Grasshopper Restaurant

The first couple of times I ate here, it was amazing. But I’ve had a couple of less-​than-​stellar experiences since then. So I’ve concluded that some dishes are great and some not so much. For example, definitely go for the «chicken» nuggets appetizer or the tempeh sloppy joe if they catch your eye, but don’t bother with the mac and cheese. Also the sesame fries are touch-​and-​go; first time I was there they were great, but the last time they were pretty average.
Basically, it’s still a good place for vegans to come for a bit more variety on the menu– but if you order something you like the first time, stick with it if you go again :)

this is my first ever review and ive had the Unilocal app for months so you can already tell how good this place was!
we started off with the kale chips. which were amazing! theyre thin, deep-​fried pieces of kale. the first bite has an average taste until the aftertaste kicks in which is full of flavour!
following i had the chick-​un nuggets which were the BEST nuggets ive ever had, they mock chicken taste better than real chicken! I had the chipotle BBQ sauce on the side which added a unique flavour to the nuggets. a little more on the spicy side but they were incredibly delectable!
my boyfriend and I got our main courses which were the mac and cheese and the banh-​mi pulled pork sandwich. the mac and cheese was super good. usually im not a fan of vegan cheese because of its richness but it was balanced perfectly! the banh-​mi pulled pork sandwich was FULL of flavour and had a unique taste of sweet and salty!
for desert we had the blueberry cheesecake and it was one of the best cheesecakes ive ever had. it was super soft and creamy and rich!
will DEFINITELY be coming back again, MUST be adding on top of this review im not even vegan and found this food delightful, everything was arranged beautifully, service was nice and friendly and most importantly fast. it closed at 10 but didnt try and rush us out! Must-​try place!

This is a small but busy place. On Sat the service was a bit slow as they had just two servers. Recommend reservations.
The décor is eclectic and dimly lit. We found the place drafty.
We had the «Chick-​Un» burger, the mushroom rice bowl and the mac & cheese. The food was unbelievable! Esp the chicken nuggets.
Parking is tight around this space.

Went here around December and I really enjoyed the food! I am not a vegan or vegetarian but I still enjoyed it very much.
The place is quite small, very dim so it was hard to see and it was empty when we went. But the interior was nice — it was simple and chic, and had a rustic feel to it.
I had the «Chick-​un» Banh mi (or whatever) and it actually TASTES LIKE REAL CHICKEN! Its softer and not as crunchy as a regular chicken filet but it still tastes good. My friend, who is vegetarian, had the pulled pork sandwich and she really enjoyed it as well! I was surprised that it wasn’t real meat.
I am definitely coming back! Maybe earlier so that there’s more light and everything would be easier to see aha

Very yummy vegan cuisine. Had the chicken fingers (soooo good!), spicy black bean burger and salad. Love it!

Grasshopper does vegetarian/​vegan comfort food. We ordered a chick-​un banh mi, «pulled pork» bahn mi, and the burger platter (with a classic beefy patty). When the food arrived, I was amazed at how similar the «meats» looked like the real thing, especially the pulled pork. The pulled pork, was tossed in a very delicious bbq sauce. Texture wise, it was a bit chewy, not so melt in your mouth or tender as like the real thing. But texture of ‘fake meat’ can never be exactly like real meat anyways. Never expect the texture to be the same, or else you will just be disappointed! My chick-​un I really enjoyed. Crispy crunchy on the outside, and firm on the inside, almost like the texture of chicken breast, almost. I think the most disappointing one out of the bunch was the burger with the classic beef patty. I’ve never really enjoyed vegetarian burgers. Just never had a good one where the patty was supposed to mimic real meat. I do enjoy the patties that are made from beans or grains though. The hubby also mentioned that his burger was doused too heavily with bbq sauce.
Each of our dishes came with either a spring salad, kale salad or sesame fries. I chose the kale salad, which was kale chopped down, and tossed in a gingery lemony dressing. The sesame fries were French fries tossed with ground up sesame seeds. Very delicious, gave the fries a very nice flavour.

VeganBFF and I came here for catch-​up lunch. Place was mad slammed. And one poor server to deal with everyone — they need at least 2 – 3 servers for the lunch time rush. Was a bit confused about how dine-​in works. You sit down, she takes your orders, you pay at the cash.
1000% recommend the pulled pork banh mi, tasted better than the real thing. Perfect bun, fillings, and side (I got a salad). My girl got the portobello burger which was huge and delicious. Only piece of advice: they could cut down on the garlic in the mac ‘n cheese — it was hella overpowering.
If they expanded their space by like 200%, I would come here more often as I wouldn’t feel so crammed. And they need more servers so I don’t feel guilty for making requests of the girl on shift.

It’s NOT a hole in the wall and not really anything special.
The alternative meat options are, for the most part, soy-​based (which in that case, I’ll just buy and make at home).
I got the chili with a chorizo bun for 7 dollars. The bun was about 5cmx5cm and extremely touch. The bowl of soup was very small and nothing special (just tomato sauce, corn, and beans). To be honest, for something so basic, I expected cheaper prices.
Shared the mac and cheese with a friend. The «side of kale chips» is arguably the size of 1 piece of kale. The portion was that small.
Customer service was great, but kind of expected since the restaurant could barely hold 30 people at a time.

I really really like this spot.
The area does not have a lot of options for light eating (e.g. lunch) and this is a welcome welcome addition. The salads are reasonably priced (for the area) and delicious. Definitely beats Fresh. The staff is always cheerful and helpful.
If you want a specific recommendation, I’ll say the Spring («Haru») Salad. Haven’t been there for dinner nor tried the drinks.
Keep up the good work.

Service food and atmosphere was spot on! Great place to go and chill alone or with a group! Had some chili to start, was delicious! And then a burger to follow with a salad, and lettuce buns instead of actual bread buns! Everything was super tasty, the homemade vegan sauce option with the burger I would recommend, and salad dressing so yummy! Wish my tummy was bottomless so I coulda had desert too!

Ordered the chick-​un nuggets, haru salad with the recommended plum dressing, quinoa mac n cheese, and the pulled pork bahn mi with a side of fries.
Only items I really enjoyed were the bahn mi and the fries (which I dipped into the creamy bbq sauce that came with our chick-​un nuggets). I want to buy a jar of that bbq sauce, it’s so good! The «pulled pork» in the bahn mi was delicious, and was right on for texture and flavours.
I didn’t like the mac n cheese at all (tasted bitter and didn’t have a very thick consistency). The chick-​un nuggets weren’t chewy enough for my liking. The haru salad was quite ordinary as was the plum sauce dressing.
If I come back here, I’m def sticking to the bahn mis.

This is the second time I’ve come to Grasshopper and it’s so good!
The first time I came I ordered the chick-​un bahn mi and it was delicious. This time I ordered the pulled pork bahn mi and it was even better! I was so surprised by the «meat» since it looks and feels like real meat. Also make sure to try the salad as a side! The dressing is amazing and it’s so good!
This is definitely now one of my favourite restaurants.

As a vegan new to Toronto, I have generated a rather large list of cafes and restaurants to check out. So far, Grasshopper has been a clear standout.
My boyfriend and I stopped by tonight (he is non-​vegan) and we both thoroughly enjoyed our meals. I had the pulled pork banh mi and he had the black bean burger, we also shared the rice puffs for a starter.
The rice puffs were cooked to perfection, and the house hot sauce was fantastic. The mains were also great, my sandwich was cooked just right, and the addition of the sesame oil to the fries was a real winner.
To top everything off, our whole meal (drinks included) only came to $ 40– my boyfriend was shocked to say the least. We will definitely be back!

Really a 2.5 but Unilocal doesn’t do half stars!
Pretty mediocre vegan fare. We started with the Chick-​un nuggets with the peanut dip. The nuggets were good. But the sauce was literally just peanut butter. It was so thick and was actually a spread, not a dip.
I had the mac n cheese with side kale chips. Just ok, not terrible. I make a better version at home and I dont rely on daiya cheese. And they really skimp on the side of kale chips. Three small fragments of kale, hardly worth it, also way too salty.
Dinner date that the burger platter and it was just a standard frozen veg patty that you can get a the grocery store with fries. Just ok, not terrible.
Maybe their bowls are better. Meh. I’ve experienced better for sure.

The Chick-​un nuggets, and «Pulled Pork» sandwich were incredible. I am 100% in love with the creative seasoning and generous portion sizing; the house dressing was also mouth watering; the first fully vegan meal I have had in years, and I am sold.
Will be recommending and returning in the future.

This is a very cute and small restaurant near Kensington market. When we got there, it was still closed even though it was a half hour past opening. Apparently, the server was running late, which I found quite amusing. (It was a beautiful day, so I didn’t blame him!)
I got the portobello burger on a bun with kale salad (generously portioned, unlike some Thumbelina-​sized kale-​slaw you might find at Fresh). I’m used to eating pretty healthy food, so it was a surprise to find a deep-​fried burger placed before me. Since the menu brims with comfort food, I shouldn’t have been surprised, but it would have been helpful to state «deep-​fried» in the description. Nevertheless, I ate the entire thing and now never have to wonder what a deep-​fried porto tastes like.
At Grasshopper, you get decent, vegetarian comfort food at a reasonable price, which is a lot more than you can say about some other vegetarian restaurants in the city.

I am not a vegetarian restaurant and I really liked this place. The «meat» was better than passable — it was delicious. But let start from the start.
This is a small place so I called to make a reservation. The staff were great, setting out a little «reserved» sign for the table with water and cutlery ready to go. It’s a little thing that brought a smile to my face.
My friends and I ordered a chick-​un nugget appetizer, which came with a choice of bbq or peanut sauce. We took the peanut sauce which tasted similar to peanut flavoured fresh roll sauce if you are familiar. The chick-​un was great. Not like real chicken but nevertheless tasty with a strong meaty texture.
For mains I had the «pulled pork» bahn mi and jake salad. First thing to know is that in this case the pulled pork actually tasted like pulled pork! Now this may be a function of the nature and flavour of pulled pork being inconsistent across different restaurants, but still, impressive. It was not the most delicious sandwich in the city and I don’t want to give a «well it gets points for trying» type of review because that wouldn’t do the owners and chefs credits; rather I will simply say that it is on par with many of the other pulled pork sandwiches I’ve had in Toronto. The kale salad was a bit like kale coleslaw with dressing on the side. Pretty tasty too. I tried some of my friends sesame fries (fries cooked in sesame oil) and may have to get those next time — just terrific.
Overall this was a really pleasant eating experience for any kind of restaurant. As a non vegetarian I would go back. If you are a vegetarian I seriously re conned you try it.

This was my first vegan restaurant and let me say that i was suprised how delicious it was.
I ordered the «pulled pork» banh mi sandwich with kale salad and it was savoury and tasty!
The restaurant wasnt very busy on a Friday afternoon but service was still great.
Would definitely come back again to try their quinoa mac n’cheese.

I love this place and their happy hour!
The staff is really welcoming and sweet. The girl at the front with blind and black hair was extremely kind. I had the power kale and cabbage salad which was great. Adding the fried gobo root chunks is a must.
Also, happy hour is pretty awesome, and the signature cocktails are pretty rad. Grasshopper kind of tastes like mint ice cream.
For dessert try the raspberry sorbet. :)
Oh and the bathrooms are pretty cool too.

Love this place.
Food here is original and delicious. You can have great salad with a Japanese flare, a burger, a soup, sandwiches. They make fresh juices, desserts, serve beer.
Service is attentive and quick. Also not pushy.
Has the vibe of a vegetarian pop-​up. But with solid wood décor, thoughtful lighting, delicious food. I’m surprised to see its current Unilocal rating!