What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Barberian's Steak House
Review
About
Toronto's Oldest Steak House with Canada's Largest Wine List. Located on Toronto's charming Elm Street
Features
CUISINES
Steakhouse, Canadian
Meal types
Lunch, Dinner, After-hours
PRICE
$$$$
FEATURES
Women-owned
Accepts Credit Cards
American Express
BYOB
Discover
Full Bar
Mastercard
Private Dining
Reservations
Seating
Serves Alcohol
Street Parking
Table Service
Visa
Wheelchair Accessible
Wine and Beer
Location
Does this restaurants allow you to bring your own alcoholic beverages to drink?
Save this restaurant
Hours
Closed now
• Opens at 4:30 PM
Sunday
4:30 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Monday
5:00 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Tuesday
5:00 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Wednesday
12:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.5:00 p.m. - 11:45 p.m.
Thursday
12:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.5:00 p.m. - 11:45 p.m.
Friday
12:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.5:00 p.m. - 11:45 p.m.
Saturday
4:30 p.m. - 11:45 p.m.
Contribute
4.2
751 reviews
Excellent
421
Very good
165
Average
86
Poor
44
Terrible
35
Compass564352
Ottawa1 contribution
Oct 2024 • family
My wife and I went here with our son because we wanted to celebrate his university convocation in style, and Barberian's did not disappoint. We loved the food, the service, and the wine. Everything was first class. My son declared the wine was the best he had ever tasted. We even liked the decor that other reviewers like to complain about, we enjoyed the traditional and welcoming atmosphere. We would gladly go again when our budget allows. This meal broke our record for the amount we spent on a meal for the three of us by more than a factor of two, but for special occasions it is worth every penny.
Written November 4, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Keith S
2 contributions
Feb 2025 • couples
Correction, we did eat here once more. Barberian's tried to make up for our last, negative experience. We had Peter as our waiter and he was beyond outstanding. Not sure what more we might have expected from him. His 40 years here shows. The food was excellent with tasty appetizers, perfectly cooked steaks and a great wine. Roger, the sommelier, was most helpful in recommending a selection that corresponded to our criteria. We are already planning our next visit.
Written February 19, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lawrence N
2 contributions
Feb 2025 • solo
Absolutely amazing service and quality. For some context, a friend (as a thank you) took me to Jacob's & Co. which is supposed to be the "premier" steak house in Toronto. I had the 10 0z. ribeye, med rare. Very good but they served it sliced! Why? It was a little chewy for all the hype, but a nice piece of beef. So I treated myself to a steak at Barberians. It was absolutely wonderful! I got the 16 oz. ribeye bone in done Chicago style med rare. It was better done, tastier, and more tender. Not to mention my server, finding out the beer I tried was not to my taste, took it away and brought me a better one, no charge. I can't speak too highly of the quality and the service at Barberians. Budget allowing, I'd like to go there at least once a month.
Written February 24, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Keith S
2 contributions
Nov 2024 • family
Wow! Not what I expected. Rating is one star, but that is as low as I can select. I have dined here in the past and dining was an experience. This time was a special treat for my wife and I. Upon arrival, the whole front end seemed as if no one cared you were here but instead carried an air of "aren't you lucky to be here".
First, the sommelier was excellent. She asked great questions and assisted in narrowing in on two or three wines and her recommendation was excellent, The steaks were excellent, but it took two tries to get my wife's filet correctly cooked. We both ordered our steaks Medium as her Oncologist will not allow her anything cooked to a lesser degree. Mine was cooked and seasoned perfectly. Hers was almost raw. It had to be sent back to the kitchen for proper preparation.
Now the meal. We expected our wine to have arrived by the time we had our appetizer but that was not to be. The escargot and mushrooms in garlic was tasty and excellent. Almost immediately, the entree arrived. We had been told the baked potato condiments were to be served table side. We sat and waited while our food got cooler and cooler. No sign of condiments. We had ordered side dishes, but no sign of side dishes either. Finally, my wife's side dish arrived. When ordered, the waiter suggested the very spicy saucing could be presented on the side because she was not sure if it would be too spicy. It finally arrived, fully sauced and had to be sent back for the saucing to be served on the side as ordered. Still no sign of my side dish.
When the server arrived with the baked potato condiments, the top of the baked potato was so cold, the whipped butter would not even melt. I asked about my side dish and the server went to the kitchen to get it delivered to the table.
When steaks are priced at more than $100 and nothing on the menu is inexpensive or bargain basement, the level of service is not what one might expect or would receive at other high end steak houses who have not forgotten what their business is.
Our waiter was very attentive to ensure that our wine glasses were always topped up, but it was not enough to make up for all the other short-comings. On top of all this, a waiter at an establishment such as this should definitely know better than to refer repeatedly, and frequently to a female customer, as "Dear". For most ladies, this is more than demeaning and definitely unacceptable.
Perhaps the management might benefit from a visit to some place like Gibbey's in Old Montreal to get some idea of what service and food ought to be. No, I will not be returning, ever!
Written November 29, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
brewster69
Toronto341 contributions
Nov 2024 • friends
What was supposed to be a special evening at an elegant restaurant was actually major disappointment. All 3 of us said it was by far one of the worst dining experinces we've had.
The evening was ruined by many very loud patrons, who didn't understand you don't need to shout at the person beside them. At times there were conversations could be heard throught the restaurant. Conversation at our table of 3 became near impossibe without shouting or leading across the table. I've been in food courts that were quieter.
Staff remained oblivious to what was clearly an appearly issue for MANY in the restaurant. The table beside us left in frustration after they had ordered and we were about to walk out when our entree arrived. At one point we were not even able to hear our waiter!!! Our waiter assured us the larger group in the room would be quieter as soon their food arrived, however that wasn't the case and noise would continue.
The maitre'd was also clearly aware of the problem and chose to ignore it. We later learned that this conversation level was normal. The baby back ribs were anything but tender and the fries were luke warm. The filet mignon were cooked as we expected and tender.
Our experince was not reflective of prices on the menu. You should expect a superior expereince, but that wasn't the case!!! Definerly not worth the prices.
Will NEVER return there again and would STRONLY suggest avoiding Barberians. I was really embarrased I had brought my friend to the horrible evening.
Written November 29, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Harriet H
George Town69 contributions
Dec 2022 • couples
We were greeted at Barberian's with a confused host who told me that they don't take reservations despite me having an email stating we had a 7:30pm slot. Luckily they had a table but this is when disappointment set in. It is stuck in tradition, dark interiors, old furniture and when the menu arrived I took in a gasp. It was incredibly expensive. Our bill ended up at $400 which was one starter, 2 mains, one pudding and a couple of drinks each. We left Barberian's feeling robbed. Don't get me wrong the steak was delicious but at $85 - $100, the taste was hard to chew.
Written December 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dream521502
North Bay11 contributions
Dec 2022 • family
Everyone I’m warning you DO NOT COME HERE AND EAT… they do not have a drink menu so you have to think about what type of drink u like and have them make it ..sangria was $24 smh ….some of the waiters were giving our group attitude all night and was extremely rude ..they charged our group $80 to cut cake that we brought $80 freaking dollars and we cut it ourselves..
The wait for the food took over 30 mins to arrive …the burger was good but not worth $42 .
Their items are extremely over priced and for a glass of POP was $12
I would never come here again and will never recommend this establishment.
Most of the waiters are racist we were treated differently from others and they would go at the back and was overheard talking about my group of friends .
Save ur money and go else where this place was spooky and DIRTY dust every where
Written December 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jennifer L
1 contribution
Oct 2023 • couples
We have returned annually to Barberian’s for years. Ordered prime rib medium rare - it was served cold. Asked restaurant staff to warm it up and it came back barbecued with grill marks - changed texture and taste completely. Will not be returning to this restaurant as service/attention to detail does not reflect price of the meal.
Written October 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
J R M
Vaughan388 contributions
Oct 2022 • friends
I have visited Barberian for 3 decades and this visit is certainly my last. My tastes in fine dining have obviously matured over 3 decades but the overall experience of the group meal recently experienced was poor.
Established in 1959, and it appears the decor hasn't been updated since then. Still the same red walls, etc that now look dated and dingy. Similar to the staff. There is a washroom right in the main dining room. To see people going in and out of a washroom during a fine dining experience is unappetizing and pitiful.
So ridiculously grossly expensive. 35% overpriced across the board. Cocktails at $26 that taste like they are made by amateurs. I swear that mine didn't include even basic bitters. The appetizers were weak. The main course plate included the steak and a small baked potato. Zero veggies. Plate looked bare. WTF? They were expecting veggies, etc to be added as a side for$16!
Yes the steak was fine but not nearly worth $75 - $115! My medium had blood on the plate and was cooked the exact same way my friend's "Chicago style" (light sear) was done. Truly unbelievable! The baked potato was small and dry and far worse than a typical Swiss Chalet baked potato. My sundae dessert was ok, but sub par to Diary Queen.
We discovered later that we were overcharged $125 on our bill. For $223 per person with no bottle of wine ordered, makes this a grossly overpriced experience for sub grade food, ambience that needs an overhaul and servers who need far more training in customer relations.
Barberian is far past its prime as a upscale Toronto steak house. Now totally out of its league in the Toronto steakhouse market.
Written October 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jordan
2 contributions
Jun 2024 • friends
Food 5 stars, Ambiance 5 stars, Service was amazing(10 stars), 1 I asked what soft drinks they carried and asked for a water, Our wait staff ran to the store to get me a Coke Zero. 2 Our server gave us a quick tour of the Wine cellar(we didn't order wine) and answered all our questions. Staff called us 2 hours before our reservation to let us know what streets in area were closed due to an event in the area, service was amazing all around, Best Steak Potato's and Mushrooms I ever had, Will be back for sure.
Written June 30, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GaryReg
Victoria504 contributions
Aug 2021 • none
This was the recommended Steak house for our recent trip to TO. We went all out. The bill was $720 including a $120 tip. Not sure how it got that high, but...Our server was excellent. Our indulgence started with Oysters and Martinis, went to Ceaser salads, then Back Ribs & Onion Rings for my Sweetie, a New York strip for my son and a Filet Mignon for me (not Bacon wrapped as the menu indicates). All with "loaded" Baked potatoes. We shared the sauteed button mushrooms with a nice Italian "Ser Primo" super Tuscan $85 (sells for $24 retail = 3.54X) . We shared a Chocolate dessert and my son had a good Scotch & I had a Remi Martin v.s.o.p. Cognac with our coffees.
Written September 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CJTravelerTexas
Texas9276 contributions
Nov 2022 • none
Based on a prior experience of my colleague at this restaurant, we decided to dine at Barberian's Steak House our last night together. I've dined at a number of excellent steak houses in Canada, the United States, and various European countries; this one was not one of them. While the ambiance was fine, the food and service were just average and the prices were exorbitant for what we got. I don't believe I would return to this restaurant.
Written November 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bish Sen
Scarsdale34 contributions
Sep 2021 • solo
I landed up there on a Saturday evening without a booking. The staff were very helpful in finding me a table - the gentleman who appeared to be the manager hemmed and hawed and pored over a large notebook before allocating table 40 to me. The restaurant was nearly empty when I arrived. In terms of decor, the place has seen better days.
I ordered a New York Strip and a glass of the house pour Napa Cabernet Sauvignon with fries. The fries had been cooked in oil that had been over heated a few times and reminded me of cheap chip shops in the U.K …..BUT the meat was outstanding !!! Tender, succulent perfectly cooked.
The house pour cab sauv was young but quite decent.
Good meat but the overall experience could have been better …..especially for the price I paid (CAD $72 for the steak).
Written September 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nicole B
1 contribution
Mar 2022 • family
Disappointed in the overall experience.
We frequent most steak houses in Toronto from Jacobs to Blue Bloods.
From the moment my family walked in we were immediately judged for having children with us. After our $1400 bill I would say our service and food was sub par. I had to ask for my wine glass to be refilled, our Yorkshire buddings were extremely burnt. After our server received a table that was more suited to their clientele we were absolutely abandoned. I could go on but overall I’m just disappointed.
Written March 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Laura B
4 contributions
Mar 2020 • couples
I went here recently for a dinner with my boyfriend. The service was amazing from beginning to end, starting the moment we walked in the door. Our server was very on point, filled our waters often, changed our cutlery several times, and was overall very courteous. I ordered the filet mignon, wrapped in bacon which was tasty with a side of a loaded baked potato. I also ordered escargot as a starter, and a side of Brussels sprouts both were good. We also ordered dessert at the end, I had the chocolate mousse and my boyfriend has the banana split.
Overall the food was delicious, and while we expected to pay high prices for this restaurant given its reputation the whole meal wasn’t special by any means for the price. However that being said the service was really good, and that alone made the experience special.
Written March 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Showing results 1-15 of 696
Related Stories
Best fine dining restaurants
See all
Best nearby
We rank these hotels, restaurants, and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Old Toronto
Old Toronto offers a captivating glimpse into the rich historical tapestry of Canada's largest city. Its vintage charm is exemplified by the awe-inspiring St. Lawrence Market, a culinary heaven where visitors can sample a wide array of local treats. The iconic CN Tower, a must-visit, offers breathtaking views of the cityscape from its 553-meter height. Distinctly different from the skyscrapers, the cobblestone streets of the Distillery District are lined with Victorian-era buildings, boutique shops, and chic restaurants. Easy access to public transit, including the efficient subway system, allows for seamless exploration of the city's diverse neighborhoods. With its historical allure and modern conveniences, Old Toronto is a picturesque locale that holds an irresistible appeal for explorers.
Best nearby hotels
See all 
Best nearby restaurants
See all 
Is This Your Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your Free Listing