Reviews of Byblos Downtown (Restaurant)

Teresa Mannella

Meal type

Elkan Wan

This place is over rated. Decor and ambiance is better at other restos. And the worst part is the management, egotistical, unwelcoming, pretentious , uptight and I could go on. This place doesn’t have the quality of food or high caliber setting for staff to go acting like they are. Do yourself a favour and go to one of the many other places in Toronto.

Christina Quach

Good eats, nothing unique. Overall the roasted lamb shoulder was the best, everything else was ordinary. Dishes are small for the price and there is not a big taste to them. Probably about a 3.5, gave them a four.

Andy T

I had the best restaurant meal ever at this restaurant... 4 years ago. I have been back twice since and sadly the menu got worse each time. I don't know why they took excellent dishes off the menu and replace them with something that is …

Cesar Comino

The service and ambiance was amazing. The manti and the short rib kebab was also delicious. The rest of the food was okay and nothing special. I’d definitely recommend you try this place out especially for date night!

Tina Leung

excellent food - very well presented, unique tastes and all ingredients are extremely fresh. definitely on the pricier side, but worth it for a fancy night out. would definitely recommend the fried chicken!

john li

Dinner

Jocelyne Chan

Dine in

Anil Maraj

Excellent food and service. Tried a dish from each section of the menu and each one was exceptional. My favourite dish was definitely the Lamb Pide. Would highly recommend. Cocktails are excellent as well!

Benjamin Gold

Great cozy atmosphere, excellent staff / service, and delicious cocktails. I've been to Byblos (Lebanon) and the Middle East/Mediterranean extensively and the food here is near authentic, with the exception of the price. You can get similar quality food at more grungy places in Toronto for significantly cheaper, but the cocktails do make up for it, albeit the price $16+tax&tip. Overall would recommend to visit once (maybe twice)

Randy Marsh

Food is great nice atmosphere. Did a walk in was able to get a table for 2 easy. Got the wagyu pide,Cornish hen and short rib kebab and they all taste very delicious. Spent aeound 120. Quality and quantity was sufficient

Ryan Stephenson

On my visit to Byblos, there were various service issues due to them being short staffed and the meal took an unusually long time. For example, we were asked for our drink orders more than 30 minutes after sitting down, when we didn't even have water or a drink menu to look at. We got our appetizers before the drink menu arrived and at which point we weren't even interested in order anything else anymore. Having that said, I find the food here tasty and I thought they were presented nicely. While I personally would unlikely be returning to Byblos due to my experience there, it is my understanding that most people who dine here do enjoy their visit, and Byblos remains to be one of few higher end dining establishments for Mediterranean food in Toronto. YMMV Do check out and follow me @instantonium on Instagram for more great eats!

Sean O'Brien

Meal type

Genevieve and Ava

Absolutely obsessed with this place! Perfect restaurant for a celebration or a casual dinner. We loved every dish we ordered, the atmosphere was great and the service was outstanding.

Fargol Nowghani

Dine in

Adeel Shahid

Dine in

Chris B

Really love this place. We were blown away by the food, especially the fried cauliflower dish as well as their meat offerings. Decor was nice and staff was very attentive. Dropped $500 and was well worth it and will revisit again, but may try their Yonge/Eglinton location next time.

Jordan

Dinner

Kirstie

Dishes were excellent with lots of flavor. The menu is great and offers food for everyone.

Dhruv Sharma

Service

Nojan Parsai

Very cozy and nice atmosphere and good service. Food generally tasted good but overpriced for what it is.

Alice

I've been here more than I can count, and that says something. The food here is fun, in the sense that they derive from some relatively common dishes but make it so unique. For example the pide, you can get pide from more than a dozen places in the city, but Byblos' pide is so special. The texture and the flavour is not something you come across often. Every dish is carefully made and beautifully presented. The interior of the resto is dim, so it's not photo friendly. But the atmosphere is so cozy, perfect for a date night or even a bff date night. I won't recommend large parties too much because you might have trouble hearing someone from the other end of the table. Service here has always been solid. And the drinks? Get it!!

Toronto Reviewed

Dine in

Nicole Rousselet

A very nice ambience, the food is good. I’m used to bigger portions so can’t hold it against the place. The server was good, the chef came and explained each dish which made it really feel like a premium place which Byblos definitely is. And it was great that they had some halal options on the menu. I tried their fried Mediterranean chicken and the spices and batter was extremely delicious. They did a nice candle and sorbet per my request for a birthday which was much appreciated! Overall a very good experience.

Beena Khan

Dine in

Kelly Chan

Meal type

Michael Tsang

It is unfortunate that my experience here did not match up with other people's experiences here. The food here tastes inauthentic. Byblos prides itself in being Middle Eastern/Mediterranean, but the food was far from it. For example, I tried the Turkish Manti dumplings and the dumpling tasted like a cheese puff I got at Costco. The sauce was tasty however, which helped make the dish more palatable. The other dishes I tried such as the lamb pide, brussel sprouts, and the short ribs kebab were nothing special. Our server Jordan however, was great. He recommended dishes that he thought we would like. He was kind and friendly. The interior of this restaurant really plays well with the theme of the restaurant. Overall, I wouldn't come back here because I didn't enjoy the food. I do think it is worth to try if you are in the area though as people seem to have had different experiences.

Jennie

Service

Hind Ksb

Service

Pirth T

Had a fun girls dinner the other night at Byblos. The food and drinks kept coming out nicely. We were the first to arrive and the room filled up quickly. The vibe was cool, relaxing and buzzing with life. Our server was fantastic! She kept our glasses full and table clean. Compliments to the chef for the tastey and colorful food.

U M

A great place to go for amazing mediterranean cuisine. Each item I tried tasted amazing and all had unique and complex flavours. A lot of the dishes here are smaller in portion and therefore, perfect for sharing, which is great for those who want to try multiple items. For two people, I would say 4-5 items was enough for a filling meal. I would recommended opting for some desert as well, as they are amazing. Service here was great. The waitress was very friendly and attentive with frequent check-ins. The ambiance here was great too. The place is beautiful and intimate, and the dim lighting makes it a great date spot. As it is right in the downtown core, I came in expecting the meal to be expensive and it was exactly that. However, considering the quality of the food, I would say the experience was worth it, and great for those special occasions.

Sajeevan E

Great food, have had a lot if different middle eastern, near east, south east Asian food, but Byblos is something special. Some familiar flavours but with a unique fusion will leave you wanting to try everything in the menu. Very surprised having a not so high expectation but walked away wanting to come back soon. Highly recommend.

Arik Brosh

This restaurant is very well designed and has beautiful interior. A mix of modernism as well as some hints of Middle Eastern/ Mediterranean culture. The service was great and our server was really kind. …

Vinod Kumar P V

Good ambiance, especially with current restrictions, feels much more private. Food was decent, but nothing special. Would probably not come back just for the food.

Anthony S

Meal type

Joe Rideout

Service

Kat Jovey

Mediterranean and middle eastern tapas. Go with a group or on a date, you really can't go wrong, just make sure to make a reservation or you'll be waiting a while. The service is great and quick. Highly recommended, but expect a higher price point.

Rita Maria Salameh

Food and drinks were excellent. Pear salad and beet appetizer both highly recommended. Lots of vegetarian options. One criticism - don’t seat the first four groups eating dinner all right beside each other near the restaurant entrance. The fourth couple asked to move, and got moved, so I know the other tables weren’t all reserved.

Walid Saleh

10/10 food 10/10 drinks 10/10 service 10/10 atomsphere As soon as I walked in, the atmosphere and vibe of the restaurant was warm, cozy yet upscale. The service, food and drinks were phenomenal. The food was very flavourful. I definitely will be coming back here.

Maggie Leung

I was thoroughly impressed by our visit here. I came here for a friend's birthday and we were a group of about 15 people. We had the pre-set menu that had the 3 course meal and the food was amazing. We must have tried about 11 dishes total and not one of them was disappointing. Since this is a bit of a boujee place I was expecting a small amount of food to be given per course but the portions were great and we found ourselves struggling to find space in our stomaches for the last course. Our server was amazing! We had 3 major dietary restrictions at our table and the server accommodated for each one by not only letting each person know which dish they could eat, but also by bringing a completely different dish just for them as opposed to them just saying not to eat it. I didn't have any complaints or anything I'd change about the food or service. I'll definitely be coming here again with my family and recommend visiting if you're looking for a nice restaurant with good food, service and ambiance.

Adriana Naffah

I'm Lebanese. I tend to think Lebanese restaurants can be overhyped. Byblos is one of the best restaurants I have had the pleasure to eat at. …

Chris Coveny

Very good and fancy mediterranean restaurant in the downtown Toronto. The best was the roadted lamb shoulder, i think it is a must try!

Lee Lee (LeeM)

Dishes were excellent with lots of flavor. The menu is great and offers food for everyone.

Dave Granatstein

Very cozy and nice atmosphere and good service. Food generally tasted good but overpriced for what it is.

Drew McG

Had our 10th anniversary dinner here. Fantastic food, great ambiance and service and the bill was very reasonable. Everything was outstanding, especially the Labneh and the Turkish dumplings. Menu is very vegetarian friendly. We’ll be back!

Cynthia Marie

Excellent service. One in our group has allergies and our server made sure All dishes were tailored to avoid the allergy. Toppings were provided on the side or not at all depending on the dish. Of course the food itself was outstanding.

Palwasha

This restaurant is very well designed and has beautiful interior. A mix of modernism as well as some hints of Middle Eastern/ Mediterranean culture. The service was great and our server was really kind. But, I felt like this place was a hit or miss. Some of my friends genuinely enjoyed the food while others didn’t. There is no doubt in the quality of meats, however, coming from a middle eastern/mediterranean background made me expect the food was going to taste authentic with a very slight twist, but it did not. The food was so far off that some of the spices clashed with one other and somewhat ruined the taste, which could be a personal-preference thing. Overall, I would only recommend a few items such as the fried chicken as well as the Pide.

Anna Tannas

Really enjoyed the vibe food was delicious must visit.I would definitely recommend the food here.

Emily Lu

We were 10 people and did the attached menu. All of us loved it. It is as a great food and great service. They different menu $$$ so check the website, but don’t forget to have the ribs, steak and rice ???????????? over we very more than we expected.

Vince S

Creative Mediterranean sharing plates menu that is tasty from start to finish. The lamb shoulder was incredible.

Derek Leung

still a solid 4 stars a few years later. The food continues to be fantastic and I really wanted to give a 5 star but a few things threw the experience off. …

Dasha Pyat

Ok so where do i start ... i will say that taste is amazing and very unique, not your daily dishes. Atmosphere is laud music yet very private and warming. Plating is great and right on , service is very professional and accommodating. The fish was amazing ! Ordered few dishes and all where fresh and prepared to perfection. Highly recommended! 5 star all the way.

Sobitha Yuhendran

Been here multiple times and I love it. Quite expensive for the amount of food you get, but the flavours are wonderful. If you don't mind spending $70-80ish dollars a person excluding alcohol, I have nothing but praise for this restaurant. Pictured is the eggplant dip starter, brussel sprouts, beef short rib, lamb shoulder, and chocolate mousse. Not pictured, but I would also recommend the beets, the hummus, the pide, and the cocktails. I would skip the fried chicken and rice dishes.

Justin Sze

Dinner

Abel Wilson

Amazing middle eastern inspired dishes. The spices and accompaniments were spot on. We loved the lamb ribs and lamb shoulder. Lamb pide and beef short rib were good.

Patrick Baral

Treat yourself. Jordan was exceptional. Suggestions were spot on.

Gill P

Meal type

Magnetite Group

We recently heard many bad reviews from our friends who were loyal to Byblos forever. We decided not to believe them till we try it ourselves Unfortunately our friends were right . The new chef or the head office decided to dramatically change the menu which caused ALL the good Mediterranean food to disappear ! Their very famous wagu beef pide and the halloumi Brussel sprouts are no longer exist . They changed it for a literally bland_ not tasty at all_ shredded meat (they kept the same name and changed the ingredient ) !! They also added the lentil pide which ended up in the garbage. Their famous Branzino fish has no longer has it's famous Saffron garlic sauce and no more shermoula (chimmichurri) side as well!! I wonder if the old chef left and been replaced with a new one who's gonna cause the good people who were loyal to that beautiful restaurant to leave for ever. Bye bye Byblos.

Surman1986

We had a great evening after the movies here. Service was very welcoming, knowledgeable and fast. Dishes were excellent with lots of flavour. The menu is great and offers food for everyone. The bar made us some nice cocktails as well. One of the best middle eastern places in Toronto and worth a visit. Second time and again very happy!

Nabeel Khan

We were requested to order all our food at once by the server as kitchen was busy (and I thought this was a fine dine lol..) which was a major let down on place like this in terms of hospitality..This 2 stars are for the food which was good.. They have plenty of vegetarian options and all of them were delicious..Drinks were ok nothing special about them.. I would give their uptown location a visit to see if they were any better in terms of hospitality..Overall ok place to visit if you want to try good Mediterranean but don't expect any fancy service..

Muns

Dinner

Saad Anwar

A trendy and modern mediterranean restaurant with plenty of creativity in its dishes. The short rib kebab had a well selected cut of short rib, cut into continuous slices. It was tender and fatty, and crusted with a layer of pine nuts and spices. It was an agreeable dish with mild flavors. The blood orange pavlova was very well executed.

Usman Qidwai

Nice ambiance, courteous staff and excellent food. We ordered an appetizer - Turkish Munti dumplings, middle eastern fried chicken (to share) and sweet jeweled rice. Portion size for chicken and rice were big enough for me and wife. We got some left overs as well. Chicken was crispy and juicy..loved the rice very delicious and delicate.

D&T

Mediterranean fine dining. Traditional dishes with modern flare. Flavours are well balanced and portions are good. Plate sharing is recommended so you can try more dishes. Would recommend this place, and look forward to going back.

Anna Maria

I was really excited to eat here tonight. Not sure if it was the manager at the door at the time of our arrival but they were exceptionally difficult to deal with and I ended up going elsewhere. They now only accept QR codes for proof of v*, and I kindly explained to them that not everyone has a QR code. Nor do they need justification. It clearly states on the government of Ontario’s website that an official pdf and email from the government along with the matching heath card is sufficient. What a disgusting attitude. The pass is being dropped anyhow. It’s a shame cause we were prepared to spend 500$+. I will never come back or dare bring business clients. Work on your customer service.

Erika Trenas

GF and I went here for our anniversary. We came around 1030 and there were actually a few tables open. Our server was really nice and helpful. The food was really good for the most part, but only the beets and the lamb actually stood out in flavor which were both really good. I would recommend this place as a one time experience but wouldn't go here often! TIP: reserve a spot like a week ahead. - If you want less people around you reserve for around 1030

DG Lintag

The food is unique in taste ,the breads are so light, so different and great at tickling one's taste buds. Also the rice. Give it a try and you will fall in love with this place. Hats off to the chefs.

afaq ahmed karadia

Meal type

Henna Javed

Food was very delicious and we hope to be back again! After the Pide, we were quite full and could not finish our food. I feel we may have upset our server or made him feel like we we unhappy with our service. We hope to come back and work backwards through the menu like we overheard another server tell his table so that way we can get the full range of the menu!

stephanie wong

Service

Julian Lam

Meal type

Nevin Bhandarkar

Located at the corner of Duncan and King. It is a little difficult to spot the building as no real signage - obliquely opposite Pai Restaurant. They don’t have complimentary Valet anymore but complimentary parking at a nearby parking garage on Adelaide street. Easter Mediterranean food. The atmosphere is very elegant and the seating is very cozy. Service was great. Food is made fresh, and you can taste the flavour of many spices. The manti dumplings and Brussel sprouts were excellent- great vegetarian items. The sweet jeweled rice was one of the best rice dishes I have had. We had the roasted lamb shoulder which was great as well. The lamb was flavourful and very moist. A little extra on the salt but with the wrap and rice it balanced.

Hadeel A

This restaurant NEVER disappoints. The food is so flavourful and unlike any other you’ll eat at any other restaurant. It is a bit pricey but worth the splurge. Hummus royale wagyu beef + pine nuts + barberry + barbari bread Fig Salad Akkawi cheese + kohlrabi + pistachio & orange blossom vinaigrette Middle eastern fried chicken tahini + za’atar + red schug roasted Black truffle roasted mushrooms + cumin labneh Roasted brussels sprouts fried halloumi + tahini + yogurt Ohhhh and our yummy drinks: Rose gulab ketel one vodka + dillon’s rose gin + pomegranate + rose + lemon + hibiscus Nightingale sour ketel one botanicals peach + orange blossom + lillet blanc + licor 43 + egg white + lemon

Alcir Santos Neto

Ordered 6 plates for 3 people, as recommended by our waiter and it was more than enough food. My favorites were the truffle pide & hummus royale. The roast beef was super soft and melted in my mouth - would also recommend. Would skip on the saffron rice and fried chicken. Rice was really sweet and the fried chicken was truly mediocre at best. Cute interior but if you get seats that are not in the centre of the restaurant, it's so dimly lit you can barely read the menu or take pictures... My pictures were taken with flash on and night mode and they're not very clear. We asked if they could increase the lighting a bit and they ignored our request. ????

Blake Flood

Excellent! Food is delish, service is awesome. I highly recommend this place!

Eliot Chan

Service

Giselle arzadon

Had our 10th anniversary dinner here. Fantastic food, great ambiance and service and the bill was very reasonable. Everything was outstanding, especially the Labneh and the Turkish dumplings. Menu is very vegetarian friendly. We’ll be back!

So Ra

June 2021 update: narrow patio setup available if you prefer outdoor dining. Great for groups because every plate is very conducive to sharing. The m’taabal (eggplant dip) is served with a very plump pita with a great chewy texture. Loved the juicy fried chicken and truffle pide. Brussels sprouts were crispy and flavourful. The cauliflower and fries, although good, were not particularly special. The overall blends of spices, sauces, and sesame seeds creates a wonderful flavour profile. Original pre-pandemic review: You should make a reservation. This restaurant is beautifully decorated and serves delicious Mediterranean food. The pavlova presentation is exquisite.

Anika Tahsin

The food is amazing, full of flavors! The service is excellent. Loved it.

Shakhar S

Meal type

Nyma Abid

I have never eaten at a place with a combination of spices that was so delicious like this restaurant! I was skeptical at first, but I can say that this is the best dinner I had in Toronto!

Timur G

One of the best restaurants I've been in Toronto. The food, ambiance and drinks were absolutely amazing. You can't miss the truffle bread, truffle rice and the short ribs. Also, the Geographer cocktail was delicious.

Mike Salter

Byblos is another caliber of restaurant. I have had some of the most delightful meals here. The menu consists of a series of tapas or sharing type of dishes. This allows you to try an array of smaller plates, all of which are delicious. The …

Brittany Tom

Dine in

Dhanesh Motiani

We had an absolutely fantastic dinner. The food was outstanding and the service terrific. Normally I say don’t eat the bread —- but eat this bread it was delicious and fragrant. The steak tartare was brilliant as was the lamb shoulder. The baklava was excellent as well. All in all a wonderful experience.

Kruti Master

Overall beautiful atmosphere, amazing food & drinks. Service was outstanding, hostess was polite & punctual while our server really made our experience special. Would definitely recommend dining here and can't wait to return!

Theresa C

Sophisticated modern Middle Eastern cuisine, very worn and beautiful dine in. Food is pretty good too especially the fish

Nida Khawaja

Service

W G

Excellent! Food is delish, service is awesome. I highly recommend this place!

swapnil anjaria

Visited Byblos and as always never disappointed. Starting with appetizers and working your way through dinner - literally nothing disappoints. My personal advice is to eat “family style” so you really get a chance to try the range of cuisine here. Highlights for this particular night - the Wagyu Hummus, the Lamb wraps, and roasted Brussels Sprouts. The best thing about Byblos - THE STAFF. So accommodating and always checking in…making sure every visit was better than the last.

Brett Shillington

Dinner

Alan

Dine in

Renee St-Martin

Dinner

Jackie Osh

Excellent service, beautiful atmosphere and nice presentation of the food but portion are very small so it can be expensive since you need to order at least two of three things to get enough to eat. Rhe food was overall very good but should be a little bigger if they are me for sharing. Not enough to share when you order an appetizer only a few bites for each person. If you are a big eater it will be a very expensive night but Excellent food and service is very good

Michelle Lee

Very nice restaurant with funny and friendly server. He recommended us all the good drinks, and made us feel welcomed. The geographer is possibly one of the best cocktail I’ve had, and the mocktail was nice as well. The black cod is wonderful. We both didn’t know that fish could taste this creamy and delicious, I would highly recommend it to others. The black truffle rice was nice and tasty.

nora A.

Byblos is another caliber of restaurant. I have had some of the most delightful meals here. The menu consists of a series of tapas or sharing type of dishes. This allows you to try an array of smaller plates, all of which are delicious. The fried lentil rice is something I get everytime. Some of the menu does revolve so you can always see some new additions. I would highly recommend Byblos for that intimate occasion/date or weekend dinning.

Paula Manrique

Service

Na jd

Service

ghazal al

Dinner

T S

I had the best restaurant meal ever at this restaurant... 4 years ago. I have been back twice since and sadly the menu got worse each time. I don't know why they took excellent dishes off the menu and replace them with something that is mediocre at best. But food is subjective. The atmosphere is okay the staff are nice enough. The drinks are pretty good. But the food has gone downhill. My love affair with this restaurant is over. It's not you it's me and it's time to move on...

Christopher Fleihan

Our server Jordan was unbelievable and absolutely made our night. I've dined at so many restaurants, including Michelin Starred and he clearly is one of the best servers I have ever had. Each dish was packed with so much flavour and cooked very well. The drinks were phenomenal. It's no wonder why Byblos is a staple that has been around for so long.

Juan Brown

Good food, but maybe the worst service I’ve ever had. 2/5 menu items went to the wrong table, there was a ~30 min lag between dishes, and a lot of the sharing plates weren’t served with serving spoons Was told that staff “was new” but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re paying ~$70-100 per person for service that’s extremely below par