Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar

Maybe I’m alone in that I disliked everything I ate here. Well the dessert was good but how can you mess dessert up? I mean the simple dips with bread obviously were good but the cheese plate.bleh. I’m not a fan of cheese and I decided to try a few and each one of them tasted like a different foot.
It was ridiculously busy and we didn’t have a reservation so we sat at the counter which was nice because you got to see all the food being prepared but we were in a group of 7 and it made it hard to communicate back and forth.
I honestly have to say that I would probably not come back here. It’s not really my scene and I’m not a huge winey so obviously going back to a wine bar isn’t at the top of my list. I did however enjoy myself but I think that had more to do with the company than the actual experience that I had with the restaurant.

I hear that Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar is losing the Jamie Kennedy, and will be rebranded uniquely as The Wine Bar. So that leaves me unsure of who to thank for the fabulous tapas style dinner, and wine pairings that were perfectly complimentary. I guess I’ll thank myself for finding it– enjoy!

Dude, I went to Toronto for a weekend like a month ago and I was all Unilocaled out but I’m back. So, went here and I LOVED it. I mean its expensive but that aside everyone was so nice and professional minus this one waitress who looked like just out of place. The food was awesome — the salad– I was trying to be healthy and it was delicious but it was like $ 8 – 10 and it was like a piece of lettuce. But anyway, I loved it and if I come back to Toronto I’ll def stop by and say whatsup.

We love JK Wine Bar. There is a strong focus on local food and wine. The food is tasty. We prefer to eat a variety of smaller dishes rather than 1 big meal so this is perfect for us.

It’s sad, but JK seems to have gone down the tubes. I used to like this place… a lot… then there was my birthday dinner a few weeks ago. Apparently Jamie is selling the place so that may have something to do with it.
Between the 7 – 8 tapas we shared at the table I can honestly say 1 was really good and 1 was ok, the rest were just bad.
The second star is just simply for the hope that they had a bad night and it’s not really dead. I may go back and test that theory out, but I’m not quite sure I will.

Ohhhh, the poutine. Beer braised beef over the most perfect salty fries with heavenly cheese. Ohhhhh, the summer sausage. Not on the menu, but served up Just For Special Me by the chef at the chef’s bar. Ohhh, JK serving me up a mushroom fritter.
Relatively «simple» food but all freshy and all about the prep. Fun wine list – with pours at the ½ glass and glass if you want to try a lot.
Heart! Smooches!

Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar was a great experience. I loved the the atmosphere and concept of it. I sat at the chef’s table along the kitchen
A salad of local greens was good, very fresh and well seasoned. The french fries were excellent, cooked per order with just the right amount of salt. The chorizo and kale soup was very good. The kale was pureed and pieces of chorizo were suspended within. We were given complimentary beer battered scallops and a desert. The scallops were very good but all I got was the taste of beer batter. The desert was the most memorable part of the meal.
I would visit Toronto just to eat here again.

I wish I had been hungrier when I stopped in here for a glass of wine because everything I had was excellent. The wines were fantastic; if you’re looking to sample several, they offer a 3-​ounce pour for half the price of a full glass; I sampled many. The cheese plate I ordered was equally fantastic; generous portions of all-​Canadian cheeses, ranging from cheddar to goat’s milk to blue, served with green apple slices, roasted walnuts, honey, and dried apricots. Nice looking place; elegant but not pretentious, would make a great date. I recommend sitting at the bar as it was fun to watch the preparation and the servers were all friendly and knowledgeable. The presentation was great, the service was outstanding and they really know about what they are serving. The prices are very reasonable considering the quality. It takes a lot to impress me, Unilocalers, but this was, as we say, woohoo, as good as it gets.

I went in a very large group. There was 8 of us. I know, it sounds ridiculous to bring that many people to a busy place that doesn’t take dinner reservations but we lucked out and managed to score seats at the chef’s bar. Watching the chef’s prepare your food was a great experience. The ingredients are all very fresh and everything is made to order. We got a few bottles of wine and they all paired nicely with what we were eating. I’ve never had wine with fries before but it was good. The chef’s were very nice and happy to answer all of our questions.
The large tapas are great for sharing. Cheese plates pair very well. Looking at the menu there isn’t anything spectacular. Nothing that screams «Must try!» but you pick a bunch and share them anyway. The pairings are not your traditional pairings as they consist of pulled pork and fries but they all went well with wine. As mentioned before the ingredients are very fresh but I’m unsure about whether the prices are worth it.
The ambiance is what makes this place cool. Yeah, the food is good but it isn’t anything spectacular and the wines are good albeit pricey. The ambiance makes this place. Sitting at the bar you feel the buzz of the kitchen. The loud dining area ads to the sounds of searing and frying. Music is playing in the background but is indistinguishable. Neighboring patrons at the bar feel friendly. Waitstaff is there to cater to every need. Wine. It’s a very enjoyable night out if you are lucky enough to grab a seat.
Décor is nice. Very simple. Almost minimalistic. Lots of wine bottles along the walls, exposed brick, open kitchen, stainless steel vent hoods, clean light wood, exposed brick and a well lit eating area. Technically speaking there isn’t a coat check. The hostess will happily take your coat and hang it on the hangers right by the entrance but its open to the public and you can do it yourself or someone else can take your jacket if they really wanted.
Overall, this place would make a great date restaurant. The setting is simple but intimate. Wines and food are a little on the pricey side for what you get but the ambiance makes up for it. Try to grab a seat at the bar because that’s where the excitement is.

I like the atmosphere, but the food and wine just didn’t cut it for the price or the long wait for seats. Nothing was bad, but nothing was great or memorable either.

Incense served with flatbread… methinks that’s a tad invasive when it wafts in from a neighboring table. And for the gluten intolerant, FENNEL replaced the flatbread. FENNEL? Would I like some lunch with my licorice? I’ll pass.
Very friendly service. My pork stew with chocolate was a 7/​10, but I was expecting more of a mole (as in MO-​lei) flavor. Had I not been there for a polite work lunch, I might have splurged on the poutine. The beet salad at a neighboring table looked delightful.
I’ll definitely go back with friends to try more. The concept of «large tapas» plates was cool.

Great place with quality food. When you get there you sort of feel like you could have picked a cheaper place, but when you taste the food you’ll realize that the ingredients are top notch, the service is excellent. I highly reccomend you sit at the chef’s bar and watch them prepare. all the chef’s are so nice and it’s such a nice atmosphere to start a friendly conversation.
Small groups only– really, you don’t want to go with more than 2 – 3 people. Great date spot.

My second time to the JK wine bar. This time, we sat at the bar. Enjoyed the buzz, ambiance. Service at bar was great. The food is always delicious and unique. I especially loved the FRIES and the artisan cheeses. Not everything is shareable as is claimed by the restaurant. For instance we ordered lamb chops that were nearly impossible to eat (delicious, but weird to cut up as it was mainly bone). But Jamie replaced it right away with another menu item without hassle. Wines are good (not out of this world as the advertise) and expensive. It is a nice casual, yet noisy place. Food outstanding and earns the reputation of the restaurant.

I haven’t been to the JK Wine Bar in about a year, but it’s one of my favourite places in Toronto! Of all the chefs in this city that I’ve interviewed /​met with, Jamie is one of the most friendly, approachable, and impressive! The Wine Bar experience is worth the price. An ideal place to go on a date — I recommend sitting at the bar and watching the mouth-​watering food being prepared. There is really nothing like it! After a few glasses of wine (or bottles) you won’t even notice the price on the bill anyway. Cheers!

I came to this restaurant on a date when it first opened and I LOVED IT! Every aspect of it is wonderful — from the amazing wine list to the concept of the open kitchen. The food is excellent with unique combinations and delicious, mouth watering presentations. Only the best ingredients are used here and it shows!
Can’t wait to go back again!

For some reason, whenever I suggest going to JKWB, people wooo over the price. Most of these people have never been and suggest some chain or franchise instead. This is my rebuttal:
«OK, just because you think of it as local-​schmocal, fancy-​schmancy stuff doesn’t mean it’s expensive [wait for it…], a meal and drinks at JK ends up costing the same amount as X-​chain.»
«How?!»
After doing the calculations for them, it seems that local-​schmocal, fancy-​schmancy ain’t such a bad idea and viola! I’ve converted another group. Don’t get me wrong — it’s no bargain. But compared to say, somewhere like Moxie’s or Milestones, it’s the same money for better value. Quality.
–1 star for being an obvious, albeit carbon-​free, copy of «california cuisine»

ive been here twice and each time enjoyed the food immensely. the way it works is tapas style, so its best to go with a bunch of folks of like-​minded eating styles, and in so doing, you will be able to nibble away on pork bellies, organic fries poutine with chorizo, duck confit, and so on. their menu changes often and always uses fresh ontario foods.
the atmosphere is fairly casual, in that, youll not be afraid to howl out some ooohs and ahhhs at the great food. you can continue that banter with the sommelier that is very very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful in finding a wine that is right for you even if you can only minimally describe what it is that you enjoy. you can tell that he loves his job. but wine more than that. hes a wine nerd.
depending on the number of folks you are eating with, you might have to order two or a particular dish depending on how much you like it, as sharing only goes so far. vegetarians, however will have, depending on the day far less from which to choose, but you can always double up on a dish if its to your liking.

I live in the neighbourhood so I have been to JKWB maybe 4 times or so. If you aren’t trying to stuff yourself you can sample a few dishes and have a couple of glasses of wine for $ 50/​person, which is quite reasonable considering the quality of the food. I have never eaten on the restaurant side, so I can’t comment on what other reviewers say, but I found the food to always have clean flavours, quality ingredients, straight-​forward cooking which is the type I like. The salads and seafoods are always good. Some items like grilled marinated short rib are not better than the galbi you grill yourself at a Korean BBQ; of course it is decent but there are many more unique things you can eat instead of that. Of course every time we go we forget and order it again («hey, short ribs sound good!»).
Wines are the same price (per oz) whether you get half glass or full glass so that encourages you to order lots of small glasses and sample the menu, which is good (depending on how you look at it). Some other reviewers have complained about poor service; I have never experienced this, but then again we always sit at the bar. Food can sometimes take a while to come out and comes in random sequence; i.e. the chef will try to prepare several of the same orders together so your order might have to wait a bit to get started. But if time is not an issue, if you just want to relax and talk and sample some food and wine there is no better place in TO, well except maybe Torito.

After years away, I was eager to try Jamie Kennedy again. I have fond memories of his interesting wine pairings (not that I really understood or appreciated it at the time considering that my tastes leaned towards dep wine) but having grown more into adulthood, I figured it was worth it to go again.
The food here was delicious. I generally have a small stomach to begin with so the portion size suited me just fine (although my dining companion whinged a bit about what he called «Lilliputian appropriate portions»).
Everything was meat oriented so I was relegated to poutine (divine even though I felt like I had a rock in my stomach afterwards) and various dips. Really, I was just after the wine. Overall, though, a lovely experience.

Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar (JKWB) is AWESOME.
some pre-​knowledge for some of us who are non-​canucks: Jamie Kennedy is apparently a bit of a celebrity chef… not TV celebrity, but Canadian chef celeb. He has two places, this was his original.
The wine bar is meant to be more casual, yet it’s still pretty upscale. The menu isn’t exactly tapas, but many items were very shareable intentionally (portions were pretty large). It’s my understanding that attached is a restaurant with a more extravagant and even more upscale menu, though I *think* the entrance/​storefront are the same and it fits under the same name of the wine bar?
The space is clean and modern, but not stuffy… «smart casual» type atmosphere… The outside block is very unassuming… One of those places you’ll walk by twice before going back to re-​read the street numbers to figure out which storefront it’s in.
Inside it was bustling with people having long late lunches… We were given a choice of where to sit… two bars… a regular wine bar then … what’s this? a chef’s bar? without hesitation that’s where i wanted to sit…
…the menu was about two pages but had a lot of choices… Not expensive at all. a lot of locally grown sustainable type food.
Given we ended up here for the gourmet poutine (which apparently changes often, perhaps even daily), we had to try that… Today it was a poutine with a braised beef on top (and there was actually some sort of other sauce too but I can’t recall). It was amazing… The braised beef was wonderful and flavorful. It was obviously not the hormone induced beef found elsewhere, it actually tasted gamey but in a wonderful sort of way… and even without the gourmet spin on it, I think served as a regular poutine it would’ve been the best I’ve had.
For entrees… I had a duck confit with a sweet potato purée. Brian had a grilled octopus, which was perfectly cooked… Served with spanish chorizo and some vegetable i don’t recall
For dessert we shared a chewy macadamia nut brownie… which was good of course.
All in all it was one of the better meals I’ve had anywhere … I’ll say that again… anywhere!
Sitting at the chef’s bar (or whatever they call it) was a totally great experience. The place was busy but not so busy you couldn’t chat it up with the sous chef (shown in the picture). The exec chef Tobey Nemeth was also in the kitchen… We were a little later in the afternoon so we took advantage of the situation and picked his mind of where to eat, etc… He also was trying out a new recipe and told us what he was doing, what was in it, etc. (a vinaigrette made of sherry vinegar, caramelized garlic… poured over roasted fennel and garlic chives… or something close to that. :) he let us sample some… simple, but good) …
The wine menu offered 3 oz. 6 oz. 500 ml or 750 ml on all wines and the prices were very reasonable, even on the ½ glasses… (actually, some of the ½ glasses were slightly cheaper than full glasses in a few cases? can anyone explain this? We went to a number of places where when you did the math out, the smaller quantity worked out to be slightly cheaper than the larger???). The ½ glasses were basically what many restaurants would consider a full glass anyway, and were perfect for the food portion sizes. The wine menu changes often apparently… Among the choices and recommendations were Peninsula Ridge, a winery and praised restaurant a local chef friend of mine once was the sous chef at.
Our bill for a 2 – 3 hour lunch came out to be about $ 130. (most of the entrée items were $ 10 – 13 CAD –which was on par w/​the USD at the time – so it felt like a good deal for what it was).
JKWB is not to be missed when in Toronto!