Reviews for Canoe
Canoe
Toronto, OntarioReviews
4.2 out of 5 rating
4.2 out of 5 rating
9 reviews
85% recommend it
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![Anna]()
Anna Sent on 02/12/2023Perfect food and ambiance
Food was INCREDIBLE, ambiance was perfect, staff were very friendly and professional. Our wedding was a destination for most guests so we wanted to make sure we picked a place that was worth the travel, and we definitely succeeded! It looked beautiful and the view was nice even with haze (our wedding was the day before the smoke from the Alberta fires covered the city). So, if you’re worried about the view on a cloudy day don’t be! Our guests still rave about the food and view! Overall, it was like something out of Pinterest and I can’t wait to go back for an anniversary dinner.
Only drawbacks were during the planning process due to some communication issues. Once we got a new coordinator everything really improved. Just as constructive criticism: it would be really helpful if OB was more upfront about what you can and can’t do regarding table arrangements, the timeline of the evening, and the food selections. That way there aren’t any last-minute surprise restrictions (we had a few) and couples can make proper arrangements with plenty of notice. Otherwise, we definitely recommend Canoe!Canoe's reply:
Hi Anna,
Thank you so much for your thorough feedback! We are so delighted that you and your guests had such a wonderful time celebrating your wedding at Canoe! We agree, the view at Canoe is certainly magical!
Thank you for also sharing that you would have benefitted from a better understanding of the planning process. We will keep this in mind with our wedding clients moving forward and ensure these details are communicated from the start.
Thank you again for your thoughtful review and we certainly look forward to welcoming you back for your anniversary dinner!
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![Natasha]()
Natasha O. Sent on 10/05/2023A perfect downtown dinner party wedding
About one year into my relationship with my now husband, we went to Canoe for Summerlicious. We were students with barely any income, so having a discounted lunch menu at a fancy restaurant like this was very special. Since then, we have gone almost 10 times, brought friends and family members, and celebrated our anniversaries here. So when the time came to choose a wedding venue, we reached out to Canoe within days of getting engaged.
Although there were some bumps in the road with multiple event coordinators (which makes sense over the year and a half plus we were working with them), the food was amazing, the ambience and service were spectacular, and everyone working at Canoe went above and beyond to open the doors for us as I walked down the aisle, to have sparkling wine ready after we tied the knot, and to package up and cut our family desserts in the evening.
Thank you for bringing our downtown dinner party vision to life!
Photos by @KodyNgPhotography -
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![Sara & Richard]()
Sara D. Sent on 28/12/2022Beautiful Venue
From the very beginning of planning our wedding we knew Canoe would be the perfect venue for us to bring all our friends and family together in Toronto for celebrations. We had a perfect day being 54 floors up in the sky and looking endlessly over the whole city. We had a small wedding of about 40 people (Canoe holds up to 150 people) so it was perfect a space for everyone to spread out and enjoy.
The food was impeccable and just amazing. Not one dish was a disappointment and we loved creating the perfect menu for our guests, even being able to cater to those who had a gluten intolerance and any allergies. There was a great selection of drinks and the service was great, everyone was very much well catered for from wine to great cocktails.
All the servers made each of our guests comfortable. We had our own server and he was incredible. He even ensured when we got up to speak to guests that our food was kept warm for us. He was actually the first to greet us upon arrival, he immediately got us water and prepared a vase with water for my bouquet.
Although the overall day was great, we did have few things go wrong on the day which were caused by the building not allowing access to the loading dock and we feel management could have assisted and dealt with this a lot better. We feel things would have ran much smoother if we had an earlier access to the space or somewhere to store some of our items prior to the time we were allotted. After our wedding, we did contact Canoe to discuss the issues and concerns which we feel they dealt with it well by taking the time with us to discuss matters even after we returned back to the UK. They were apologetic, understanding and ensured we would return happy in future.
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![Vicky]()
Vicky Y. Sent on 04/01/2023Unacceptable Event Planning Services but Great Canoe Dining Experience
We prioritized having an amazing dining experience for our reception and guests and Canoe itself did not disappoint in this.
That being said, the event and planning services we received leading up to our wedding from Oliver & Bonacini (O&B), the parent company of Canoe, was unfortunately disappointing, especially given the costs associated with the venue.
We were provided with an event coordinator from O&B and there were a slate of frustrations working with the representative, accompanied with an overall lacking attitude. Below are some of the examples:
1) Differences in information provided between various Canoe and O&B Event Planning Staff: There were multiple instances where the list of what we could/could not do for our reception changed without notice between the time we had signed the Canoe contract (in January 2021) and the month before our wedding (in May 2022). For example, initially in January 2021, we were told that we could have real candles as part of our decor and that we could access Canoe speakers via a phone plug. In May 2022, after we had finalized our flowers and decor, we were told only after the fact that candles were not allowed and that we could not access Canoe's speakers and would have to rent additional speakers to play music. All of this led to last minute changes and additional charges a month prior to the reception to accommodate these changes. With all these differences in information, we had even asked the O&B representative if we could speak to someone at Canoe directly so that we could clarify some information but she refused to provide us Canoe contact information.
2) Being charged an additional $ amount for something outside our contract: The representative stated in an email that we had to pay an additional $1500 that was not stated in the contract we signed in January 2021. After questioning this additional charge, she and Canoe realized that our contract in January 2021 was different and did not include this charge and thus removed the charge. All this being said, we believe it was unprofessional for her and the company to not review our specific contract prior to requesting an additional charge of this magnitude, and who knows if other people in a similar situation may have been unfairly charged if they did not take the time to re-read their entire contract as well as the lengthy invoice provided.
3) Inflexibility with Seating Arrangements/Floor Plan: Due to the fact that we would have max guest capacity, we understood that seating arrangements could be a challenge given the nature of the Canoe layout. That being said, the whole process to finalize the floor plan with the representative was extremely frustrating and inflexible. For example, she sent multiple "outdated" floor plan templates to us and we were not told they were outdated until we submitted seating charts based on such plans. Due to them being outdated, we had to redo the seating arrangements multiple times. Secondly, because we had multiple "outdated" Canoe floor plans, we had seen multiple variations of what floor plans Canoe could do and have done in the past. We had then asked if we could modify the "latest" floor plan to conform to some of the old floor plans and find a compromise to accommodate our guests but she refused to provide any flexibility in this regard, even after a 2-hour call to try and find a solution. Meanwhile, the staff at Canoe was extremely accommodating and much more flexible.
4) Inefficient Meetings and Repetitive Information Requests already provided: When we had our first initial meeting with the representative, she asked questions that our wedding planner had already provided and/or would have been more efficient to ask via email. This was a pain point given the fact that it was difficult for us to find time to meet with her due to her limited availability during working hours and inability to schedule calls outside of a standard work day’s 9-5.
5) Unaccommodating to our menu change: After our tasting at Canoe, we were told to provide any feedback and requests to the representative. One of our requests was to have the sauce on the side of the plate for one of the dishes rather than having it right below the main protein. This is because we knew that many of our older guests would prefer the sauce on the side given its strong flavor. When we asked the representative to make this request, she replied that the Canoe team said they cannot accommodate for "all sauce/puree [to be] on the side...If the two of you would like it on the side, or if guests ask the night of we can accommodate it, however the team does not have the capacity to provide this as an in advanced request". Although we understand that the logistics may not be as simple as it sounds, we were not happy with the outcome of our simple request. Meanwhile, the kitchen staff happily addressed this on the day of, and we really wish that it didn’t seem like we were making a last minute request. -
![Jing]()
Jing Sent on 26/06/2019Fantastic experience!
I cannot say enough good things about our entire experience with Canoe. Our coordinator Jessica has been so helpful and responsive throughout, especially during the week leading up to the day when I had to change the guest count and seating plan numerous times. The venue and the view were gorgeous; the service and the food were excellent; and best of all, everything was turnkey so it made planning much easier. My recommendation for this venue is sincere and I wish y'all good luck in planning your bid day! -
![Christina]()
Christina R. Sent on 08/06/2016During our venue search, my husband and I knew that we wanted our wedding to be held in a unique setting. As soon as we stepped foot inside Canoe, we knew that it was the perfect location! From the stunning 54th floor views, to the incredible menu, we were so happy that we'd found Canoe! My husband and I booked both private dining rooms for our ceremony and luncheon for our 45 guests. During planning, Michelle was always available to answer any questions, and made sure that all aspects of our day was covered. We are so happy with the service that we received during planning and on the day of our wedding. We highly recommend Canoe as a wedding venue!Canoe's reply:
Hi Christina,
Thank you so much for your review and the kind feedback!
It was lovely working with you and Jon and I am so happy to hear that your wedding day was everything and more than you hoped for.
Wishing you both a wonderful beginning, and love to last a lifetime.
Warm Regards,
Michelle Cohen
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