Teatro Restaurant

We came here, solely based on the fact that La Carnita (2 doors down) was full and the wait for a table was going to be an hour. We sat down and read the menus and ordered drinks, I had a Guinness and my wife had a cocktail. The cocktail she had lacked in flavour and wasn’t particularly balanced.
I ordered the Lobster Grilled Cheese with Lobster Bisque and my wife had the Burger. The Bisque was more like a purée in texture without sufficient lobster flavour and the Grilled Cheese was so greasy with such dry (old) lobster meat in it that I couldn’t eat any of it.
My wife really enjoyed the burger but we both agreed that it could have been seasoned a little better as it was just a beef patty, nothing in or marinating the meat.
The service was excellent, I forget her name but it was a really nice, knowledgable girl who seemed on point.
The food was trying to be something special but failed, the drinks need more effort but the «open-​arm» welcome makes you feel special. Overall experience ⁴⁄₁₀

Came here for drinks last sat night.
Before I get on with my own review, I’d like to point out the ONLY review for this place (below) with 5stars. The account was created with one review. And it was of this place. Really? WHO are you fooling?. «a non presumptuous and laid back feel» — are you talking about the right place?
With that said, I don’t mind the place for a last minute drinks sort of place but even then it would be stretching it. «Myeh» — is the first thing that pops into my head when thinking of this place.
The venue itself is dimly light with open windows all around. This is a good strategy for both customers and potential customers. Passerby’s aren’t headed to a specific destination are allured by the casual setting and convenience of walking in without cover/​doorman/​id checking. The customers are pleased with the transparency through the large windows. It gives the outside feel, embracing all the hoopla the Toronto streets offer without facing the cold. The low lights mixed with loud music usually seduces the after work type of crowd. Since the venue is extremely tiny, it fills up fast. There’s one bar and that is where everyone stands about. I believe this bathroom sized space is also considered the dance floor. The end of the room is filled with however many regular looking table/​chair pairs they could manage to fit into this studio room. Bathrooms are downstairs.
It’s a «myeh» local spot for people who live in the area but definitely not worth a return for an ‘outsider’. In comparison to the other lounge/​dinner/​drinks spots College has to offer, this would be ranked below top 30, at best.
The only thing saving this place is the music. It’s a live DJ so he’s open to requests. For an evening after work, after hustling the corporate streets and downing your 4^th –watered down-​over priced alcoholic drink, requesting obscure songs is the icing.
xoxo
M.

I’m usually very nice but this is going to be ugly.
Teatro was the most utterly disgusting place, horrible, actually horrendous service and can you actually be cracked up enough to ask customers SEVEN times on a slow night where they are sitting and what was their order again?!?
You wouldn’t believe the hostess told my friend, who asked where the washrooms were, to go outside as theirs are only for customers; the same hostess forgot she had seated us, FIVE minutes ago!
Waiting forever for service only to get drinks tasting like crap & hair floating in it. If someone could screw up on something as simple as mixing drinks, they’ve succeeded at that in life. After 40 minutes of multiple waving gestures, we had to finally get up for our bill and literally show them where we were seated at this so called «classy lounge» the size of my bathroom.
Worse of all is attitude… pathetic. They were so clueless it was sad, I had to leave a tip despite their incompetence, and it was higher than a penny.
Rating 1 is generous as this place should be closed down for it’s unsanitary facilities and ridiculousness.
FYI Don’t you love it when they don’t put the price on a cocktail list; $ 20 for dirty ice cubes, McCain lemonade with half a shot of cheap vodka is what you’ll get.
This is not remotely Italian, they should be ashamed.

WARNING!!! READ BEFORE CONSIDERING DINING AT THIS RESTAURANT!
My girlfriends and I accidentally stumbled upon Teatro as we had dinner down the street.
We wanted to go for a quick nightcap and some desserts before heading home.
There were 2 other patrons which is strange for a College St establishment at 10pm on a Thursday night, but the waiter seemed friendly enough. It wasn’t until we overheard the chef have an excessively loud conversation with the waiter that really put us off. She was in the middle of cleaning the exposed kitchen when she started into her story about having an extreme bout of diarrhea! Even going as far as describing how she handled the accident on her way home! I mean, this was THE CHEF — the person who would be handling our meals! Even the waiter seem visibly uncomfortable with the conversation.
At that point, our cocktails arrived, which we did not drink and we subsequently paid the bill. But to top it off, I had to make a quick pitstop before jumping in the cab. I would have had better luck using the alley way behind the Scott Mission than the conditions and stench of the washroom at Teatro. Not only was there toilet paper all over the floor but it smelt like an exposed septic tank.
We quickly left the restaurant and made our way home, with no inclination to ever return!

This was okay. A bit turned off when I saw an unwelcome roommate on its back in the bathroom, but really I live in a big city and its naïve to think they aren’t in most restaurants. I don’t need to see them though!
My table had the fish (halibut) which was good and the mushroom risotto which was really good. The fish was a decent serving size, with a side of mashed/​pureed something orange and some sauteed veggies (lots of unmentioned onions) and the risotto was a huge serving size with lots of yummy parmesan on top.
I liked that they had a small food menu which made it easy to choose from. It could be a cosy first/​second date place.
I did find it a tad expensive and there were some dudes at the bar who were a little too hipster. I shouldn’t complain about that since I’m the one who went to Bathurst and College, I know.
I’m interested to try to patio in the summer!

I wish that I could give this place a 2.5 star beccause it’s neither bad nor great. I mean, I don’t have anything against it but I’m not fond of it either. Would I go back? Only if someone else was planning the dinner.
The clientelle is very young and urban and professional. For the life of me I can not remember what I ate; which could only mean the food was not very memorable. The price was slightly high for a slightly unmemorable meal.
Maybe I’m getting old. Maybe this place was trying to be a little too perfect and not hitting any of the right chords. If you’re young and urban and professional and want a decent place to go because you have the money to spend, go to Teatro.

ive been to teatro several times, but only for the drinking. its on a corner lot so the windows reveal the mildly controlled mayhem inside.
it has a pretty dark, dimly lit, sleek appearance inside with the bar at the back. there are probably some seats at the bar, but my impression is that it is a service bar.
when i was there last, we had to cram a whole bunch of tables together for someones birthday, and the place was very noisy. i imagine though in the summer the patio is the place to be as it could house a good half dozen tables or so.
overall, its an average priced restaurant and bar, with a smallish space but always bopping.

This spot is on College which means it’s rammed with suit types getting smashed with their secondary income type girlfriends on the weekend. But the patio is to die for. It’s the kind of place where the owners and the staff know most of the people who come through the doors personally and you often feel like you’re drinking with the waiters, even if they are in fact working. It has recently come under new ownership, so it’s lost a bit of its luster, but it’s stillbetter than most spots on College on the weekend.