Ristorante Donato is described as a refined Italian dining spot with a chic, modern ambiance that suits everything from business meals to special occasions. Dishes range from arancini and fennel salad to seafood specialties and pastas, with many noting flavorful, well prepared plates and highlights such as mushroom pasta, branzino, octopus, and the tiramisu. Service is frequently praised as efficient, attentive, and considerate, with staff able to adapt to guests rhythm and even offer thoughtful touches like candle desserts and prompt refills. The atmosphere is often lauded for its decor and lighting, though the space can be noisy and busy at peak times, which can affect the dining experience. Pricing and portions receive mixed feedback, with some calling prices high for the amount of food and others finding the quality and setting worth the cost. Overall, Ristorante Donato emerges as a reliable choice for high quality Italian fare, elegant design, and strong service, while visitors should be mindful of possible pacing, crowding, and price relative to portions.
I will have to come back for supper as I was told the menu is not the same but for lunch I have to say I am not impressed.
Bavette undercooked
Pizza was OK at best little bit too stringy & crepe like & the sauce abit to sweet.
Calamari rip off of a portion.
My brother pasta was OK, i make it better. some sort of ragu
First visit to Donato this week & really enjoyed it. Beautiful space with a warm ambiance, attentive service, & overall a great vibe.
Had the conchiglie pasta with spicy tomato, cream & vodka sauce, which was delicious, paired with a nice glass of chianti. Simple, flavorful, & very well done. A very enjoyable night out
Mar 29, 2026
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Last Sunday evening, without a reservation, we were graciously welcomed into Donato, & what followed was nothing short of perfection. The setting is beautiful-refined yet warm-& the staff's polished, kind, & deeply accommodating service elevated an already exceptional dining experience into something unforgettable. Every member of the team exudes genuine hospitality, making us feel not just welcomed but honored to be there.
We shared what was easily the best Chablis I've ever tasted, a crisp & elegant pairing that I enjoyed with my soon?to?be 100?year?old mother-a moment I'll cherish. The calamari was a revelation: light, delicately breaded, & perfectly fried so that it tasted almost baked-crisply golden yet never oily. The Branzino with pearl pasta was pure elegance on a plate-light, delicate, & balanced to perfection.
We were so utterly impressed that we returned the following Saturday, again without a reservation, & were once more accommodated with grace & remarkable hospitality. The service, if possible, seemed even more polished, & every dish lived up to the same impeccable standard. The tuna tartare was beautifully presented & bursting with freshness, while the filet mignon, draped in a black truffle, foie gras, & rosé dressing sauce, was simply the best I've ever had-unparalleled in tenderness & depth of flavor.
Each visit to Donato has been a masterclass in refined cuisine & first?class service. It is rare to find a restaurant that achieves perfection on every level-but Donato does, effortlessly.
If I could get anyone who ventures near this restaurant to walk in the door I would. We ended up coming here because another restaurant fell through & it was meant to be. The atmosphere was absolutely beautiful & chic. The service was incredible with an amazing shout out to our serve Hoye (apologies for spelling if this is incorrect!) he was the perfect server who had many great suggestions & pairings for us to try. Being tourists he also gave great advice on the best way to spend our time visiting the city. If- WHEN I return, I hope to be met with him again.
Now onto the star of the show, the food. This goes down as my husband & I's best meal EVER. Which is hard to say seeing as he is a french winery chef with high standards. The food was fresh & flavorful & presented beautifully. Each serving was portioned perfectly that we left having an appetizer (Burrata was 11/10 as Burrata connoisseurs) getting two meals & splitting them (the Gnocchi & the Beef Pasta special) & lastly the Orange Cake. Despite having & finishing all this food we left perfectly full. No more no less.
Please if you are a local or a tourist go & see how incredible this restaurant is for yourself. You will truly thank yourself later.
I have been here a couple of times now & it's become one of my go-to's. Not necessarily just for italian food but for a good vibe, drinks, date wtv. The first time left abit of a sour taste in my mouth service wise. The waitress was very pushy & wanted to sell us on every single thing possible but no complaints about the last couple of times. Pasta dishes are great, Steak is fantastic. The pizza's are pretty good as well. They have a good dough. Bar is nice too. It definitly ain't cheap but what is these days. At least you don't leave there feeling scammed.
We had an early reservation (6pm). The stone-faced Maître d' gave us a small table by the window. Service was prompt, friendly & polite. We had an appetizer of deep-fried cauliflower, which tasted like deep-fried cauliflower, accompanied by a sauce which tasted of nothing in particular. We ordered'Branzino all griglia.' This was an unexceptional presentation of sea bass, moderately tasty, but very small & mostly skin. We also ordered'Rigatoni, ragu bianco di vitello, pecorino toscano.' The pasta had a hard veneer, as though it had spent too much time under a warming lamp. The sauce was thin & bland. The veal was minced & tasteless. By 7:15 the room was full & the hubbub was deafening. Another guest squatted next to me & had a very loud & long conversation with a seated guest, in Spanish. Prices were high, which probably has more to do with the Westmount location than anything else. One appetizer, four glasses of white wine, two main courses: $172.46 plus tip. We have no plans to go back.
Jan 11, 2026
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It is my second time visiting this restaurant, & I definitely believe that I'll be back.
Great ambience & the music had me wondering who had aux - songs straight from my own playlist! The service is always very fast & the food is very enjoyable. The salmon tartare is a hit. I ordered the lobster pasta again this time & the sauce is just as good as I remembered it. We also got the bistecca which was very tender. Overall, great place & will return
⭐?⭐?⭐?⭐?
Donato is a nice Italian restaurant with a small menu. The pasta was really good the first time we went, though I wish there were more options. The second time, I tried the steak, but it was overcooked - I had asked for medium, & it came burnt, so I wouldn't recommend the steak unless you make it very clear.
The pistachio tiramisu was absolutely delicious! I really hope they keep it on the menu. Overall, it's a good spot, but they could definitely add a bit more variety.
Extremely overpriced, when i went i got some ravioli special that was vegetarian & the base was like corn & cheese or something… tell me why this dish was nearly 40$ & came with 10 minuscule pieces of ravioli, i thought i was getting pranked. Also you can get this at costco😭 The pasta was alright but seriously if i wanted something like this i'd cross the street to metro & just buy pasta there, i rest my case. Also the pizza was good but the mushroom was soggy & didn't rlly taste like anything😟🙏
Enjoyed lunch yesterday with a friend at Ristorante Donato. The ambiance is elegant & lovely. The flowers at the entrance were so gorgeous we thought they were fake!
I selected the Table d'hôte, while my dining companion just ordered the pasta with mushrooms.
The fennel salad was the star of the meal for me, crisp & fresh with a tasty dressing. It was so good, I forgot to take a photo of it! I found the pasta slightly undercooked, however did not want to bother the kitchen to re-cook it. It was still tasty with a generous portion of mushrooms, served with freshly grated Parmesan. The portion was a good size.
The tiramisu was underwhelming. Although it was creamy, there was not much flavour of coffee or chocolate. The accompanying fruit was great!
Being a tea drinker, I found it odd that the restaurant doesn't offer the option of tea with the table d'hôte (only coffee).
My friend & I both enjoyed the complementary garlic focaccia, fresh & served warm. She enjoyed her glass of Prosecco!
Service was good but not overly warm or friendly (though the hostess was welcoming!).
We were celebrating my friend's birthday, & they were kind enough to put a candle in the dessert, which was appreciated.
Oct 21, 2025
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We have eaten at Donato many many times. Not the same experience this time. Food was great & server Julien was excellent. The woman who greeted us was RUDE, UNFRIENDLY & DISMISSIVE. If this had been my first time & first impression it would have been my last. With a reservation they only offered us two tables at the entrance where it is noisy & busy. We have NEVER sat there. Absolutely not how I want to spend a night out. Finally we suggested the patio & they found us a table. The WHOLE time NO one else was seated at those 2 tables. Is this the way you treat a good customer. I think not. The other thing that changed. At most good restaurants when I'm spending $25 for a glass of wine, they pour it at the table so that you can sample it & make sure it is agreeable. They used to do this at Donato. Now they apparently have a machine that pours the wine. Call me old fashioned but I like the experience of the wine being poured at the table. We'll be back, but not for a while. Also when we left the same woman ignored us at the door. Not a good 1st or last impression.
We have eaten at Donato's over 6 times now. The key to our enjoyment there is the Great Food & the Impeccable Service. In other wards,'Consistency' is the key to success. My Sea Bass (Branzino) was flavourful & perfectly cooked & my wife's' pasta dish (Conchiglie) was tasty & spicy. Aleks our server was polite, friendly & attentive. Our food arrived hot & we didn't have to ask if we'd like another glass of wine or to have our water glassed re-filled. We eat out every week & the inconsistency in service is so often a detriment to the enjoyment of our meal. As is the fact that food is often not served piping hot. I find that food tastes so much better when it is served hot & not lukewarm warm. Never an issue at Donanto but more often than not a problem at other restaurants. Having a delicious meal well served is not rocket science but is an inconsistency at many a restaurant we don't return too. For a GREAT meal out, You can't go wrong with DONATO.
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Walking in, the vibe immediately whispers fine dining meets business power lunch 💼🍷 - but don't worry, even in a dress with sneakers, I felt totally at home (& maybe even a little chic 😏). The place oozes elegance with its lush greenery 🌿, statement furniture, & those dreamy lighting fixtures that make you feel like you've stepped into a magazine spread. Bonus: the flowers at the entrance? So stunning we thought they were fake 🌸😂.
👨?🍳 Food Highlights:
• Arancini = fantabulous little golden bites of joy 🤌🧀.
• Beet salad = fresh, earthy, colorful - a plate that could double as art 🎨🥗.
• Fennel salad stole the show - crisp, refreshing, & dressed perfectly. It was so good I forgot to take a picture 📸 (food blogger fail!).
• Mushroom pasta 🍄: generous portion, beautifully cheesy with Parmesan snow ❄?🧀 - though slightly undercooked. Still tasty enough that I didn't send it back.
• Tiramisu = creamy but… meh. Missing that bold coffee + cocoa punch ☕🍫. The fruit on the side, however, did bring some redemption.
• Garlic focaccia = warm, fresh, fluffy carb-love 🥖💛. Complimentary, but tasted like it deserved its own spot on the menu.
🥂 My friend sipped her bubbly Prosecco with a grin, & the staff even slipped a candle into her dessert 🎂✨ for her birthday. Sweet touch!
👩?💼 Service: Good & efficient, but not overly warm. The hostess, however, was lovely & welcoming right from the start.
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👉 Verdict: Donato is where you go when you want refined dining, gorgeous ambiance, & plates you'd never whip up at home. Some dishes absolutely sang 🎶 (hello fennel salad + arancini), others could use a bit more wow factor (sorry tiramisu 👀). Still, with the elegant décor & thoughtful touches, it's a place that makes you feel like you've traveled - even if you haven't hopped on a plane 🌍✈?.
Modern style restaurant. Well decorated, very classy style. Service is top notch. Broad choices of pasta , fish & meat. Overall good experience & well satisfied with food quality & we'll run restaurant
We loved Dinato's!! The food was great. We had several apps, pastas & pizzas. Our whole family ate family style & loved it. The decor is also very chic & welcoming. I highly recommend Dinato's!
Another unfortunate experience for me here. That marks 2 rather lousy dinners for me here.
Service was slow & our server was having issues with his voice & couldn't speak loud or hear us well. For that matter we couldn't hear him well either!
We ordered drinks & every time it would take longer to get the drinks than the food! But the worst part was I ordered the foie gras ravioli special & got some sort of pasta in a red sauce. When I asked if the foie gras was in the sauce already, the server looked shocked & said'no you ordered the VODKA pasta, not foie gras'. He did apologize, take the plate & replace it, but my dinner date sat alone with their meal while it got cold & waited for my proper order to get there. It was awkward. & NOTHING was done about it. No compensating for the mistake, no apology drink or dessert or anything. Any professional establishment would have done something for such a mistake.
This is the second time I've had a bad experience with no proper apology. The food is good, but I unfortunately won't be going back.
I'm going to be a bit tougher in this review, just because the prices are a bit high for the food you get. First of all, the service & the atmosphere are wonderful! No notes. The food isn't bad, but it does feel over priced. For example, the half chicken, it's a higher price, which should make sense, because it's a half chicken. Except it's literally JUST A HALF CHICKEN. No garnish. No side. No starch. No vegetable. Just a half chicken on a plate. The other dish we ordered was a pasta dish with the vodka sauce. The sauce was great, but the pasta didn't feel freshly made. Which at those prices, I would expect fresh pasta. Overall, it was an ok experience. I don't think I'd recommend or go back unless the prices change.
The bread was delicious, fluffy & full of flavour. The pasta was al dente but a little too hard even so, the sauce was good but not worth the price, same for the pizza. The truffle parmesan fries only had a hint of truffle, which was disappointing. The service was quick & efficient & they agreed to cut a cake we brought.
For the girlies, the bathroom was very aesthetic for pictures
