Bar Isabel

Bar Isabel has a cozy, intimate vibe — but be warned, the second you step in, it’s loud. Everyone’s talking and laughing so loudly that for a moment, we actually thought about leaving. But we said screw it, let’s give it a shot.nnWe ordered two cocktails both solid, a glass of wine my wife loved, and started with the bone marrow — which was excellent. We followed that with their steak, which I personally thought was okay, but my wife really enjoyed it. For dessert, we got something with a complicated name can’t remember it but it was actually really good.nnService was great — friendly and attentive. The total came out to about $170 for two mains, three drinks, and one dessert. A 20% service fee was automatically included, which felt odd for a Toronto restaurant. I’m all for tipping for good service, but it shouldn’t be forced — earn it through experience, not by default.nnOverall, I’d give it a 6.5 or 7 out of 10. It’s worth trying once, especially if you’re curious like we were after seeing George Motz post about it. But honestly, there are better spots in the area.

Expensive but all of the dishes were enjoyable and the service was great. Servers were knowledgeable and frequently visited the table. Memorable items were definitely the octopus the sauce was spectacular and the cook was perfect, the peppers are a must, and I could definitely eat multiple croquetas my personal favorite. Good for a special occasion, but the atmosphere inside isn’t anything special.

Heard only good things about Bar Isabel and finally had an opportunity to go for dinner and the experience was great! Highly recommend the roasted veal bone marrow, grilled octopus and finishing off with the basque cake. Our server was very attentive and the atmosphere inside was cozy. Only thing to note is that it is quite loud inside. Definitely will be coming back here again!

Saw some reviews about lackluster service due to the mandatory tip but they all said the food was great so I gave Bar Isabel a try. I had no reservation but was by myself and asked if they had a seat at the bar for 1. I was pleasantly surprised and the bartenders attentiveness and service was 10/10. Nikki made sure I was well taken care of and the tasting menu she put together for me was amazing. Her drink recommendations were also great and paired well with the food/desert. It was an amazing meal and experience. It was so good I over tipped! 100% Recommend!nn-Nick

Bar Isabel has been a go-to on College Street for years, and it’s easy to see why. Creative dishes, decent portions, and excellent flavour.nnI went recently with friends and we decided to try the tasting menu $80 per person. Totally worth it. We picked a couple of dishes, shared our preferences, and they put together the rest. We ended up with so much food:nnShishito peppers – great flavour, perfectly cooked.nnIberico meat tasting plate – so good.nnTomato salad – super fresh and flavourful.nnFried potatoes- just oknnCroquettes – crispy on the outside, cheesy and soft inside.nnPork secreto – insanely tasty, just the right amount of fat, cooked perfectly.nnBeef tongue – not my favourite cut, some pieces were a bit overcooked but the tender ones had great flavour and melted in your mouth.nnBasque cake with sherry cream – don’t skip this, it’s incredible.nnWe also ordered the bone marrow and foie gras separately, the bone marrow was a huge portion, served with sourdough and chimichurri. Rich, buttery, amazing.nnShout out to the sommelier who was fantastic, really knowledgeable and spent time helping us choose wines and aperitivos that paired perfectly.nnOverall, excellent food, great vibe, and the kind of food that makes you want to come back asap to try everything on the menu!