3.5/5~ This is a nice restaurant to go to with a few friends and chat over a meal or dessert. I have been to the location in Aurora and I would say the waiters here are much more friendly and helpful. Chris was my waiter tonight. He was super nice and was helpful with the menu options.

Tonight I ordered the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich with a side of caesar salad. The pork was so delicious! The... more

Perfecto all together!! From variety of choices to service and atmosphere ... Everything is great and very reasonably priced.

we came here for mothers day. it was super busy and we have to wait around 30-45 minutes for our food to arrive. i dont blame them because of how busy it was. our breakfast was exactly the way we wanted. everything was great.

First time here and the experience wasn't too bad, we ordered a Jack Daniels Flat Iron steak with mashed potatoes, veggies. We asked for medium and it came out the cut of the steak was not good and dried and a bit overcooked. But my friend still try her best to chew on it but had to throw out some, then one of staff came and asked if everything was OK, we honestly tell him.the steak was over... more

I've been anticipating going to try this place out for the longest time and to put things simply, it was quite a disappointment..
I had high expectations for this place since I was surprised with the decor and atmosphere from the moment I walked in.
It's really unfortunate that it was this location I went to; it was evident they had a number of new hires and so they were busier than I'd usually... more

There seems to be a few Symposium Cafe locations popping up all over the GTA. Both Iriana and I came here to meet up with some of my old friends for a nice dinner night.
Firstly this location has a beauitiful patio and its in a busy location along Yonge just south of 407.

The ambience of this place is nicely layed out with a rustic European/ Mediterranean look with murals, decor, and statues.... more

A group of friends/coworkers (5 of us) and I decided to try another Symposium, as we are noticing more of these Bar/lounges are opening up everywhere now.

We visited Wed night just after 7pm to have desserts only. The restaurant was busy.. pretty much all tables full. We only found out later that there was a special for mussels on that evening.

Our server seemed grumpy and annoyed.. didn't... more

Not sure what happened

I have always said this restaurant has a good selection, so so service and good food.
This time the food was not very good.
3 of 7 did not like their meal. Mine showed up room temp. The jubalia(Spelling?) had all the restaurants salt and the streak was fat with a little steak.
I hope this isn't a sign of... more

I enjoyed it. Shared the eggs Provençal. And a yummy Cuban sandwich. Service was attentive to.

I visited Symposium last weekend as a friend wanted to check out the 2 for 1 cake promo they offer on Sundays.

it was Civic Holiday weekend and the patio was maxed out, but just under half full inside, which should have been the first warning.

Our waiter was a fellow by the name of Omar, or at least that's what the receipt stated. He was very rushed and didn't seem to know what he was doing.... more

The outdoor patio is lovely. I had pasta in a rose sauce and it was pretty good. It would have been a great evening, but for the table of 4 sitting behind us who all lit up disgusting cigars. Our server was great, but only managed to get 2 extinguished. They smoked for a good 2 hours. It's one thing to taste someone's cigarette smoke when I'm eating, it's another when it's cigar smoke. The... more

Horrible donot go

On June 26th, we went with our family of 7 people to Symposium. After sending back the same New York steak for the 3rd time, they then tried to charge us for the steak. The rest of our meals were horrible, almost inedible.
Ishmael, our manager was irate, volatile, and yelled at a table of six women because one of... more

Worst Steak ever

We ordered vegetable soup and new York steak. Both were terrible. Very poor service.Good Patio atmosphere but if you are looking for a great dinner place, stay away

Nothing great

Go for drinks. Not for food. Dessert has gone downhill also. I keep going back to try to give it another chance but keep getting more and more disappointed with the food quality. Service is good though. They can only do so much given the food quality.

Good food at a good price

Our group went for dinner on a Saturday evening. For reservations, we had to be there before 6:30 which was a good thing because later there was quite a line up.
Enjoyed the food. My husband and I shared a meal and had an appetizer first. Also got the drink special which was a good deal.
Am looking forward to... more

Ruined our celebration

We made a reservation for 9 a while ago, asking if they'd be able to accommodate us for our Mother's Day lunch. "Sure, not a problem" we were told. 9 of us arrived punctually, only to be told rudely by the manager that we would have to wait. Then he disappeared, leaving a girl on her first day standing there.... more

Charged for food not received, Horrible service, Rude manager yelled at customers

If we could give this restaurant 0 stars, we would.
Reasons:
- We waited 45 minutes for our food
- Our waiter forgot our latte and when he finally brought it, it was the wrong drink and it was lukewarm. He didn't apologize and when he brought the bill he admitted that he knew it was the wrong drink but... more

Mediocre at best

I don't quite understand why this restaurant is always so busy.
While the staff are very friendly and quite efficient, the food is totally ordinary. It is not bad food, but for the prices being charged it just doesn't make the grade. This is the second time we have eaten here and both times I felt the same way. Everything... more

First time here and I found the food and service excellent. I ordered tomato soup with grilled chicken wrap. Quite tasty!! Caters to everyone from food(salad, vegetarian, steak and chicken), drinks (alcohol and non alcoholic )coffee, tea and dessert. Arrived around 9:00 pm on Friday and it was pretty busy but we had no problem finding a seat with a party of 3. It got busy later in the evening... more

Good food, great price

I have been here several times with my son. We have taken advantage of their daily specials which can include daily specials for drinks too. Last time we were there we ordered the hamburger special as well as the beer on special and our bill for the two of us was under $30. If you take advantage of their specials... more

I gave this 1 star but only because that's the lowest Yelp lets me rate a restaurant.

We got there at 10:30 and ordered the warmed brownie and ice cream, crepe with fruits, and a cake. Our waiter comes back after 30min to tell us what we ordered wasn't available. We thought it was strange that it took them 30 minutes to realize this, meaning they haven't started on our order. Finally, at... more

Ok, so I've eaten here a few times and finally decided that their food is not that great. Its so boringly average. Their quality of meat is poor. Their gravy was lukewarm and lumpy. Their mash is mediocre. I enjoyed the salmon salad and the shrimp fusilli, but then again, those dishes don't require a high level of execution.

I do, however, like the large variety of cakes they offer here. Their... more

Went on a Saturday evening, place wasn't packed but getting there. Service was extremely slow and not due to being busy, but due to the fact the waiters were just standing around chatting. My husband and i overheard the table beside us complaining at how long it was taking. No one came over to explain. After an hour and us giving some attitude to the waiter, the condescending manager came over... more

Great local brunch

Met some friends there for brunch who had been there before. Very welcoming staff, great menu and great food. It was also very busy as we were there for Sunday brunch. Tried calling ahead to make a reservation and no one answered on many attempts. We never felt rushed even though there was a constant line-up at the door. I... more

very pleased

went in for dinner with a buddy. we came across symposium by happenstance, and decided to give it a try.
we were seated immediately - the restaurant was not overly busy - apparently fairly recently opened. we were asked if we wanted to sit on the patio - but it's bee season - they're aggressive at this time of year,... more

Nice Place, Great Menu and Staff

One reason I have wanted to wirte a review for Symposium is the service. I just find the staff to always be so friendly and welcome and as someone who has worked for many years in customer service I really appreciate good customer service.
I LOVE that I can get a grilled cheese at lunch!
I only wish it was... more

Absolutely amazing. Had such a great time there and food was great as always.

The atmosphere was very lounge like and cozy. The decor was antique and brings it back to the 80s lounge/pub style.

I went with my girlfriend twice for our mini catch up date and the waiters and waitresses were super friendly. I ordered the bennie both times and absolutely loved it. I don't quite like the fried... more

I wanted to like this place. I really did.

I went with a group of 13 and we were quickly seated on a busy night.

My friends had the deserts while I had a main since I was starving.

I had the Pesto Salmon which was unimpressive. I barely tasted the pesto and the salmon left a lot to be desired. I was also disappointed as the menu indicated rice as a side and I got fries instead. I would have... more

Great place for breakfast or brunch

This is a realatively new restaurant. It seems to be a local affair but then I am a local! Took my neighbours our for a very belated birthday brunch. We all had a variation of eggs benedict and omlettes. Food was good. Price very fair. Typical egg, sausage, bacon ,hash browns toast. The decor is very nice on the inside.... more

Ok

Been there one time....not sure of a return. Had a burger and was disappointed although others in my party didnt find it too bad.

Nice place unless you want to eat food or have your time respected

Myself and my girlfriend have been to the Thornhill location 3 times over the last 6 months. We must be glutton for punishment as that is 2 times too many. On the first occasion we were impressed with the décor and the menu, the food wasn't bad and the service was ok. On the second occasion my girlfriend found her... more

Price is Good, Decoration is nice

Based on the reviews of other members, I tried it and it is good. Their all day breakfast runs till 4:00p.m. and they have special everyday. Today's special is called "day night" which you can order it all day. $40 for two from appetizer, main to coffee/tea and desserts. It is a deal. Since I am not that hungry, I... more

I visited the place for a small lunch with a friend. The decor and interior look very nice indeed. Comfortable seating is ample.

I ordered the steak house salad. The steak was perfect. Not too raw but not overlooked and was very tender.

My friend got the chicken Parmesan pasta. Huge portion and taste was descent.

Service was pretty good, but I ordered coffee after food and it was kind of... more

Yummy food

Juice and cappuccino, two steaks. That was our order. We enjoyed the food, the steaks were done properly, my meal (Jack Daniel's flat iron steak) was absolutely fantastic. The cook (or perhaps the manager?) and also the waitress kept checking our satisfaction after our meal was served. One more important thing- THEY HAVE A GLUTEN FREE MENU!! this is totally... more

great family dining

its hard to believe this place used to be a run down LIcks, Kenny rogers and prior to that, a McDonalds,. Fantastic job on the renovations!!! nice ambience, comfortable seating. AMAZING DESSERTS!!! (2 FOR 1 desserts on sun night). Great hamburgers too, ($3.75 on mon nights). Only complaint is it can get busy, and not the best French onion soup.... more

Surprise very good food

Good burger....good souvlaki......good fish.
Very flexible restaurant. The food is very tasty.
You will be pleasantly surprised. If it's Friday or Saturday you might want to make a reservation.
People are starting to find out about this restaurant.
Only negative: service can be very slooowww at times.

Great Family Spot

Good prices, great menu but arrive early because this place is busy.
I really enjoyed the Blackened Basa while my wife had the chicken kabob. Both were well portioned eliminating any need for appetizers.

I finally decided to try this place after reading the reviews about their cakes. We came here for dinner on a Sunday night and had to wait about 20 mins even though there were free tables. We sat at the bar to wait for a table and the bartender was nice enough to offer us some drinks while we waited.
Once we were seated, our server was prompt to order. We ordered a chicken parmesean sandwich... more

Never ever going back

What a huge disappointment! We have been going to Symposium since it opened. It has been going downhill fast and now is terrible. The food is inconsistent and the service is not great. The bruschetta used to have lots of cheese on top and now it's barely a drizzle. You can get the same thing two days in a row... more

Great deal & good service

Came here with a friend for an early dinner. There is a very good special dinner deal of $13.75 if you order between 4 and 5:30pm. There are many choices of the main dish, including chicken, pork, beef and fish, including in this deal is regular coffee/tea and apple crisp with ice cream.
Even though it is a special deal,... more

Yummy

Took a friend for her birthday and we both had eggs Benedict on crab cakes - yummy, yummy. The waitress was lovely and very cheerful. The atmosphere is very comfortable and the menu is extensive. A perfect spot for coffe and cake after a movie or dinner before!

I originally wanted to come here for desserts but ended up having dinner with friends (and never ended up grabbing desserts because I was so full) and glad I did!

Coming into the restaurant, it smelled so wonderful as the whole place was filled with the scent of waffles and crepes. The menu offered a variety of salads, appetizers, entrees, desserts, drinks and more. We had a tough time... more

Good food and service

The Symposium Cafe in Thornhill is part of a chain of these restaurants in the area. It is in an old Lick's and McDonalds location south of Hwy 7 on Yonge Street. They have specials for each day of the week that are interesting and a good deal. The menu is also quite varied and every dish we saw had... more

THE. WORSE. EXPERIENCE.

EVER.

I arrived with three of my friends and we waited to be seated. This process took maybe 5 minutes which was fine i suppose. During that time, a couple walked into the door. The manager knew the couple, and proceeded to greet them first and shake hands with them. The man asked him if they could have the booth seat, which I overheard. I interjected and stated that... more

Back here for their $4 Martinis on Wednesday!

Love the experience this time as I sat with my friends at the bar and of course we have good services as the bartender made sure we have all the drinks we need tonight and more... I ended up having 4 martinis including one off the menu and my favourite for the night is the Almond Pleasure, just love those dark chocolate chips in the drink!
... more

Service was exceptional. The host, and waitress were extremely attentive and friendly. I had the white chocolate cinnamon French toast and it was delicious! The mimosa I had was so-so, but not bad. Prices were good and portion siZes were great! Will definitely be coming back.

Good food, service needs a bit of work

went here with a friend for a Sunday lunch.
They were slammed and we stood at the door waiting to be acknowledged. I went up to them and told them the number in our party.
We could see a couple of empty tables but it took them a bit of time to figure out where they wanted to put us.... more

It is good and it can be great

Symposium is a good restaurant that has the potential to be great. The food is good. There is a big selection so even with a big party everybody could find something they like to eat. Do NOT make any special requests as they can't handle them. They make mistakes on every order but they try very hard to fix it... more

Very Disappointing

My wife and I visited this restaurant on January 1 for lunch on the recommendation of a friend. What a disappointment! We both ordered breakfast dishes - eggs benedict and a brie cheese omelette. The service was very slow. The waiter frowned when we did not order drinks. The toast was burned. I ate two slices and left the other... more

Great

We were with friends from Guelph and decided to meet a the Symposium, having never been before. We were really impressed by the menu, food, service and our waiter, Kevin. We are looking forward to going again as even the breakfast menu was appealling.

What Thornhill Needs

After two visits to Symposium, we are certain to return. Our first visit was for Sunday brunch. The service was friendly and helpful. Lots of menu choices and we decided on the omlettes. We were not disappointed. They were tender with lots of promised filling. The portions were generous indeed. We decided to return for their "Date Night". This is... more

Needs Work

The service is very good, but there were two issues. A medium-well done steak should not be bleeding, and the coffee cup should have been clean. Once these items were pointed out to them, they were quickly corrected, and they did pay for our desert, by way of apology.
The potatoes and vegetables were excellent. The atmosphere is lively, and... more

Amazing

I went to Symposium Cafe in Thornhill with some girlfriends and we indulged in delicious brunch options, desserts, and their AMAZING Coconut Mango Mojito!!! The service was impeccable and we will definitely be going back. This is a great date spot as the interior and ambiance is very comfortable with a hint of romance. Definitely recommend this spot!!!

SIMILAR PRICING TO BIG CHAIN FAMILY RESTAURANTS BUT MUCH BETTER SERVICE AND FOOD
Our kids always like to go to big chain family restaurants for the kiddie menus - e.g. Swiss Chalet, Lone Star Cafe, Montana, etc. For the adults, it usually is a disappointment. However, at Symposium, at similar pricing, the adult dishes were much better quality, the servers were very attentive and atmosphere... more

A visit to the New Symposium Cafe

We visited the new Symposium Cafe on Yonge Street North, Richmond Hill. The Acoustics are very bad and the music playing was deafening. We asked to be seated in a corner and they were very helpful, after a short wait, they accommodated us. They did turn the radio down, only to raise it up higher during our dinner. The waitress... more

I have long been a fan of Symposium Cafe ever since I first visited the London, Ontario location and after that I was a regular at the Mississauga location. But, last night, I visited the Thornhill location for the second time since it opened up with my wife and ordered the chicken tenders, cake for dessert and coffee.

I was very disappointed when I had the chicken tenders as I have never ate... more

It is an ok restaurant.

Service was very friendly and attentive, but I would say too attentive. Our waitress came to our table to check if everything's ok almost every 10 minutes during the first 30 minutes.

The food we ordered were so so. My bf ordered a burger but he could tell right away it was frozen burger meat. I ordered a fish & chips. The fish was ok but the fries did really... more

The spot is like R.Kelly's remix to ignition because it's "hot and fresh out the kitchen" - because it just opened Yesterday (how's that for a fresh FTR). I've been a fan of the symposium brand (yes yes yes I know it's a chain), since my years as a student in Waterloo when taking a girl you met at the bar a week earlier meant that things were "getting serious". Enough about my lusty days as a... more