Joso’s

Me and the wife were in Toronto and went here for our 1st wedding anniversary. The atmosphere was simply delightful from the host, waitress, and servers. They gave us a glass of champagne on the house since they knew it was our anniversary. The food was simply fresh and excellent. They bring the catches of the day so you can pick out your option while they prepare it. It’s also like being in a museum with all the colorful decor and artwork that truly symbolizes what this establishment caters too which is seafood. I forgot also this is the same restaurant of the Take Care album cover which I forgot to inquire about. Definitely hoping to be back when Wes re in Toronto.

We came to Joso’s for a meaningful family dinner — a formal meeting between our parents ahead of marriage. I had a reservation for 5 people at 5:00 p.m., and three of us (my mother, my partner’s mother, and myself) arrived 5-10 minutes early. A manager-like staff member came out and asked if the full party had arrived. I explained that two more were just minutes away (one parking, one in transit), and instead of a warm welcome, he immediately pointed out that a table upstairs had a 7:15 reservation and asked whether we wanted it. That already made us feel rushed before we’d even been seated. Another group of customers had also arrived early and were waiting nearby. The manager led them inside first but didn’t clearly acknowledge or invite us to follow. I thought I heard him say “come in,” so I followed behind. Once upstairs, he seated the other group and started talking to them. When he turned around and saw me, he seemed surprised and said, “Oh, you came up too!” — which felt awkward and dismissive. He again asked how long we thought we’d be staying — reiterating the earlier pressure around the 7:15 reservation. I replied that I didn’t want to feel rushed and would prefer the other available table instead. He said “That’s fine — you can stay here all you want and keep spending money.” That comment struck me as unnecessarily transactional and impersonal, especially for a fine dining experience. At one point, I briefly placed a water bottle on the table, and a server came over immediately and said, “You can’t have that on the table.” I understood and didn’t mind — but again, the tone felt overly sharp. To be honest, I couldn’t shake the feeling that our table — initially composed of three Asian women — was treated with less warmth or respect than others. Once my partner and his father (also Asian) arrived, the interaction improved slightly, but it was hard not to notice a difference in energy and attentiveness compared to nearby tables. Whether it was due to race, gender, or assumptions based on appearance, the feeling of subtle bias was hard to ignore. For a restaurant known for its history, reputation, and premium pricing, I expected genuine hospitality - not to feel like an inconvenience on such an important night. We left feeling disappointed, not because of the food, but because of how we were made to feel.

Have been dining at Joso's for years now and each time we come back is better than the last. Love this place for date night or special occasions. The squid ink pasta is to die for, and I've never had a disappointing seafood dish here. The wine selection is also very nice, with a great variety of wines from regions you don't typically see in Toronto. The staff are always very welcoming and accommodating - we love this neighbourhood gem!

Absolutely delicious. So much variety and we were able to customize our platters. We opted for the sardines, prawns, calamari and a small branzino. Everything was delicious! That branzino was perfect. Definitely recommend. It’s a small place so do make reservations ahead of time. Luckily they let us sneak in a last minute table at 5pm.

Amazing food and friendly staff! We'll definitely be back! Everything on the menu looked delicious! We would have ordered everything if we could eat it all. Lol! :p