Shangri-La Lobby Lounge and Bar image

Shangri-La Lobby Lounge and Bar

Restaurant Bar Lounge

😐 My idea to dine here was to experience some exquisite experience and amazing food quality. However, to our surprise it was very basic experience like any normal restaurant at a high price. The food was cold, the server was in very haste always but overall she was nice and happy in serving us. The ho... People often mention experience, service, good, high, great, afternoon, menu, music, staff, nice,


Address

188 University Ave, Toronto, ON M5H 0A3, Canada

Website

www.shangri-la.com

Contact

+1 647-788-8281

Price rating

$$$ $

Rating on Google Maps

4.40 (402 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Monday: 11 am to 12 pm
  • Tuesday: 11 am to 12 pm
  • Wednesday: 11 am to 12 pm
  • Thursday: 11 am to 2 pm
  • Friday: 11 am to 2 pm
  • Saturday: 11 am to 2 pm
  • Sunday: 11 am to 12 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: experience (35) service (17) good (17) high (16) great (16) afternoon (15) menu (12) music (12) staff (12) nice (11)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 3/5 Pan M. 2 years ago on Google
    My idea to dine here was to experience some exquisite experience and amazing food quality. However, to our surprise it was very basic experience like any normal restaurant at a high price. The food was cold, the server was in very haste always but overall she was nice and happy in serving us. The hostess didn't provide us accurate information on the reservations and we wasted about 1 hour at the front desk to wait for the afternoon seating reservation. Even though we called in advance, we were not informed that we need reservation for the afternoon seating area. For folks who are looking for some info, they have 3 services- 1. Bar- where you can get food and bar service- no reservation required. 2. High top seating- where you can get individual food from the all day menu- no reservation required. 3. Afternoon seating- where you need reservation at least 1 day before and you get tea experience including serving cage with specific menu including desert, Prosecco and you can upgrade to a champagne. You can also order individual items.
    7 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 saima k. 8 months ago on Google • 162 reviews
    Quick service,nice ambience,excellent food  presentation and beautiful crockery. Definitely food tastes good ,sweet and salty snacks. The food portions are  very small and more like tasting samples. The Tea menu has variety  of flavors like black tea,  jasmine and camomile etc. When we visited lobby for high tea around 1:30 pm this July, it was quite noisy as it is near the entrance. The high tea menu and prices are fixed. It's always advisable to book in advance.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Chloe T. 6 months ago on Google • 204 reviews
    Very nice afternoon tea experience with live music and great ambience. PASTRY: Quite disappointed with the savory ones but they have the best scones ever, soft and moist. Some of the sweet pastry have complex texture and flavor. Very good amount of pastry on the tower and presented very nicely. TEA: • Signature Shangri-la black tea: it smell good but honestly it's not something stand out. VIBE: elegant yet very relaxing with live piano performance. I love how they made it not at all heavy and formal like afternoon tea at some other hotels. The room is big, bright and filled with natural light, super comfortable chairs and sofa. SERVICE: great service, courageous and very professional.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 CriticCal 3 months ago on Google • 138 reviews New
    Most recently we went to the Shang for high-tea to celebrate a special birthday. We had reservations for the 8 of us, the table setup was not the most comfortable even though it was in front of the fireplace. For starters each of us had a prosecco. Then we made our individual choice of different teas. Shortly the tiers of savoury bites and desserts came. The display was very visual and improved. But as I had a look at the items I was slightly disappointed- only one level of savoury items and the rest was sweets. As we sampled the savoury bites the flavours just didn’t fuse well together. And it was obviously prepared much in advance. Next came the desserts and they occupied 2 tiers, it’s great for someone with a sweet tooth. I found that they were too sweet for my taste. Overall we found the high-tea underwhelming compared to the others we’d experienced in London UK and in NYC. The setting was not conducive to the expected experience. Servers were quite busy not as attentive. The charge per person was on the high end but the overall experience was not! We expected much more from the Shang.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Sohyun K. 1 year ago on Google
    Not a lot of good things to say about my first high tea experience. I went into this expecting your usual high tea menu - bite size sandwiches, small pastries, and such. Instead, we got a Cirque du Soleil themed menu. I think it would have been better if they offered both the Cirque du Soleil menu and regular menu and allowed each table to select one. Anyway, we got our savory items, then a palette cleanser, our tea, and then our sweet items. Let's start off with the savory items... it was pretty lacking. There was this lobster roll without the roll item that was like eating lobster flavoured air. Then there was this astronaut sushi and beef tartare which were both just okay. The baguette with prosciutto was actually very delicious. Then came the palette cleanser, which was some sort of egg custard in the egg shell, with some gold flakes. I just think the gold flakes were unnecessary, especially considering the flake was on the bottom of the egg shell, so we didn't even end up eating it. The tea was the highlight of the whole experience, I think. Really delicious and high quality tea. We got the Shangri-La specialty tea, jasmine tea, and darjeeling tea. Then came the dessert round. Every piece of the dessert round was chocolatey. I feel like you need to have a bit of variety for dessert so it doesn't get too rich, like a fruit dessert or something. But no, it was all chocolate themed. They looked cool, but everything was really sweet. I would like to point out the chocolate cigars- they have some weird alcohol in them and it was actually really gross. No one at my table was able to eat much of theirs. I really don't recommend eating this. We also got some scones and jam/cream, which was a godsend when compared to how sweet the desserts were. Other than the food, the service was really slow. There was only one guy waiting on all the tables, and it was fairly busy when we were seated. You would think for a fancy hotel they would be better staffed. It also felt like he forgot about us at one point. Not a great first high tea experience. I really expected more, especially at the price I paid. I think I would be willing to try high tea again, but I don't see myself coming back to this hotel for food or lodging.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Andreasfoodventures 2 years ago on Google
    You are first welcomed with your choice of Prosecco or an Elderflower cocktail. Add $20 for Veuve Clicquot Brut/Rosé.⁣ ⁣ There's a nice selection of tea, but I wished the staff came to my table more frequently to refill the hot water. ⁣ The scones were buttery and served with fresh preserves and chantilly cream. I enjoyed their raisin scone the most.⁣ ⁣ The sweets were pretty and the definitely the highlight of the tower. The plate includes Grapefruit tart, Tonka Bean Mousse, Bergamot Macaron, Rose and Peach Mousse, and Vanilla Profiterole. The Grapefruit Tart was my favourite-- I enjoyed the combination of grapefruit with the toasted pistachios and almond cream. The other desserts were good but not memorable. ⁣ ⁣ Unfortunately, the savouries were my least favourite. This plate includes Wolfhead Double Smoked Salmon with Potato Bread, Egg Salad with Yorkshire Pudding, Open Face Cucumber on Brioche, Matane Shrimp on Pretzel Bread. Notably, the egg salad was underseasoned, and all the bread was rather dry.⁣ Overall, I expected more from Shangri La. It was hard to get a staff member's attention, the food took forever, and the taste was lacking.⁣
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Amanda S. 1 year ago on Google
    Absolutely amazing experience. From the moment we walked in all staff were so helpful and welcoming. The experience, attention to detail with the food and quality of taste, and service exceeded my expectations. Special thanks to all the lovely workers Lauren Samantha Natasha Linh Kim They made sure the reservation was perfect and made the experience of asking my bridesmaids to be part of my wedding a memorable and fun experience
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Anouchka R. 6 months ago on Google • 172 reviews
    Really wanted to love this experience but felt like the afternoon tea missed the mark for this summer visit. An earlier winter visit was much better in terms of balance and variety in the high tea items. The summer menu felt very sweet and the portions were quite small compared to a previous visit. Really appreciated accommodation to food restrictions and allergies. The service and atmosphere as usual with the Shangri-La did not disappoint and was lovely. Though, I would reconsider coming here for a summer sitting for high tea.

  • 5/5 Jas Y. 10 months ago on Google • 152 reviews
    Came here for the afternoon tea, and I really enjoyed my experience. It seemed like they have a changing menu and this time it was a cirque de Soleil theme. The savory items were absolutely delicious and had fun textures. And the sweet items were fun and delicious. We had to guess the flavor of each mystery dessert box, it was all familiar flavours done in a way that made it hard to guess! My only comment was that I wish the table were higher so we didn't have to constantly bend to eat.

  • 5/5 Barbie B. 2 years ago on Google
    The atmosphere and ambiance was luxurious, there was a live band playing when i visited and it truly felt like royalty. Perfect place for a relaxing evening or even a casual upscale first date. The food was of high quality as expected, but wish they had more selections. Loved the cauliflower finger food, it was out of this world. They were also very accommodating with my mocktail requests so that was really nice. I have heard great thing about their tea times so i plan on returning to try that experience.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Leah 2 years ago on Google
    Came here for their Nutcracker tea experience and it was amazing! We ordered the vanilla rooibos, Earl Grey, Eros, and Darjeeling teas and each were perfectly steeped. Scones with devon cream, berry compote and orange marmalade were the best part! Also loved the smoked salmon on potato bread.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Ipek B. 11 months ago on Google
    Great ambiance. Live music is 5/5. Great relaxing ambiance. I strongly recommend trying their dry aged burger. Their cocktails are surprisingly disappointing tho - literally the worst cocktails I had in Toronto so far. High tea is also a great option
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Stephen C. 1 year ago on Google
    Absolutely fantastic cocktail lounge and bar. The ambiance and esthetics of the lounge are impeccable. Walking into the lounge you're welcomed by a small koi pond covered with plexiglass. Early in the evening there's live piano music and later on it switches to contemporary lounge music. One of the most impressive features is an elegant gas fireplace, very long and decorative. The drinks, OMG, the drinks are amazing!!! An impressive cocktail menu with a plethora of liquors, wines and champagne are available. There's beer too! The staff are very professional and courteous, and most importantly they're friendly and responsive. Understand though that this is a very popular cocktail spot so it does get crowded. Have patience and respect, and the staff will reciprocate. Bottom line, if you're looking for a great cocktail experience this place can meet your demands. 🍸🍹🍺🍾🍷
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Stephan H. 1 year ago on Google
    The food was unique from all the other afternoon teas I’ve had which was nice to see. The flavor wasn’t quite there. More beauty over taste when it came to the food. The custard in the egg was the only item I’d choose to have again. The service was very slow too.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Natasha S. 5 months ago on Google • 104 reviews
    I took my sister to high tea for her birthday. The tea options were great and the savouries and desserts were wonderful. A perfectly civilized afternoon 💅🏾 It's not a very intimate location but it is a hotel lobby so I get it but overall we enjoyed the experience, food and service. There was even a piano player!

  • 2/5 Landson 8 months ago on Google
    The afternoon tea has a fine appearance. However, I'm not a fan of seeing a mosquito sitting near the pastries. It also does not taste as good as expected, considering the price. The service is amazing, while it took me at least approximately 30 minutes to get the bill. I ended up just walked to a staff and asked for it. But don't get me wrong, the staff was doing a great job. It's only that the upper management did not schedule sufficient staff to handle the situation. Please note that I made a reservation, therefore they should have enough time to prepare or forecast the demands.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 J. W. 8 months ago on Google
    Very disappointed with the food quality. Nothing was impressive including their signature black tea. Food were all nicely presented but failed in flavours. Staff was very friendly and polite. But the service was kind of slow we waited 30+ minutes to get our bill.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Rach 9 months ago on Google
    I had a lovely time at Shangri-La's Afternoon Tea experience. I booked the afternoon tea experience for two - which is currently Cirque Du Soleil themed, in partnership for their show KOOZA. I was informed the savories and pastries were designed with the acts of the show, which I thought was fun and unique. The lounge area a Shangri-la is formidable, but my eyes were instantly drawn to the Guo Pei gown that Rihanna had worn to the 2015 Met Gala. I was lucky enough to be seated right in front of it, to my ultimate joy. Our server for the majority of the experience was Al, who was an absolute angel. He patiently explained every course of our experience, and was so light-hearted and kind. His presence definitely elevated our experience, and I really appreciate his efforts for that. Out of all the savories and pastries offered in this experience, my favorites were 'the wheel of death' (egg savory) and the sweet mystery boxes, 'white' and 'gold'. I was also so pleased with my choice of tea, the Shangri-La Signature Blend black tea. I was also celebrating my birthday, and every staff I had encountered sweetly wished me a happy birthday. It's a simple gesture, but it made me feel very special. I cannot wait to see what the next upcoming Afternoon Tea theme will be, as I think this would be a great experience for an upcoming Mother's Day, birthday or bridal shower.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Rich N. 8 months ago on Google
    Great atmosphere with live music and quality food/drinks. One of Toronto's best Hotels.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 bruno r. 2 years ago on Google
    Great brunch, service is also really good with a special mention to Anil who is always very welcoming and super nice.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Loc N. 2 years ago on Google
    Love coming here to just chill and relax - many memories made here with my wife. Great ambience and live music. Never disappoint with food and drinks and the staff are exceptional and professional.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Serina W. 2 years ago on Google
    Such a good place. We stayed at the hotel and came for a drink and the next day for breakfast. We also had our doggie with us during the breakfast and really appreciate the lobby area being so friendly toward our furry family member. Thank you.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Giancarlo Galliani P. 2 months ago on Google • 37 reviews New
    Came here last night for a drink to celebrate a evening with old friends. The experience left me disappointed, given the fact it's the Shangri-La. We ordered four espresso martinis and all of us who had them agreed they weren't very good—watery with a weak coffee flavour, and the foam on the top felt a bit thinner than ones I've had before. We sent them back after a few sips and asked for dirty martinis instead. When these drinks arrived, the server called them "your replacement martinis" in a bit of a passive-agressive tone; the way she put the glasses and the dishes for the olives down was really brusque as well. On top of that, a friend who arrived a bit later ordered a beer; this took about 15 minutes to come by which time we were ready for the bill. These things might sound trivial, but given the fact it's the Shangri-La and everything is at higher price point (and also that the service charge is non-discretionary and included in the bill) I expected much, much better. The ambiance and the live music were nice, and the nibbles my friend ordered were delicious. Overall, however, it wasn't a great experience—I wouldn't rush back and I wouldn't recommend it.

  • 5/5 Sohaib R. 3 years ago on Google
    The Orange Tea and Pistachio Ice Cream were really good. The fries bowl was pretty big too.

  • 5/5 House of M. 2 years ago on Google
    Very good service with nice food, especially the ice cream with both good image and delicious taste. Afternoon tea will not open until September. Definitely will be back.

  • 5/5 Natalie M. 1 month ago on Google • 33 reviews New
    We enjoy afternoon tea Lunar New Year menu annually and it somehow manages to continue to exceed expectations. The food is always so well crafted and tasty. Atmosphere here with live music such an enjoyable plus. Visually this year the year of the Dragon, hotel Shangri-La outdid themselves - stunning decor. We would like to visit more often however look forward to our annual tradition.

  • 5/5 Lisa S. 5 months ago on Google
    Tea was delicious! I had Caelum and AJ as servers. They were both very friendly and welcoming. AJ amazed me with his detailed knowledge of every item on the cake stand! I particularly enjoyed the butterscotch pudding and the scones. This is not your traditional afternoon tea - no fingers sandwiches. Instead, very elaborate savory items. I personally prefer a more traditional afternoon tea, but it's definitely worth trying once.

  • 5/5 A B. 2 years ago on Google
    I would like to thank Paulina and the staff. She is an amazing hostess and individual. She made my little girls day. Thank you so much.

  • 2/5 Zainab H. 7 months ago on Google
    The only good thing about this place was the service and the staff. That is the only reason I went there. The food was full of fruit flies!! I managed to kill one, and I was disgusted. The cups were not washed properly. Basic hygiene is what I would expect anywhere, but for a 5-star to not be able to take care of hygiene? Yuck

  • 5/5 Srikanth T. 2 years ago on Google
    Had a Fantastic experience. The food was delicious , and very attentive service . A special mention to food runner Anil . Thank you, Anil for making us feel so welcome and so special. We appreciate your kindness and attention . I would recommend the food and great service to everyone .

  • 5/5 Camille M. 2 years ago on Google
    Excellent lobby bar - espresso martini & (extra) dirty martinis are top notch here. Live music on Fridays / Saturdays.

  • 4/5 CeCilia C. 2 years ago on Google
    Ambiance at the lobby is lovely. The quality of food was great! Heirloom tomatoes with burrata, rainbow trout, Tuna taco and salmon bowl were delicious.

  • 4/5 Khoi P. 2 years ago on Google
    A solid upscale hotel lobby to sit down and enjoy some cocktails with a small group. The atmosphere is really as you would expect it to be. Excellent vibes.

  • 4/5 Joycelin W. 10 months ago on Google
    Came here for drinks after a work event in the ballroom upstairs. It was busy but we were seated right away. Ordered an aperol spritz which was good, and others in my group enjoyed their cocktails as well. The food was surprisingly tasty - we ordered edamame and shishito, Korean fried cauliflower, fried calamari, asparagus flatbread, dry aged beef sliders, plain and spiced fries. Everything was great but I especially enjoyed the calamari and the curry sauce that accompanied it, as well as the spiced fries (chimichurri aioli was delicious). Prices are high esp for the portions (as one would expect at a high end hotel), but service was excellent and we loved the live jazz music! Really lovely atmosphere overall.

  • 5/5 Orelie 2 years ago on Google
    We came for the nutcracker experience and it was lovely. We had a great time. The portions were great, the service was good and the lobby restaurant was spacious and comfortable. I would definitely come back!

  • 5/5 Zohra R. 2 years ago on Google
    I brought my 5 year old for high tea and the experience was really one for the books! The ambiance was amazing, the live performer entertained us with songs from frozen, lion king and beauty & the beast- making for a majestic evening. My daughter's platter items were in the shapes of bears and frogs with nutella and banana sandwiches- really customized for a child's pallette! Although almost $200 for tea was a bit expensive- the experience was priceless- she loved pouring the tea, observing the pictures on the walls and making some beautiful memories! Highly recommended for a mother-daughter outing!

  • 5/5 Mike B. 11 months ago on Google
    Beautiful lounge, very elegant. We came here Sunday afternoon and sat down to relax, have some Tea and listen to the wonderful pianist. If you’re looking for an experience you’ve got to come here, you won’t regret it.

  • 5/5 Krishna C. 2 years ago on Google
    Bougie! Stayed one night here, got a garden view room which came with a nice patio. They offer a pillow menu with a wide selection of pillows. Upon arrival, there was a nice band playing live music.. the vibe is very classy, the hostess was wearing something resembling a geisha. The drinks we’re expensive as expected. I don’t believe they offer self parking, they only have valet, however I didn’t like being asked three times if I was checking in because I arrived in a Ford Fusion and not a Lincoln :( Overall the place is extremely beautiful, the most unique hotel I’ve stayed at. It felt like paradise.

  • 2/5 Tom D. 1 year ago on Google
    Lunch on the Veuve Clicquot Patio was not good. Service was beyond slow and did not complete several requests. The food was tasteless. The options for vegetarians and vegans were abysmal. Would not recommend.

  • 4/5 krissy m. 1 year ago on Google
    My husband and I had this at Shangrila where we stayed for 2 days for his culinary birthday weekend. It's a relaxing afternoon I had Jasmine and he tried the Masala tea. Service is ok. And i love the music played by the pianist while sipping tea. Overall you're paying for the experience and a good cup of tea and prosecco.


Call +1 647-788-8281 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Pets
    • ✓️ Dogs allowed
  • Payments
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Food
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Dancing
    • ✓️ Spirits
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Food at bar
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible toilet
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible car park
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible entrance
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Seating
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✗ Delivery
    • ✓️ Outdoor seating

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