Maxime's is a French brasserie in the King West neighbourhood where the timeless allure of Parisian nightlife meets contemporary elegance. The room serves classic French cooking with the consistency and technique that the neighbourhood's established clientele demands, designed in the Belle Époque tradition.
Neighbourhood: King West · Address: 77 Portland St, Toronto, ON M5V 2M9 · Hours: Tue–Thu 11:30am–10pm | Fri–Sat 11:30am–11pm | Sun 10:30am–9pm | Mon Closed · Phone: (647) 484-7476
Why Visit
Maxime's is Toronto's most established French brasserie — a Belle Époque room with red banquettes and mirrored walls, classic French cooking executed with decades of consistency, and the warmth of a neighbourhood institution that has served Forest Hill for over twenty years.
What Makes It Unique
No other Toronto French restaurant combines this level of longevity with classic brasserie cooking. The decades of practice show in the consistency of the steak tartare, the depth of the coq au vin sauce, and the formal service that has been refined over thousands of seatings.
Maxime's has occupied its corner of Yonge Street in Forest Hill for over two decades, and the restaurant's identity is inseparable from its longevity. The room is designed in the Belle Époque brasserie tradition — red leather banquettes, mirrored walls, brass fixtures, and white tablecloths that are changed between seatings. The effect is not nostalgia for a Paris that never existed; it is the genuine warmth of a restaurant that has served the same neighbourhood for long enough to become part of its fabric.
The cooking is classic French brasserie — not modern, not fusion, not deconstructed. The steak tartare is hand-cut from the day's best beef, seasoned with the correct proportions of capers, cornichons, shallots, mustard, and egg yolk, and served with proper toast points. The coq au vin is built on a dark Burgundy sauce that has reduced for hours, with bacon lardons, pearl onions, and mushrooms that have each been cooked separately before being combined. The bouillabaisse follows the Marseilles tradition — a saffron-scented fish stew with rouille and croutons, built from whatever fish is freshest that day.
The kitchen's strength is consistency rather than creativity. These are dishes that have been on the menu for years, prepared by chefs who learned them from chefs who learned them before them. The steak tartare is the same tartare you would have eaten here five years ago — not because the kitchen is stagnant, but because the preparation has been refined to the point where change would be a regression.
The wine list is French-focused with enough international selection to accommodate guests who prefer other regions. The by-the-glass program covers the brasserie essentials: Chablis, Sancerre, Burgundy Pinot Noir, Côtes du Rhône, Provence rosé. The bottle list runs from affordable regional wines through Bordeaux and Burgundy at special-occasion prices. The sommelier is knowledgeable about French wine and happy to guide guests through the list.
Service is formal in the French tradition — the staff address guests as "monsieur" and "madame," the water glasses are refilled without being asked, the bread basket is replenished, and the check arrives only when requested. This formality is not stiffness; it is the hospitality style that the neighbourhood's established clientele expects and appreciates.
Maxime's is moderately expensive for its neighbourhood and format: starters $16–24, mains $32–48, desserts $14–18. A full dinner with wine is $80–120 per person before tax and gratuity. Sunday brunch is $28–42 per person and is the restaurant's most accessible entry point — the same room, the same service, and a lighter menu at roughly half the dinner price.
Reservations are recommended for dinner, particularly Friday and Saturday. Sunday brunch is easier to book but fills among the neighbourhood's regulars. Book via OpenTable or the restaurant's website. The bar accepts walk-ins for a la carte dining and wine by the glass.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Maxime's traditional or modern French?
Maxime's is classic French brasserie — steak tartare, coq au vin, bouillabaisse, crème brûlée — executed with the consistency that comes from decades of practice. The cooking is traditional rather than modern, and the menu changes only with the seasons rather than following trends.
How much does dinner at Maxime's cost?
Starters $16–24, mains $32–48, desserts $14–18. A full dinner with wine is $80–120 per person before tax and gratuity. Sunday brunch is $28–42 per person and offers the same room and service at a more accessible price.
Is the Sunday brunch worth visiting for?
Yes — Maxime's Sunday brunch is the neighbourhood's best-kept secret. The same Belle Époque room, the same formal service, and a lighter menu (eggs Benedict variations, French toast, quiche, salads) at roughly half the dinner price. Reservations are recommended but rarely difficult for visitors.
Do you need a reservation?
Reservations are recommended for dinner, especially Friday and Saturday. Sunday brunch is easier to book but fills among local regulars. Book via OpenTable or the restaurant's website. The bar accepts walk-ins.