General Public Restaurant

I tried the very-new General Public the other night and it was the first time in a while a new restaurant in Toronto wowed and excited me. The food is excellent. I shared the trout tartare, tuna carpaccio, popcorn clams and mussels, trout, fries and banoffee tart with a friend and we were both wowed by everything. The food is superb. The wine list is so extensive you’ll need to be sure not to forget your reading glasses. I had an excellent white from Greece. The service is friendly, knowledgeable, attentive and not overbearing. Nobody “welcomed” you at the door with a silly reminder to finish your dinner within a set time - I didn’t feel rushed here. And there was a warm wish goodnight from the behind the bar as we left. And the space is beautifully designed. Lighting enthusiasts like me will appreciate the vintage lighting like the Italian tronchi wall sconces in their second floor dining space. Or the quirky way they repurpose long-forgotten lighting. The bathroom made me feel like I was at my aunt’s house circa 1987. The space is so chic and well designed. While this place has every right to be buzzy, overall it was a great dining experience in a chill environment. It didn’t feel like a hot new restaurant in Toronto despite rightfully being a hot new restaurant in Toronto. Even though I live in the east end, General Public is worth the trek across town to Geary.

December 29, 2024 on Google

Service was fantastic, the ambiance was impeccable and the food was to die for. Though it was somewhat pricey, it was worth every penny. I really enjoyed the curried lamb tartare, the lemon tart dessert and the passion fruit cocktail. Highly recommend!

December 9, 2024 on Google

Fantastic food, beautiful ambience, friendly attentive service. Can’t wait to be back. Started with the shrimp cocktail, wedge salad (recommended by Phil Dunphy), curry lamb tartar, tuna carpaccio , tongue and tail pie, skate wing, and the crème caramel and butterscotch pudding - which they make and can in the restaurant) Cocktails and wine were also fantastic. Overall a cozy, fun, and gourmet and delicious experience.

December 7, 2024 on Google

From the decor, to the lighting, to the service, to the food, and even to the bathroom soap dispensers, everything about General Public is executed impeccably. If I had to pick one word to describe this restaurant it would be ‘thoughtful.’ That might not seem exciting but when you have the pleasure of dining somewhere where no detail is unintentional you realize just how important that thoughtfulness is. Our service was excellent - attentive, unfussy, consistent. The overall vibe of the room is as spectacular as I had hoped and a really perfectly unique escape on Geary. All of that is truly secondary, but complementary, to the food. It doesn’t hit you over the head Immediately, but after a discussion around the table we were able to easily and remarkably identify a subtlety in each dish that was thematic and cohesive. It felt a little akin to someone interpreting the Met Gala theme with panache: not obvious but perfectly right. Every dish was impeccable but what really stood out were the sides. The bread basket full of variety, warm and exciting, served with a marmite honey butter that I want to buy by the tub. Creamed leeks that I only wish I could replicate in my own kitchen with a beautiful hit of sweetness. The perfect french fry with a dusting of malt. The level of intention and preparation that went into those sides tells you all you need to know about a General Public experience. Our cocktails were also a smash hit. In any other restaurant they’d probably be the standout of what we spoke about but General Public suffers from so much excellence across the board that they almost feel like an afterthought when reminiscing on the meal. The wine list has something for everyone and excitingly has some eclectic finds that make it feel uniquely Torontonian and also distinctly its own vibe. Kind of sums up General Public, honestly.

November 29, 2024 on Google

Went for a birthday dinner with my friend. The place is stunning! Vibes are high. We had the Ham plate as well (not pictured) this was one of my most favourite bites of the evening. Any hiccups were quickly resolved and it was so great to be able to meet Jen in person. She is warm and lovely. Can’t wait to go back for lunch and to try more dishes.

November 22, 2024 on Google

Amazing experience! Came here for some appetizers and drinks, and everything was incredible. The service was consistently top-notch from the time we walked in the door - everyone was so kind and attentive. The space is unlike anything I’ve seen before - we sat upstairs in a fun, curved corner booth, and the whole room had an incredible 80s vibe. Glass bricks, pastel colours, 80s art details, mirrored furniture. The music was awesome and suited the space. The energy was so lively and fun - everyone was having a great time, and you could feel it. My partner and I shared the endive salad, chicken wings, and baked oyster rarebit. Everything was unique and tasty to the friggin’ max. The chicken wings were unreal. We also enjoyed their beer offerings - really awesome choices! They had a really excellent non-alcoholic beer option from Burdock as well, which is always appreciated. We had a cake for dessert, and although I can’t remember the name, it doesn’t really matter because it was delicious and was a perfect way to end the meal. The whole experience felt so thoughtful from begin to finish. Highly recommend! Also, the guinea pig branding is an out-of-this-world level of cuteness that I wholeheartedly appreciated. Basically, just check it out already, okay?

November 16, 2024 on Google

I would definitely recommend coming here for a cozy and intimate dinner with few friends. The space is definitely small but it has nice decor and ambiance to it. There’s not too much on the menu but everything tasted great. I’d definitely recommend the lamb tartar which was very unique along with the tail and tongue pie.

September 23, 2024 on Google

Beautiful restaurant and atmosphere. Service was great besides the fact our reservation was at 9:15 and we didn’t get seated until closer to 9:50. Food was fine. Portions were small, but flavours were underwhelming for the price. Halibut was probably my least favourite. Cocktail was great though!

September 15, 2024 on Google