Drift

After being introduced to this place from a friend years ago, it has now become my go to spot! I love to bring friends here from out of town and show them Toronto’s amazing food scene. Everything I have eaten here (which is ALOT!) I have loved! ps — The brussel sprouts are amazing! Get them every single time.

Pros: Great burger and fries, not outrageously priced, good service, good desserts at a reasonable price.
Cons: Not too many craft beers on tap, charge for little extras when they should just be included.
Verdict: Would recommend.

Came with my parents and daughter for my sister’s birthday. Chef Adam suggested a tasting menu. He talked with my parents about what they liked and if there was anything on the menu they wanted to try. We had several tapas style dishes that were amazing. I thought I’d be hungry with the small portions but it added up and I was stuffed. Ended it with a great Crème brûlée. It’s a bit far from where I live, but I’d go back if I was downtown. We were there when it opened so we didn’t have to wait. Comfortable for kids, but no place to change a baby. Just a heads up. Great place.

Great service, atmosphere, and selection of beer & wine — and oh man the food is good. My sister and I shared the pear-​arugula salad, fries, and an order of Brussels sprouts and it was all delicious. A little rich and quite pricey, but really very tasty. I’m not sure I’d go again as they’re vegetarian options are limited (and vegan options pretty much are nonexistent), but if you’re looking for a good date night place and/​or a place for a special occasion meal, this is a really good option!

I came here with my boyfriend after a disappointing Taste of Little Italy left us hungry because of the lack of actual Italian food options! We were walking along Bloor trying to find food and at this point we were down for anything.
Luckily this caused us to discover this hidden gem located right near Dufferin and Bloor.
We were tired and hungry and wanted to get home so we quickly ordered some wine, a smoked meat poutine and fish tacos.
Service was great and friendly, everything came out quick and the food was delicious!
Also a really cool environment, dark lit place with nice décor.
I’d return and would definitely like to try the brussels sprouts as all the reviews below me are raving about them!

Over priced drinks that are not very good, good is just mediocre. Had the grilled octopus and it was way too spicy

I go there often! I absolutely loves the risotto with mushrooms and truffle oil.
The staff is attentive and quick, and the menu is always a pleasure to read.
Last time I went (last Sunday), we also ended our delicious dinner with a funnel cake-​like dessert with salty caramel. It was absolute heaven.
Drift is a place you will like if you enjoy a great, low-​key ambiance with great beer and food.

I had the pleasure of returning to Drift last night, and as it had been some time since my initial review I was hoping it maintained it’s high quality. It did, and even surpassed it. I had their wonderful hamburger, and my companions enjoyed their jalapeño pork with rice, and pulled chicken. Beer range is amazing, and service, price and atmosphere excellent.

Food was good, service was good. Aside from the server telling me my 4 month old is not a good looking baby. I mean, who does that? He later told me he was sorry and that my baby is beautiful, but that was back-​pedalling, and unfortunately his insensitive remark is what stands out from an otherwise lovely meal shared with good friends.

Second Drift review…
While I am consistently pleased with what I consume at drift, for some time I have been quite saddened that the best sandwich I’ve had in my life disappeared off the menu (butternut squash… hello, AMAZE).
Today I had the duck, food sweats, so yummy.

I love Drift. I live in the area and frequent regularly. The menu changes consistently and I always look forward to trying what’s new.
Note: always get the brussel sprouts.
Very good beer selection too.

Service is fantastic. Their seasonal menus look amazing even though I can’t say first hand as every time I try to stop by for a bite to eat, they are PACKED! Good for them. Great people run this place and their servers are awesome.

3.5-ish stars for this comfy spot. No reservations, but we had no trouble getting seated as a group of 6 on an early Saturday evening.
In short:
— Lovely place.
— Really enjoyed the Mushroom Ragout with Polenta & Parmesan ($ 10) but it got a little boring midway through. Get a side!
— Brussels sprouts ($ 5) were tasty, as mentioned in a few reviews, and helped break up the monotony of the above.
— Fish Tacos ($ 15) with added jalapeños ($ 2) reeeeally could have used some sauce. Good amount of fish, but between the deep fryer and the weirdly brittle tortilla, they were as dry as a sailor’s remainder biscuit after a voyage.
— Wonderfully extensive drink menu for wine/​beer/​cocktail-​fiends alike, though the cocktails are on the pricey side.
All in all, a nice find! My friends love the food here while I found it a bit underwhelming, but I’ll probably return for a caj dinner some time.

My fav spot in bloorcourt.
Burger is epic
Crispy chicken burger is so good
And don’t even get me started on the Brussel sprouts !!!
Love drift

Drift was, for me, an accidental discovery. A night out with a friend led us to two other restaurants which had turned out to be closed for that night. After calling a friend for her recommendations, we were led to this quiet (at 6pm) lounge near Dufferin.
The service was pleasant and patient, given our inability to decide from the relatively simple menu.
My friend chose the gnocchi with braised short-​rib while I went for the tagliatelle with braised chicken (and with grana padano cheese, it was an easy sell). The service was prompt and we were given our meals within short time.
The tagliatelle was phenomenal. The rapini pesto was savory and understated, allowing for the perfectly-​cooked chicken and zucchini to take charge of the dish. My friend was equally satisfied with her dish, which included beautiful, fresh house-​made gnocchi. Our plates were empty by the time our server had returned to our table.
«Clearly,» my friend joked, «the food was terrible.»
There were only two options for dessert at the time, crème brûlée and a banana cheesecake with strawberry jelly. I chose the former, a personal favourite of mine, while my friend chose the cheesecake. The crème brûlée was easily the best I’ve ever had, and the sugar was perfectly carmalized. I shared a few bites of the cheesecake, which was also wonderful and surprisingly light.
Overall, Drift was a wonderful experience and I’m eager to visit again with a larger party.

Was taken here on a recent trip to Toronto by my fiancé’s cousin and I was thoroughly impressed.
It’s a small place, but the atmosphere is nice. The service was excellent, and the food. Oh my goodness, the food was amazing. I ordered a sweet potato soup with walnuts and a blue cheese whipped cream on top. Absolutely phenomenal. I got brussel sprouts as a side since I don’t usually get to eat them. I don’t know what they do to them when they make them, but they were delicious. My fiancé, who absolutely hates brussel sprouts and calls them aliens, actually tried one and said they weren’t bad.
I’d definitely love to go back next time I’m in Toronto and maybe try the aged cheddar burger that everyone else had. It looked really good.

I always seem to forget about how good Drift is until I came back. I live in the neighborhood and love the fact that Drift is super close. The food is always delicious and beer selection is plenty. The atmosphere is chill and relaxing. Great date night spot.
I’m obsessed with their Black & Blue Burger. The Crispy Chicken Honey Sriracha sandwich was TOO DIE FOR. Sweet potato fries aren’t the best but they come with an amazing spicy aioli dip which redeems them! The menu alone is drool-​worthy.
Prices reflect both quality and quantity as well as good service.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED… I actually want to go there now… Mmmmmm

I visited this hidden gem spontaneously with my girlfriend. We ordered sweet potato fries (which were slightly burned and not my favourite) however the chicken dish was fantastic! If you go here order the chicken dish. It is interestingly plated and tastes wonderful.

I found this place on a list of the city’s 25 top burger list provided by
. There were rated at no. 24, but still i thought i would give them a shot. I’m so glad a i did, their burger is fantastic — a total dark horse! I was floored a how good is was. The Drift deserves better than their 24^th ranking. Especially when they have places like the Stockyards ranked at no. 3 — where they do have great food there, the burger is comparable to McDee’s at three times the price.
Additional note: Drift is a great place for after-​work drinks.

Yes, yes I know I tend to give out five stars too readily much to the discerning chagrin of veterans like Jen K and Wayne C, but what can I say? I either vacillate between LOVE or HATE. Having said that Drift has left an excellent impression upon me, and here’s the reasons why I LOVED it:
*The Vegetarian friendly menu*
The Menu was a concise and well edited selection of noms and much to my delight about 50 percent of the offerings were Veggie friendly, not to mention deliciously executed which is so refreshing!
My entrée consisted of a mushroom Ragu with Polenta and Parmesan which was incredibly richly flavored. The headiness of the mushroom stock blended seamlessly with the delicately flaky yet very flavorful Parmesan flakes with a nice bit of crunch from the crust of the baked polenta. The Cucumber Gazpacho was also incredibly fresh tasting with hints of cilantro which blended beautifully with the small chunks of perfectly sweet watermelon interspersed within the cucumber pureed suspension.
Hubby ordered, well actually I forget what he ordered, something meaty sandwiched between bread no doubt, that was probably «really good» (his words) but he did also order a side of perfectly grilled Brussels Sprouts, let me tell you for a guy that’s survived on ribs and wings for a (nearly) half a century he was so pleased with those Brussels sprouts I swear he talked about them the whole time we were at Drift and dude does not talk much when we eat out, so that’s gotta be good!
*Very quick, efficient and well informed service*
There was one server and one bartender and between the two of them they held the ship down «Like a Bawse» considering it was a full house on a Saturday night. And anyone who knows me, knows I can be a stickler for asking so many questions about the menu like I should be a character on Portlandia fer chrissakes! But, I never once felt rushed, annoyed or that I had inconvenienced our server or felt the service was ingenuine, just really great service all around! Bravo!
*Chilled out unpretentious space and crowd* ‘Nuff said
*Pricing within reach*
I realize the Far West location of Drift plays a part in pricing, but for the quality of service, the terrific food and presentation there are many, MANY downtown establishments who shall remain nameless that should take notes, because Drift really gets it!
For a restaurant with a fleeting name, Drift sure do have their feet firmly planted! So get your ass to the west end and treat yourself to the intimate and flavourful charms of Drift.