fresh, stiff whipped cream on top. If this cook can pull off a caramel this good, why not Hollandaise? If this was a canned caramel – no, that is not possible.
If I ran the place, the only thing I would address is the worn seating, and the gash in the leather couch at the entrance. It sends the wrong message about such a good restaurant.
This is a great place. I intend to try it for lunch or dinner next time I’m in the area. By the way, if you don’t want to be embarrassed like me, DO NOT lick the plate clean unless you are the lone diner…

Went on a Monday night and it was pretty full. They had this Monday Night special for Burgers $ 3.75 or a draft for $ 3.75. Tried the burger and it was very good but you don’t get fries with it. Still a nice deal. Also ordered the dessert crêpe and the portion is huge, had to share it with someone else or I won’t be able to sleep that night cause of all the sugar.

atmosphere! i love it, nicely decorated, dim, and a good place for a chat/​lounge. it’s nice to be able to order drinks, food or dessert and not be obligated to buy food but if you do, it’s definitely worth it.
went for a monday special, burger night! i think around $ 3.75. wow i was surprised. not a disappointing burger at all for this price. fries need to be ordered additional though.
also, dessert is a pretty good selection as well. MUCH better then nasty demetres. i’m sorry, but this place blows demetres to the dumps.
two thumbs up! definitely worth a try. refund guaranteed if you’re not satisfied! okie, well, that’s something you should work out with the big boss there.
but in all seriousness, drop by for some midnight dessert, b/​c they do have pretty decent hours and decent food, plus it’s a franchise! i’m sure you’ll find one in your area.
atmosphere: ⁵⁄₅ (dimly lit, busy, couches)
food: 3.5÷5 (love that it’s got a lot of variety — great desserts, drinks-​coffee, bar drinks etc)
price: ⁴⁄₅
parking: ⁵⁄₅
comfort: ⁵⁄₅ (nice couches there)
wait time: not really (packed, yes @90% full — i just hate going to dead cafes sometimes. and this was a MONDAY night. place pretty decent size)
weekly specials:
monday: Burger and Draft Night 3.75 each
tuesday: Pasta Nights 9.95
wed: Martini and Mussels 4 $, 9.95 $
thurs: Date Night $ 40 for two
sun: Two 4 One Cake Slices

BUSY! Especially on weekends. A group of us came here Saturday night (10-​ish) and the lines to get in were long. We ended up waiting for 45 minutes-​ish until a group finally left. Despite that, I can see why people still wait. The atmosphere is cozy but modern and even though with lots of people chatting, it’s not so loud that you can’t have a decent conversation.
The menu is full-​some as you can get a meal, or just dessert, or just coffee/​coffee drinks and of course wine’s and shots. This makes Symposium Café a any-​time place to meet. My friends just wanted coffee and cake (by the way, on Sunday’s they have a 2 for 1 cake special). The 7 layer carrot cake is MASSIVE! I tried a bite of my friends Strawberry Shortcake and it was sufficiently creamy with lots of white chocolate. YUM!
Service was very attentive considering how full house the place was. The only downfall for me is that this place is soooooo far away from my boring uptown home. I would recommend this place as a great group-​coffee-​dessert-​get-​together place except the reality is often long lines on weekends.

$ 4 Martini on Wednesdays with 32 different ones to choose from!
Which one? Which one?
I really know where I am going to hang out to wait for anyone on Wednesdays!
Symposium Café!
Not to mention Unsecured WIFI connections and I got seated right next to the outlets. I really don’t mind that anyone to show up whenever… take your time.
The tables though are weird it being a little high, or maybe just me being short?
Espresso Martini — Vanilla Vodka combined with Kahlua and a cold espresso is just delicious!
What should I try next!
Noise level is high but manageable. But that nice smile of dessert: freshly made crepes/​waffles are the hardest to resist.
Services though is a little slow. but full house on a Wednesday night!