O&B Canteen

Everything was very mid.
The food was super mid. I ordered tacos and they looked pretty but they were lackluster in taste. Wouldn't be so bad except it was 2 tacos for $22, so $11 a taco for very mediocre tacos.
Service was good.
Vibe was mid.
Overall, an overpriced and mid experience.
Only thing it had going for it is it's right next to the TIFF theaters.

The location is great, especially if you're seeing something at the Lightbox. The food can be very good at times - the "French Connection" burger is a highlight, maybe one of the best burgers I've had in Toronto. The service, unfortunately, can be very amateur and unprofessional - not rude, just clueless. Many of the serving staff seem very new to the business (or the country) and cannot always communicate very well. They also don't seem to have been taught the art of service and how to properly tend to diners in a dining room. I hope management reads this and trains their servers a bit better, as the restaurant has many positives to build on.

Surprised how dirty it was. Non existent service until cheque time. Calamari rubbery. Shocked at the slide of o&b

Steak frites was surprisingly good. Staff was attentive and fast. Much better than I expected!

What used to be an excellent, upscale experience in the TIFF Lightbox has become wildly disappointing if not angering experience. We went for Fathers Day brunch only to find the space has become shoddy, the service lacklustre, the menu massively underwhelming and the quality of the food embarassing. Our server was incredibly polite but admitted to being overwhelmed as they were under staffed. My wife ordered the avocado toast which was intolerably bad - we never send food back, but this grocery quality barely toasted bread and paper thin layer of avocado that tasted like prepared guacamole with a sprinkle of pickled onions and sprouts for $19. Ridiculous. Absolute cannot recommend and will avoid in the future.

Went here for brunch, had a horrible experience. I ordered the Canteen Breakfast and Blackberry Bomb beverage. Food was very mediocre and took forever to come even tough the restaurant wasn’t busy. The potatoes were cooked very poorly; there was a lot of burnt crumbles. Canteen Breakfast clearly said “two eggs your way” and I was only given one egg. When I asked the staff about it she said the kitchen has it that it only comes with one egg and that “they are working on the menu so she has no idea. ” I never got my other egg. When I received my bill the Blackberry bomb, I was charged $6.00. However, it was listed as $4.50 on the menu (on both printed menu and online menu.) The staff said they changed it in the system but it wasn’t changed on the menu and held out the machine asking me to pay. I asked her to check the menu again because I shouldn’t be paying more than the amount on the menu. I did eventually get the price of the beverage adjusted. However I only got one egg and did not receive the adjustment for missing food as per clearly written in the menu. Waiter staff was very dismissive and impatient. Horrible, horrible, horrible experience overall. It is very disappointing as I’ve always held O&B in very high regards.

Great place for a pre show drink/bite to eat. Can get very busy and service therefore can be somewhat slow at times but overall it's a great spot.

The staff here are extremely kind and professional.
The place has HORRIBLE ventilation and you will leave smelling like a deep fryer - promise.
The way they serve a glass of wine is silly - an empty glass, a carafe with your wine in it which you simply immediately dump into the glass, on a plate with a napkin - 3 things to wash instead of 1 and a napkin to throw away.so wasteful!

Was our second time here after a Mirvish play. So many of the prices have gone up in just 3 weeks. Some by $1, others by $2! I was very disappointed. In this time of economic hardship, I find this action by management to be disgusting. The little vegan chocolate dessert was not worth $7, let alone $9. I won’t be returning. Also, it was hard to find the turkey in the club sandwich. It should be renamed the cucumber club! And it is $19!

The burgers tasted great and fresh.
Poutine was a little too salty
The pasta was also pretty good
Would recommend as a good affordable place

Bougie expensive and not great.just got some appetizers to share.got some soda for my drink and they give the tiniest glasses, half filled with ice.so about three sips for 3.25 and no free refills.

Arrived for our reservation very late due to the marathon stopping traffic in all directions. Hostess still seated us! We had a short timeframe to get to the theatre and our wait staff Sicily was wonderful when we told her. We had veggie mac&cheese and a turkey club with house salad. The veggie mac and cheese was delicious. The sauce was tasty and quite light. The veg were delicious. I would have loved twice as much veg and less pasta but it was an outstanding meal regardless. The turkey club was also delicious. The side salad was super fresh and lightly dressed with a homemade (?) mustard vinaigrette. Sicily got us fed but didn’t leave us feeling rushed. After our nerve wracking start, O&B made our day. Not my first visit- wont be my last.

Fantastic experience. Our server was terrific.
Although the restaurant was full, they managed to deliver an outstanding service.
We will be back again!

This was my second time here as it’s a great restaurant to go to before a Mirvish show. The hostess and waitress were both very friendly and nice. I had the French burger and it was delicious. I would definitely come back.

Several weeks ago made a reservation at a nearby restaurant. When we arrived they didn't have a table for us as they had a large group inside and they wanted us to eat outside on a very cool and windy morning. We went down the street to CANTEEN. They weren't quite open but sat us at a table with menus. Service was excellent, food was good and the T-shirts were puzzling and clever!

Terrible! Waited in line for about 30 mins to get a table for two. Got to the host stand and was told they were fully booked and didn’t even have any sort of wait list! Host said rudely “Nothing available” Sure I get it, busy Saturday, at lest they can tell you before you wait in line for so long! Terrible guest service! Poor customer service! They don’t care about their guest! So disappointing!

Grabbed dinner here before a concert and the food and drinks were delicious! A good variety of things on the menu, something for everyone.

Excellent in every way.from the service to the food. Thanks especially to Cassandra for her awesome recommendations! Great music and vibe.and the birthday treat ️

The space is very nice and comfortable. It's relaxing, the decor is welcoming. I enjoy sitting there.

At the same time it's a bit on the expensive side and not all prices are clearly laid out. I ordered a glass of lemonade for the kids and was surprised by the 5.50 tag for each that was not shared with me when offered at the table. The menu options work hard to be original but in my view they are a bit disappointing/over-thought.

When I went there I got a "French Connection Burger" and the burger tasted good but the issue with it was that it was super loose, in the sense that when you would it eat it, the patty would just slide out of the buns and when I took a bite out of it, it was a bit more mushy than the tradition beef patty should be. But the service and all the other food such as the fries were good.

The food is half decent but what you're really paying for is a good patio. It's nice to be right on King but still have *some* protection from the street noises while eating, but given the half-decent food and a pretty subpar draught beer selection, I probably won't be going back soon.

I ordered ceviche here and it literally did not have one drop of lime on it. It had cabbage and dill in it? I had to ask for limes and jalapeño. Upon requesting they said they did not have jalapeños. I got a stomach ache and the ceviche tasted terrible. Overpriced and ugly food. Do better and don’t have Latin American food on the menu if you aren’t serving Latin American food.

Been here more than 20 minutes and never even seen a wait staff, let alone been served by one. Maybe hire a few more people.

Very disappointing! Didn’t have many of the meal options. Didn’t have certain hot drinks. Service wasn’t the best.

One of the favorite places to eat in DT Toronto! Oysters are always good, tasty and big enough, plush if you order a drink you will get oysters for 1$/p. Burgers very tasty! Drinks are average, but price is reasonable. Great service and nice atmosphere.

Great spot to stop and eat! Close by to a ton of great shows and event locations. (TIFF cinemas are right beside the restaurant, and are accessible from indoors).

Staff was incredibly friendly and accepted a slightly larger walk-in group (6 adults, 2 kids, & an oversized stroller).

Menu was wonderful and has a good range for all types of eaters. Highlights included the Eggs Benny, Avocado toast, and the French toast. Don't forget the Baileys shot for your coffee.

P. S I hear the upstairs (dinner service) is top notch too.

Nice first time experience. Service was great and good menu options. We had an assortment of items because we wanted to share everything.
Everything was good.

A wide variety of foods on the menu will please all your friends. Service is very friendly and outdoor patio is comfortable. Check for buck a shuck hours if you're going for oysters!

I went back in June
The servers are very friendly and food is delicious. It's great that they have a covered patio too. I got their hard lemonade and thier spicy salmon sushi bowl.

Decided to have a Sunday afternoon meal at O&B and it did not disappoint. Half priced bottle of wine and $1 oysters between 4-6 meant we left in good mood for less than we expected to pay. Service was pretty great and the patio walls are just high enough to not be interrupted by people walking along King St.

One of my favourite places in Toronto and definitely my fave on King W. Always fantastic service, I’ve been a few times for larger tables and it’s always perfect! Most recently we went for 50% off wine on Friday and $1 oysters. Oysters were perfect! We got the house bubbly wine and it was to die for. All of our other dishes were incredible too like the fresh mushroom soup, calamari, green bean caesar, and fish and chips! I do miss the pad thai on the menu though.

Manager was terrible, told us we were cut off of alcohol when we weren’t even drunk. After I asked the server why we got cut off he didn’t have a reason. They also followed my friends to the bathroom. I’m not sure why!

Great food, and very busy location. We had a reservation for approximately 15 people, and were seated immediately upon arrival. The menu was extensive, and there were several vegetarian options as well.

The tourtière was horrible. Too much spice (I think nutmeg) and meat was chewy. Ate 1/4 and threw the rest in the garbage. On the other hand, butter chicken was amazing.

Very good mac & cheese with some updated additions to a traditional comfort food. 5% cheaper would have received 5 stars from me today.but not outrageous given downtown location

Excellent! Very good service, good food, very reasonable prices. While I would consider this the "budget" vehicle of the Oliver and Bonnacini chain, it nevertheless delivers its meals and service with the high quality associated with the O&B name.

Went on a Sunday afternoon so the place was relaxed with only a few tables full. Food was typical of a greasy spoon but that suited us. The service was a bit messy as there seemed to be no organisation amongst floor staff. We had about 5 different staff tend to us which meant the order was chaotic. I ordered tea which came with no teabag and no cup. The bill was incorrect and did not reflect the meal we had. Otherwise it was fine. Perhaps a more structured approach would make this run seamlessly.

Buck a shuck is worth it and very clean. Well organized for COVID era. Also try the calamari tacos. Definitely will visit again!

Visited here for lunch before a theatre experience with our four children. Love the split and clearly labeled menu. Made it easy to order for our varied dietary restrictions. Staff was great with our kids. (I wish I remembered our servers name, she was great) we all enjoyed our food immensely. Wish we lived closer so we could visit more often. I am sure when we are again in the area this will be top of our list.

Conveniently located in the entertainment district in the Bell Lightbox building, this eatery is exactly what you before going to see a show. Quickly and friendly service. The food was amazing. They have clearly labelled gluten free and vegan food on their menu. It was all delicious. In fact, our server was unhappy with the fact that the crust had fallen off my friend's dessert when they were cutting it into the pie pan and he went back and found it for her. Eat here.

Stopped in for a quick lunch whilst working in the area. Had not been there before. I was very disappointed. The food was tasteless; cream soup was super thick and pasty and burger was just a previously frozen patty. Service was not great as server was given specific instructions regarding what should go on burger and it was ignored. "Greeter" busy on her cell phone whilst we stood practically right in front of her waiting to be seated and totally disregarded. Food was fairly expensive for what we had.
Not worth going back again. Very disappointing

It was a wonderful visit! The service is top level, very helpful and friendly. Food tastes great and stuff has a solid knowledge of the menu. I enjoyed the atmosphere and restaurant design as well as a meal itself.

Great sweet potato tacos! Seriously great. 3 stars for a Brunch visit:
Service was good.but the breakfast was inconsistent and disappointing.

Good service and good price. My wife and I enjoyed our meal.
After watching a movie at the Tiff Bell Lightbox, it is an excellent place to enjoy a dinner and have a chit chat about movies.

As a member of TIFF I get a 15% discount, and that makes this place a bit more reasonably priced. There are some ok vegan options, but there is definitely more Canteen can do to become more vegan friendly. For example, charging an extra two dollars for a hamburger bun that doesn't have animal products in it is flatly ridiculous.

Absolutely amazing place food was awsome, the restaurant had a welcoming atmosphere and their burgers where wicked awsome. Plus they also have a non meat menu aswell

Excellent food and service.we had limited time before a show and the staff had us in and out in less than 20 mins, feed and totally satisfied

They have an excellent variety of vegetarian and vegan options. I only had the mushroom soup, but it was filling enough for me.

Delicious food and drinks! Great staff! Lovely spot for breakfast/brunch. So happy we came across it on our travels

Excessive salt in my salad! Had skipped lunch, a friend was paying and we had theater tickets, so sending a meal back was not an option.
My only order was for delicious sounding Kale salad. It was excessively salty! Is this really necessary? (No, unless the chef suspects bacteria that needs cleansing, or is employing a cheap trick to spark the taste buds on the first bite).
There are so many other restaurants in the area, I think I will try some of them next. Very disappointing - I had looked forward to my (first) visit to Canteen.

A neat place with some unique dishes. The menu split was great with many vegan and vegetarian dishes on 1 side. Unfortunately the portions of the dishes very quite small for the price you pay. Some of the dishes also very underwhelming in taste and flavour. The ambience was pretty cool and ten staff very friendly.

Th Canteen offers excellent quality in many ways. The menu is outstanding in offering both "Eating to Live" and "Living to Eat" options. We tried the Waldorf salad - we have never tasted better! We also tried the Jerk Chicken. It is on the mild side with regards to spicing. I am sure you can request a spicier blend if you desire one. The patio is lovely, but a bit noisy at lunchtime. The service is excellent!

I love this place. Great for a bite to eat before or after a TIFF film. Good variety for carnivores and vegetarians alike. We had the salmon poke bowl and steak salad and they were delish. Friendly service and reasonable prices.

Absolutely everything was awful.food was terrible, just terrible, coffee tasted watery, nothing tasted good, coffee cup was not clean, service is also terrible, i dont know how they have 4 stars because our experience was absolutely terrible

Excellent meal, friendly and attentive service, wide-ranging menu with many scrumptious offerings. Vegetarian? Covered. GF? They got ya. Omnivore? You are in for a treat. Calamari tacos were devoured with gusto. Beet burger was proclaimed delicious (but where was Dwight?). Next time (and there will be a next time), I want to have desert too!

Really enjoyed my meal here. The fries were delicious. What made this experience 5 stars however were the staff. My server was very attentive and helpful. My guest and I were very delayed and had a film to catch at TIFF. He worked with the kitchen to ensure our meals arrived quickly and the bills settled as well. I’ll definitely recommend for a pre-Tiff option!

Great comfort food, sometimes could be hard to find a table. It is right at the Tiff building so it could be a great meet up point.

Nothing fancy just some good food in a great location on King Street. Since it is summer - it is mandatory that you eat outside. It is covered so no worries if it rains. Food service was attentive, food variety is good. Reasonably priced. Dessert was a little slow - nice - as it allowed us to take our time over coffee. It's the little special things that make a difference - they always seem to know.

Amazingggggg! Love this place. Always get the eggs on toast when in the area for breakfast. Check this place out! Quick and great tasting!

Average place food wise, good presentation. First time here for Summerlicious. I dont think this place is worth it for Summerlicious menu. Food is just average. A one time place dont think I will be going back

Busy spot for a Thursday around 6: 00PM, we need somewhere to grab a quick bite and some refreshments before heading over to the Lion King musical.

We were seated right away in the patio and their patio is a good size.we didn't really order an entree more so just appetizers and a salad. The apps were pretty good, the fries were large and crispy the calamari taco was interesting as I've never had it before. I also ordered a dirty martini but that was a little disappointing wasn't dirty at all.

I will have to find more time to have a proper sit down and try their entrees.

Mixed experiences, I’ve been here twice and the first time was great, I went with a friend and we shared the empeñada appetizer, and each got a big plate of piping hot Mac and cheese which was lovely And unique with the kale, asparagus and smoked bacon, however the other day I came with my boyfriend and it was a complete disappointment the portions were so small, the rice in our cod curry was so overcooked the crunchy bits (pretty much all of the rice) were getting stuck in our teeth, and the pasta dish was barely room temperature and lacked any flavour. That being said the service was absolutely lovely on both occasion.

Loved the selection of food, there is something for everyone. The drink choices were really good as well, listing a number of options for wines, beers and cocktails. I ended up getting the short rib mac and cheese, which was really well done. Added a little pepper to it but otherwise really happy with it. Not a cheap restaurant but for an app, two drinks and two mains it was about $70 after tax. You do get what you paid for though.

What an amazing surprise! This menu really caters to vegetarian/vegan and it's delicious. The jackfruit pulled pork was amazing and with the size of fries it was the perfect mouth feel. I asked for mustard, but would be great if they served with a bit of BBQ dipping sauce. I will go back to explore the rest of the menu.

Food was great, had an amazing time, a bit on the pricey end for the portion size but it was money well spent.

Great food, attentive staff. A Toronto gem for sure. You will not be disappointed. Maybe avoid happy hour to dodge the crowds.

My husband, 2 friends and I arrived at 6: 30 for a pre-dinner meal. We ordered wine and 2 appetizers at 6: 45, and they arrived within 10 minutes. We enjoyed the flavourful, crunchy roasted Brussels sprouts, and the delicious calamari tacos, and then we waited another 30 minutes for the rest of our food to arrive! Our waitress apologized for the long delay, although she could not provide any reason for it, which was somewhat odd and a little bit aggravating. Finally, the food arrived; we had the fresh beet salad with over-cooked, grilled salmon, the well-seasoned salmon poke, the flavourful and savoury braised ribs alongside the the rich and creamy mac and cheese. The 4 of us shared one plate of each item. Unfortunately we were not able to really enjoy our meals because we only had 15 minutes to eat before it was time to depart for the theatre. Clearly this restaurant needs the assistance of a kitchen manager to ensure that their food service is executed in a more timely fashion. This is our second time at Cantine and we had a similar experience on our first visit there. My advice to potential patrons is to allow yourself 2 hours for a 2-course meal at this restaurant. Seriously!

First time there and had their Winterlicious! The Kale and Brussel Caesar is something I would come back for. Not a fan of the crumble, it looked something put together at the end. Otherwise, great atmosphere with great vegetarian options. Service could have been a little bit more friendlier in my opinion