Mother Tongue - Toronto

“We celebrated a birthday at Mother Tongue and had an absolutely fantastic experience from start to finish. The food was exceptional, the cocktails were creative and delicious, and every dish that came to the table was beautifully prepared and full of flavor. What really stood out, though, was the service and hospitality. We were a fairly large group, and the team made the entire evening feel seamless, accommodating, and stress-free. A special thank you to Santiago, who went above and beyond to ensure everything ran smoothly. His attention to detail, professionalism, and genuine care for our group made the celebration feel effortless and memorable. It’s not always easy finding a restaurant that can handle a larger party while still making everyone feel taken care of, but Mother Tongue exceeded expectations. We left impressed not only by the food and drinks but by the overall experience. Highly recommend, and we’d return in a heartbeat.”

“Came here with some friends last month and had such a great time! The space is very open with lots of room, a super unique design, and a chill yet pretty vibe. Unfortunately, I forgot the exact names of the dishes we ordered, but we started with duck fillings dumplings, then had ribs, fried shrimp, and three bowls of plain jasmine rice. The dishes looked a bit pricey at first, but since there were three of us and we split everything, the price was actually very reasonable and we were all decent full afterward. The food was delicious overall. The shrimp and ribs paired especially well with the rice. On their own, they were slightly salty, but eaten together, the balance was perfect!I’d definitely come back to try more dishes. Their desserts also looked amazing. This place is perfect for dates, business meetings, or just hanging out. It has a cool mix of a stylish bar and a fancy restaurant vibe.”

“A spectacular experience from the moment we walked in, both the welcome we received and the beauty of the front bar. Winter’s knowledge and warmth made our experience fun and special. Chef Bermejo’s food will take you on an epic culinary experience that you never saw coming. The cocktails use elaborate ingredients made in house that will leave you wanting more! Highly recommend”

“I kept seeing this restaurant pop up during my Google searches and finally decided to try it. First impressions were great—the ambiance was warm, elegant, and perfect for a winter night, and the host gave us a very welcoming reception. We were a group of four and started with the signature cocktails. The Clarified Ube Punch was excellent—well balanced, refreshing, and memorable. The Wagyu Old Fashioned was enjoyable but fairly standard and as expected. For food, we ordered the General Tao Bao, Sinigang Dumplings, Crispy Tofu, Butterfish Escabeche, Scallion Noodles, Chow Mein, and Short Ribs. The Crispy Tofu, Butterfish, and Short Ribs were standouts and very well done. The rest of the dishes were more average. The dumpling filling could have had a stronger flavor and ingredient profile, though the tamarind broth complemented it nicely. The Chow Mein was particularly underwhelming and tasted similar to what you might find at a fast-food spot—I was hoping for bolder flavors to make it more memorable. One minor note on service timing: after our initial dishes arrived, we placed additional orders for the Bao and Chow Mein. While the Bao came out in reasonable time, the Chow Mein took quite long—by the time it arrived, I barely felt like eating it. Overall, a good experience with a great atmosphere and some strong dishes. With a bit more consistency and bolder flavors across the menu, I’d definitely return.”

“Honestly was super disappointed with this one. Came here with the Valentine’s Day set menu so maybe the regular food is better. But for 250$ I expected something substantial or at least above normal. A lot of the food was comparable to food I get at AYCE restaurants. The photos I have attached was the food for two people! I think the only thing I didn’t take a photo of was the dessert. For a multi course meal it was not a lot of food for 2 people. The wagyu appetizer course was just one thinly sliced piece of meat on a crunchy chip, it was giving AYCE sushi vibes. The main course steak was super charred on the outside, some people might like that, but it just taste burnt. The noodle Main course also just felt super low ball since those types of noodle dishes usually are cheap meals, But they made it fancy by adding lobster. But lobster was kind of sashimi style? Just felt slimy. Overall, the vibe of the restaurant just felt like it was lowball food that they were kind of trying to elevate and make it fancy. But it lacked substance. Overall, I was very disappointed with the portion sizes and the actual food. The only dish that I was impressed with was the foie gras dumpling (singular dumpling), but I think it’s because I just don’t eat it that often and it was new. The ambiance and the service was really great though!”