Vibe is good. But make sure you don’t order the specials off the menu without looking at the price. Got charged $50 for burrata & $24 for a glass of cab ??
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Tom Reeves
The service at this restaurant was subperb! The owner greeted my party at the door and we were guided by Silva through a magnificent meal selection where Silva made recommendations that complimented the previous course and proved to be a great meal. If you are in Toronto treat yourself to dinner at charisma. Tom
Atmosphere: 5
Vanessa Alexopoulos
Carisma has absolutely fantastic Italian food with unmatched service. We were treated like family by the staff and we can’t wait to return!
Abby THOM
Excellent service and food as we celebrated a family member’s engagement.
Ivan Yushin
Nestled in an intimate space adorned with elegant design elements and verdant potted plants, including charming small olive trees, this quaint establishment exudes a refined ambiance.From the moment we stepped in, it became evident that exceptional service was the cornerstone of our dining experience—a rarity in Toronto's bustling culinary scene of recent years. Our expectations were set high, and they were met with flying colors.We commenced our culinary journey with a delightful gesture—a complimentary offering of fresh, warm bread infused with fragrant rosemary and drizzled with luscious olive oil. A promising start indeed.We informed a server that we'll share an appetizer, and opted for the Calamari Alla Griglia ($22), a dish that arrived elegantly presented on two plates (a standard practice these days that an extra plate or two are brought as well, but properly and nicely presented smaller portions were a great gesture!). The grilled calamari, cooked to perfection, boasted a tender texture, complemented exquisitely by the warmth of Moroccan black olives and the vibrant scallion tomato salsa. Each bite was a harmonious blend of flavors, with the olives providing a pleasing hint of bitterness to balance the dish.Moving on to the main course, the Filetto Di Manzo ($65) stole the spotlight—a grilled beef tenderloin adorned with a decadent foie gras torchon and drizzled with a rich Barolo wine reduction. Paired with creamy mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables, every element of this dish danced on the palate. The steak, cooked to a flawless medium-rare, melted in the mouth, while the seared foie gras added a luxurious touch with its velvety texture and subtle sweetness, perfectly offsetting the bitterness of the wine reduction. It was a culinary masterpiece, surpassing even our most recent steak experiences.The Osso Bucco Alla Milanese ($50), served with risotto, proved to be another delightful surprise. Though not our usual choice, this rendition impressed with its tender, flavorful meat and a tantalizing addition of bone marrow, expertly highlighted by a special spoon provided for maximum enjoyment.As we concluded our meal, the desserts did not disappoint. The Tiramisu and Crème Brûlée were both standout desserts, with the Tiramisu being the best in Toronto in the last five years (although, I have to admit that about a year ago tasted even a better one in Florida, and the Crème Brûlée is taking the top spot in our dessert list for the same period.In summary, this dining experience transcended mere gastronomy—it was a symphony of flavors orchestrated to perfection - in addition to its elegant ambiance - left an indelible mark on our palates and memories.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Calamari Alla Griglia, Osso Buco Alla Milanese, Dessert Sampler with the Steudel Tortino Tiramisi and Torta
Real 1
Fine dining at its finest, romantic and beautiful. If I could give 10 stars, I would. 5 Star restaraunt, all friendly, helpful, accommodating waiter staff. Our waiter, she was very nice and knew right away what we wanted to order. Order came out fresh and quick, surprisingly. Complimentary bread was soft and tart. The Spaghettini was the star of the show, with huge tiger shrimp, delicious, palatable and flavourful with Parmesan it turns it up to a whole different level of rare. The chefs here are world class, compliments to the chef. We came here for my wife’s birthday in February and we left satisfied. The wine was delightful, best, number 1. Also you can’t go here and not get the cappuccino, it was all 6 out of 5 stars. Ambience was elegant, comfortable and very classy. I would recommend this to anyone that wants to try a real 5 star restaurant. Prices are very affordable for the quality that you are getting, cheers and enjoy your day :) Top quality, fantastic, amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Raviolini Alla Salvia, Daily Creme Brulee, Risotto, Lasagna, Walnut Tart
LeeH
Wow! Highly recommend Carisma!!! We stay in Toronto often and always trying new restaurants, and Carisma is our new favourite! Food is amazing, so authentic, the service is the best, and the wines pair wonderfully!! Do not hesitate to make a reservation!!
very nice experience. it was my wife's birthday, we came with our 9 month old son they were super welcoming and very kind to our son, the service is very meticulous and very professional, the food was super good especially the homemade cheese gnocchi .a big thank you to our waitress Silva for this great experience, she was great and gave you good advice on the menu Grazie !
Louise Xia
Very family-run fine dining restaurant feel. The staff were excellent and friendly. Atmosphere was a bit loud since we came during a leafs game night so you had the front bar section playing the game. Saw quite a few tables celebrating birthdays. Ordered 2 mains, a side dish, and 2 desserts.They offered the option of having the mains split into nicely presented sharing (half) portions which was a very nice touch and felt better than reaching across the table to trade food etc. We had the spigolo which was excellent and the wild boar ragu pappardelle, as well as rapini as a side dish. There was a nice slight char to the spigolo and rapini. The wild boar did not taste gamey at all and the taste of the pasta sauce was quite strong. Portions are not super massive like some other Italian places.For dessert we had the ricotta cheesecake and tiramisu. The tiramisu had excellent balance between the cake layers and cream (not drenched in cream), and overall tasted better than the cheesecake which was closer than expected to a regular new york style cheesecake in taste and texture. The ricotta taste was very subtle and the texture was very slightly airier than a normal new york style cheesecake, but overall not differentiated enough when paired against the tiramisu.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amy Furlong
This restaurant was absolutely amazing, I’ve never been to such a nice restaurant where the food tasted so good. Let me start off by saying the food here is absolutely delicious. The Spaghettini with tiger shrimp was the best pasta I’ve ever had in my life , so tasty and filling. The service was amazing, so professional and friendly. The wine is perfect and they have a great selection on their menu, I came for lunch and was very satisfied!!!! I also tried a cappuccino from here which was perfect, I highly recommend this place to anyone!!!!
This restaurant was absolutely amazing, I've never been to such a nice restaurant where the food tasted good. Let me start off by saying the food here is absolutely delicious. The Spaghettini with tiger shrimp was the best pasta I've ever had in my life , so tasty and filling. The service was amazing, so professional and friendly. The wine is perfect and they have a great selection on their menu, I came for lunch and was very satisfied!!!! I highly recommend this place to anyone.
Muge Akyildiz
Everything was awesome ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ricotta Cheesecake
Alex P
There are MUCH better Italian restaurants in the city, skip this one. Service was beyond rude, food was flavourless, the pasta tasted frozen and microwaved (not hot at all), no salt, no garlic, no oil or pepper, definitely not fresh pasta - something you’d get on the kids menu at a chain restaurant. I’m Italian and this place is not authentic, maybe if you go to a tourist trap restaurant in Rome, but I’ve had better meals and way better espresso at gas stations in Italy, if you know you know.No clue why this place has good reviews.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
HappyDiner
Love this restaurant- service is top notch and food tasty and well presented. On this visit, the server proceeded to hover after we finished eating & it was clear he wanted us to leave, but the restaurant wasn't full (it was a weeknight), it wasn't close to closing time and we didn't linger for long after our meal was complete. It was uncomfortable to the point where we did end up asking for the bill and leaving. But I still really enjoy the restaurant & would recommend.
AbiolaA
The pasta servings will always be outstanding at Carisma...hasn't failed me yet. The meat dishes could be a little more flavourful though. Lovely ambiance too and service on a Wednesday night was fabulous, my server Louis was great!
Vibe is good. But make sure you don’t order the specials off the menu without looking at the price. Got charged $50 for burrata & $24 for a glass of cab ??
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
The service at this restaurant was subperb! The owner greeted my party at the door and we were guided by Silva through a magnificent meal selection where Silva made recommendations that complimented the previous course and proved to be a great meal. If you are in Toronto treat yourself to dinner at charisma. Tom
Atmosphere: 5
Carisma has absolutely fantastic Italian food with unmatched service. We were treated like family by the staff and we can’t wait to return!
Excellent service and food as we celebrated a family member’s engagement.
Nestled in an intimate space adorned with elegant design elements and verdant potted plants, including charming small olive trees, this quaint establishment exudes a refined ambiance.From the moment we stepped in, it became evident that exceptional service was the cornerstone of our dining experience—a rarity in Toronto's bustling culinary scene of recent years. Our expectations were set high, and they were met with flying colors.We commenced our culinary journey with a delightful gesture—a complimentary offering of fresh, warm bread infused with fragrant rosemary and drizzled with luscious olive oil. A promising start indeed.We informed a server that we'll share an appetizer, and opted for the Calamari Alla Griglia ($22), a dish that arrived elegantly presented on two plates (a standard practice these days that an extra plate or two are brought as well, but properly and nicely presented smaller portions were a great gesture!). The grilled calamari, cooked to perfection, boasted a tender texture, complemented exquisitely by the warmth of Moroccan black olives and the vibrant scallion tomato salsa. Each bite was a harmonious blend of flavors, with the olives providing a pleasing hint of bitterness to balance the dish.Moving on to the main course, the Filetto Di Manzo ($65) stole the spotlight—a grilled beef tenderloin adorned with a decadent foie gras torchon and drizzled with a rich Barolo wine reduction. Paired with creamy mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables, every element of this dish danced on the palate. The steak, cooked to a flawless medium-rare, melted in the mouth, while the seared foie gras added a luxurious touch with its velvety texture and subtle sweetness, perfectly offsetting the bitterness of the wine reduction. It was a culinary masterpiece, surpassing even our most recent steak experiences.The Osso Bucco Alla Milanese ($50), served with risotto, proved to be another delightful surprise. Though not our usual choice, this rendition impressed with its tender, flavorful meat and a tantalizing addition of bone marrow, expertly highlighted by a special spoon provided for maximum enjoyment.As we concluded our meal, the desserts did not disappoint. The Tiramisu and Crème Brûlée were both standout desserts, with the Tiramisu being the best in Toronto in the last five years (although, I have to admit that about a year ago tasted even a better one in Florida, and the Crème Brûlée is taking the top spot in our dessert list for the same period.In summary, this dining experience transcended mere gastronomy—it was a symphony of flavors orchestrated to perfection - in addition to its elegant ambiance - left an indelible mark on our palates and memories.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Calamari Alla Griglia, Osso Buco Alla Milanese, Dessert Sampler with the Steudel Tortino Tiramisi and Torta
Fine dining at its finest, romantic and beautiful. If I could give 10 stars, I would. 5 Star restaraunt, all friendly, helpful, accommodating waiter staff. Our waiter, she was very nice and knew right away what we wanted to order. Order came out fresh and quick, surprisingly. Complimentary bread was soft and tart. The Spaghettini was the star of the show, with huge tiger shrimp, delicious, palatable and flavourful with Parmesan it turns it up to a whole different level of rare. The chefs here are world class, compliments to the chef. We came here for my wife’s birthday in February and we left satisfied. The wine was delightful, best, number 1. Also you can’t go here and not get the cappuccino, it was all 6 out of 5 stars. Ambience was elegant, comfortable and very classy. I would recommend this to anyone that wants to try a real 5 star restaurant. Prices are very affordable for the quality that you are getting, cheers and enjoy your day :) Top quality, fantastic, amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Raviolini Alla Salvia, Daily Creme Brulee, Risotto, Lasagna, Walnut Tart
Wow! Highly recommend Carisma!!! We stay in Toronto often and always trying new restaurants, and Carisma is our new favourite! Food is amazing, so authentic, the service is the best, and the wines pair wonderfully!! Do not hesitate to make a reservation!!
very nice experience. it was my wife's birthday, we came with our 9 month old son they were super welcoming and very kind to our son, the service is very meticulous and very professional, the food was super good especially the homemade cheese gnocchi .a big thank you to our waitress Silva for this great experience, she was great and gave you good advice on the menu Grazie !
Very family-run fine dining restaurant feel. The staff were excellent and friendly. Atmosphere was a bit loud since we came during a leafs game night so you had the front bar section playing the game. Saw quite a few tables celebrating birthdays. Ordered 2 mains, a side dish, and 2 desserts.They offered the option of having the mains split into nicely presented sharing (half) portions which was a very nice touch and felt better than reaching across the table to trade food etc. We had the spigolo which was excellent and the wild boar ragu pappardelle, as well as rapini as a side dish. There was a nice slight char to the spigolo and rapini. The wild boar did not taste gamey at all and the taste of the pasta sauce was quite strong. Portions are not super massive like some other Italian places.For dessert we had the ricotta cheesecake and tiramisu. The tiramisu had excellent balance between the cake layers and cream (not drenched in cream), and overall tasted better than the cheesecake which was closer than expected to a regular new york style cheesecake in taste and texture. The ricotta taste was very subtle and the texture was very slightly airier than a normal new york style cheesecake, but overall not differentiated enough when paired against the tiramisu.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
This restaurant was absolutely amazing, I’ve never been to such a nice restaurant where the food tasted so good. Let me start off by saying the food here is absolutely delicious. The Spaghettini with tiger shrimp was the best pasta I’ve ever had in my life , so tasty and filling. The service was amazing, so professional and friendly. The wine is perfect and they have a great selection on their menu, I came for lunch and was very satisfied!!!! I also tried a cappuccino from here which was perfect, I highly recommend this place to anyone!!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
This restaurant was absolutely amazing, I've never been to such a nice restaurant where the food tasted good. Let me start off by saying the food here is absolutely delicious. The Spaghettini with tiger shrimp was the best pasta I've ever had in my life , so tasty and filling. The service was amazing, so professional and friendly. The wine is perfect and they have a great selection on their menu, I came for lunch and was very satisfied!!!! I highly recommend this place to anyone.
Everything was awesome ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ricotta Cheesecake
There are MUCH better Italian restaurants in the city, skip this one. Service was beyond rude, food was flavourless, the pasta tasted frozen and microwaved (not hot at all), no salt, no garlic, no oil or pepper, definitely not fresh pasta - something you’d get on the kids menu at a chain restaurant. I’m Italian and this place is not authentic, maybe if you go to a tourist trap restaurant in Rome, but I’ve had better meals and way better espresso at gas stations in Italy, if you know you know.No clue why this place has good reviews.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Love this restaurant- service is top notch and food tasty and well presented. On this visit, the server proceeded to hover after we finished eating & it was clear he wanted us to leave, but the restaurant wasn't full (it was a weeknight), it wasn't close to closing time and we didn't linger for long after our meal was complete. It was uncomfortable to the point where we did end up asking for the bill and leaving. But I still really enjoy the restaurant & would recommend.
The pasta servings will always be outstanding at Carisma...hasn't failed me yet. The meat dishes could be a little more flavourful though. Lovely ambiance too and service on a Wednesday night was fabulous, my server Louis was great!