On a recent trip to Toronto we arrived mid-afternoon and wanted a quick snack. Bar Isabel was highly rated and open in the early afternoon (it seems like a lot of restaurants in Toronto are not open between lunch and dinner) so we decided to eat there. Its a Spanish Tapas bar and is also included in the Michelin Guide.
We ordered ceviche and chips, meat and cheese, and bone marrow. For dessert, the Basque Cake. The food was pretty good, but the service was bad. The initial lady serving us lost interest in helping the table probably because it was midday and we did not want alcohol and it was in between meals so we ordered snack quantities of food. Another reason for the bad service is because this place adds the gratuity to your bill. Her initial contact with our table, was to give almost a condescending story about the greatness of San Sebastian, not knowing we had been there too. At one point I had signaled for the bill, and she just ignored me and proceeded to speak to another server. Anyway, here’s a look at the food.
If you go on Google reviews, many people have had a similar experience, especially with the same server who I won’t call out, so management HAS to be aware of the issue. Why they allow this to continue is a mystery. Anyway, the food was decent enough, but I wouldn’t go back due to the poor service.
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very interesting how bad service can leave a bad taste in one’s mouth. I actually find it hard to separate and with a bad service experience, the wagyu starts to taste like drywall. why can’t we just have brief encounters where my order is taken and the food is served, rather than a high and mighty speech or chit chat about the weather. I don’t eat out for elevator talk. As such, my favourite service is conveyor belt sushi: accurate, fast service, attentive, no bullshit chit chat. Even better in Japan, where gratuity is not expected, and service is part of the experience – I actually LOVE paying for my dining experience at the outset, from a vending machine, and just being able to focus on the food, interior of the place, and watching the chefs work their skills, then, depart when I am ready to depart, not when someone has the time to bring me a piece of paper and a credit card machine, I have shit to do, don’t get in my way. That whole thing about gratuity being included is total bs. Thanks for this review – will avoid.