Dinner, Party
Four resto-clubs where you can fuel up and then boogie down—all without leaving the premises
Ultra Restaurant & Supper Club
12 St. Clair Ave. E., ultra-toronto.com
The crowd: Deep-pocketed 30-plus types from nearby Rosedale and Forest Hill
The dress code: High-fashion but funky to match the decor, which is inspired by the work of British designer Alexander McQueen
The food: Pan-Asian dishes with an emphasis on seafood
The soundtrack: A DJ-driven blend of old school and new
The entertainment: Roving dancers with over-the-top outfits that are equal parts haute couture and Halloween
The splurge: The Snake River Wagyu striploin with charred kimchi for $142
A reinvention of the Queen West nightclub of the same name, which closed in 2012, Ultra has matured with its clientele and is now giving affluent midtowners a place to party. The velvet-draped restaurant’s gilded details, woven throughout its design in both subtle and extravagant (mostly extravagant) ways, would make King Midas proud. There’s a delicate golden finish on serving chopsticks as well as an over-the-top all-gold main dining room. The Pan-Asian plates (some of which are garnished with flakes of edible gold) are pretty and perfect for pairing with bottle-service champagne, which starts at $275. Entertainers wearing elaborate costumes—think wigs and chrome headpieces—emerge around 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, often accompanied by live musicians, including the odd saxophonist.
Ristorante Sociale
545 King St. W., sociale.ca/ristorante-sociale
The crowd: 20- to 60-somethings, depending on the night
The dress code: Casual or dressy but always fashionable
The food: Italian steakhouse plates and house-made pasta
The soundtrack: Peppy retro Italian beats
The entertainment: Costumed performers
The splurge: A 42-ounce porterhouse for $300
This is the sassier sister spot to Little Portugal’s Enoteca Sociale, which recently earned Bib Gourmand status from Michelin—and the food here is of the same award-worthy calibre. Guests dig in to porterhouse steaks and the cacio e pepe that draws diners to the original restaurant—but it’s a secret menu item here, and it comes with a side of pizzazz. Bedazzled performers in fringe-draped lampshade hats start sashaying around the tables during dinner service on Fridays and Saturdays, encouraging diners to join in as the plates are cleared. The music is loud, the tables are arranged so there’s ample room to cut a rug and bottle service is big. Despite all this, Ristorante Sociale feels low-key (in a good way) relative to the usual King West bacchanal, with prices that aren’t budget-blowing, a relaxed crowd and a free welcome snack of olives, taralli and Piave cheese for each table.
Maxime’s
77 Portland St., maximestoronto.com
The crowd: 20- to 50-somethings looking to see and be seen
The dress code: Smart casual (it’s enforced)
The food: Steakhouse staples presented with dramatic flair and fancy finishes
The soundtrack: Hypnotic EDM and house
The entertainment: DJ sets after 8 p.m. and people-watching all night
The splurge: The “Smoking Hot” seafood tower for $295
With a surf-and-turf lineup and a subsection of the drink list dedicated to martinis, Maxime’s menu reads like that of an old-school steakhouse—but don’t go looking for any brass accents or cozy fireplaces. Instead, the kitchen plops chophouse dishes into a venue that exhibits all the hallmarks of a nightclub: velvet everything and screens looping trippy visuals like undulating waves. Theatrical presentations involving dry ice, smoke and fire bridge the gap between dinner and a show. Dishes are meant for sharing, and indulgent finishes—think caviar-topped beef tartare—add enough extravagance to match the setting. Guests sway to chill house music while ogling themselves in the many mirrors between bites of striploin or turn their gaze outward to people-watch. Anyone perched at the bar with some oysters and an ice-cold martini is in for an interesting evening.
Kissa
619 King St. W., kissatoronto.com
The crowd: A stylish collection of audiophiles downstairs; 20-something club kids upstairs
The dress code: Trendy and polished; mandatory business-casual
The food: Artfully plated Japanese-inspired dishes
The soundtrack: Live DJs who mix everything from disco to funk
The entertainment: Dance floors on two levels plus a small karaoke room
The splurge: The A5 Wagyu katsu sando on Hokkaido milk bread for $70
Named for the vinyl listening bars that were popular in Japan during the 1960s and ’70s, Kissa has a glamorous retro aesthetic that makes a show-stopping first impression. Illuminated shelves of vinyl records back a custom-made DJ booth, emerald-green seating and the glitter of hanging disco balls reflected in mirror-lined walls. The space is intimate yet cool enough for Post Malone and LeBron James, who have each hosted parties there. Its prime King West location and striking design alone would make Kissa a hit, but it also offers very good Japanese-inspired snacks and excellent cocktails, like the Back in Black, a scotch-based drink served in a cloud of smoke under a glass cloche. The space is laid out for dining in the main-floor listening bar and dancing in the upstairs lounge—although people start shimmying at their tables halfway through dinner service.
 ways, would make King Midas proud. There’s a delicate golden finish on serving chopsticks as well as an over-the-top all-gold main dining room. The Pan-Asian plates (some of which are garnished with flakes of edible gold) are pretty and perfect for pairing with bottle-service champagne, which starts at $275. Entertainers wearing elaborate costumes—think wigs and chrome headpieces—emerge around 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, often accompanied by live musicians, including the odd saxophonist.
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Ristorante Sociale
545 King St. W., sociale.ca/ristorante-sociale
The crowd: 20- to 60-somethings, depending on the night
The dress code: Casual or dressy but always fashionable
The food: Italian steakhouse plates and house-made pasta
The soundtrack: Peppy retro Italian beats
The entertainment: Costumed performers
The splurge: A 42-ounce porterhouse for $300
This is the sassier sister spot to Little Portugal’s Enoteca Sociale, which recently earned Bib Gourmand status from Michelin—and the food here is of the same award-worthy calibre. Guests dig in to porterhouse steaks and the cacio e pepe that draws diners to the original restaurant—but it’s a secret menu item here, and it comes with a side of pizzazz. Bedazzled performers in fringe-draped lampshade hats start sashaying around the tables during dinner service on Fridays and Saturdays, encouraging diners to join in as the plates are cleared. The music is loud, the tables are arranged so there’s ample room to cut a rug and bottle service is big. Despite all this, Ristorante Sociale feels low-key (in a good way) relative to the usual King West bacchanal, with prices that aren’t budget-blowing, a relaxed crowd and a free welcome snack of olives, taralli and Piave cheese for each table.
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Maxime’s
77 Portland St., maximestoronto.com
The crowd: 20- to 50-somethings looking to see and be seen
The dress code: Smart casual (it’s enforced)
The food: Steakhouse staples presented with dramatic flair and fancy finishes
The soundtrack: Hypnotic EDM and house
The entertainment: DJ sets after 8 p.m. and people-watching all night
The splurge: The “Smoking Hot” seafood tower for $295
With a surf-and-turf lineup and a subsection of the drink list dedicated to martinis, Maxime’s menu reads like that of an old-school steakhouse—but don’t go looking for any brass accents or cozy fireplaces. Instead, the kitchen plops chophouse dishes into a venue that exhibits all the hallmarks of a nightclub: velvet everything and screens looping trippy visuals like undulating waves. Theatrical presentations involving dry ice, smoke and fire bridge the gap between dinner and a show. Dishes are meant for sharing, and indulgent finishes—think caviar-topped beef tartare—add enough extravagance to match the setting. Guests sway to chill house music while ogling themselves in the many mirrors between bites of striploin or turn their gaze outward to people-watch. Anyone perched at the bar with some oysters and an ice-cold martini is in for an interesting evening.
[sjmcm layout="attachments_1x2" calling_post="640840" posts="1:attachment:640873:0:,1:attachment:640874:0:"]
Kissa
619 King St. W., kissatoronto.com
The crowd: A stylish collection of audiophiles downstairs; 20-something club kids upstairs
The dress code: Trendy and polished; mandatory business-casual
The food: Artfully plated Japanese-inspired dishes
The soundtrack: Live DJs who mix everything from disco to funk
The entertainment: Dance floors on two levels plus a small karaoke room
The splurge: The A5 Wagyu katsu sando on Hokkaido milk bread for $70
Named for the vinyl listening bars that were popular in Japan during the 1960s and ’70s, Kissa has a glamorous retro aesthetic that makes a show-stopping first impression. Illuminated shelves of vinyl records back a custom-made DJ booth, emerald-green seating and the glitter of hanging disco balls reflected in mirror-lined walls. The space is intimate yet cool enough for Post Malone and LeBron James, who have each hosted parties there. Its prime King West location and striking design alone would make Kissa a hit, but it also offers very good Japanese-inspired snacks and excellent cocktails, like the Back in Black, a scotch-based drink served in a cloud of smoke under a glass cloche. The space is laid out for dining in the main-floor listening bar and dancing in the upstairs lounge—although people start shimmying at their tables halfway through dinner service.
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