SCADDABUSH Italian Kitchen & Bar

I’ve been to the Scaddabush at Square One and I’ve also been to this location before for an event party but this was my first time as a diner at this particular location.
I had made a reservation the day of online for 715pm but circumstances changed and we were available to dine at 630 instead. It wasn’t a problem for seating for 630 instead of having to come back 45 minutes later so that was nice.
We were seated upstairs where the big tables are but we had a comfortable booth for 4. When I say the big tables the upstairs of this place has a large area with large 12 – 14 seat tables (2) so this area can hold quite the party upstairs. We were off to the side in a quieter section in a padded seat booth.
We hadn’t made up our mind with drinks or the menu so our server said she’d be back and give us some time. I rather think she gave us a lot of time and eventually returned. We ordered a few drinks and everything at once since we had a good amount of time to review our options. Everything we ordered it seemed as if our server was trying to get us to have everything at once (salad, appetizers etc) although she did ask us if that was ok. I don’t know if the kitchen was busy or if everything is brought at once she gets help as opposed to having to wait on us more times? I wasn’t sure but for whatever reason she almost seemed motivated to convince us to take everything at once.
I had sort of wanted my calamari first and as I did last second order it as she was going away she didn’t ask if I had wanted that first or with everything else. It seems she made the assumption that we’d want that later too.
A different server brought our drinks to us and I had asked her if I could ask her about the calamari we ordered. I asked her because our server was not coming back as she seemed busy. I asked her if that comes out beforehand and her response sort of threw me… she said normally if things on the menu are appetizers they come first and if not then it was put into the system incorrectly as a screwup. That not the answer I was looking for or at least one that I thought was very professional. She basically threw her team mate under the bus!
I had asked our server when she finally came around again (she was tending to a lot of patrons) and asked her if it was put in as an app or with the entire meal. She said it was put in with everything and I had asked her if it could be changed and she said she’d check. She came back and told me that it was put in with everything basically it couldn’t be brought out sooner than the rest of orders and if there was anything she could do for us otherwise. I said well if it couldn’t come out sooner we’d just hang out and such. I was at least satisfied that she said it was put into the system as such and offered an alternative or other options possibly.
In total our group of four ordered a calamari app, stuffed meatball app, the social Caesar salad (for sharing), a margherita pizza, a sophia pizza, chicken parm, chicken limone, apple raviloli dessert and drinks.
The calamari is decent but I’ve had better. The stuffed meatball is so freaking tasty. It’s salty and rich because of the sauce and cheese but wow is it ever good. My problem with it is that is seemed really smaller compared to how I originally remember it. I remember it being a half pound and I don’t know if it’s still that size or not but it just visually looked significantly much smaller than I remember it. The salad is amazing. I could go to Scaddabush for just their Caesar salad but really it’s just a salad but one of the best I’ve had in memory. It’s VERY garlicky and I could see it being too strong for some folk but not me.
My dish was the chicken limone which was grilled chicken breast in lemon sauce served with roasted potatoes and green beans. It was good but just not kick ass. I had some of my wife’s pizza (sophia) which has chicken and goat cheese (white pizza) and it was just ok.
The apple ravioli are sort of neat. They are like apple pie pockets and are served with a tiny scoop of ice cream. You receive 2 raviolis to an order and they’re about 4 inches in diameter.
There are some things good about Scaddubush but overall it’s just an OK experience. I can’t say that we received as much attention as I would have liked in that we were waiting for our server for a while, our drinks and overall I just felt neglected. I get it that there was a big party upstairs yesterday and perhaps they soaked much of the attention of our servers I don’t know but I don’t want to feel like we’re not as important or necessarily feel pressured to take all our food at once (apps not coming out first). I mean it was a Tuesday evening and yes it was dinner time and yes I came earlier than I said I would but still…
I had out of town guests for dinner and it’s always a special time when my wife and I get to spend time with them and I guess I just wanted everything to be perfect and it just wasn’t.

A standard Italian restaurant. Service is generally slow, my dishes usually take more than 30min to arrive. The food quality is very inconsistent (for me at least). I usually get the brick chicken, sometimes it tastes like heaven and other times the chicken is just as firm as cardboard boxes.

If I could give this place 2.5 stars I would, but there wasn’t anything unpleasant about this place so I’ll just give it 3 rather than 2.
Came here for a late dinner with a friend on a Tuesday night, this was the only place that was open that caught our eye. The overall look of the restaurant was nice and tidy, very modern. The service was nice considering we came in 5 minutes before their kitchen stopped taking orders. Perhaps this was also the reason why the portions seemed so small. I got the Chicken Parm ($ 20) and I gotta say, while it wasn’t unpleasant, it could’ve been a lot better. The chicken itself was great in quality however lacking in quantity. The spaghetti that came with it was either slightly bland or unusually sour. I didn’t do any sort of «research» into this place since I didn’t have the time, however I would be willing to return and give it another shot.
Overall, nice place and friendly staff however the food seemed lacklustre compared to the price they charged. I’d still be willing to give it another chance someday though.

Atmosphere 5/​5, food 5/​5, service ⁵⁄₅
I’m quite impressed as this is in a tourist area, the food is not spectacular, but deserves 5 star for hand making most food items, which means they used only a few ingredients! The presentation of food is what gets the best points, you could take many Instagram worthy photos. We had the 25% off card got a good discount, had there not been the discount it would have still been a 5 stars. Recommend sitting at high table and not booths unless you have family or kids.

Came here for dinner on a Saturday night around 6.30pm for 2 people, it was still early so we got seated right away.
We started with the bomba burrata, the cheese was good nice and soft but wasnt as creamy as I wanted it to be. The tomatos and bacon bits were good though. I got the small capri pasta, the serving size was large and was very filling for only $ 18, it had a good amount of seafood, and the tomato sauce was good but felt bland. The pasta was also a big clump and a lot of it stuck together at the bottom, which was a disappointment. We also got a sophia pizza, the crust was thin which I like, it had lots of chicken but again tasted bland, like everything needed a bit more seasoning and salt. It wasn’t expensive for the amount of food and for the area.
Our waitress was nice, although spilled the water. The lighting was low but the candles made it nice, it was Saturday night so there was a dj spinning but nothing really to dance to or even notice. There were a lot of large groups which I guess is a good thing to know that they take large parties. I would go back if someone else chose to but definitely not my first choice for italian food

Wow.
I think that several other reviews have severely underscored this place! I went in being cautious, and trying not to expect anything magnificent… so boy was I surprised when EVERYTHING was magnificent!
I decided to sit outside, as the weather was gorgeous. My waitress was Mikayla (spelling?) and she was super helpful. She recommended the white sangria as a refreshing drink for the warm air outside, and it was lovely! Served perfectly chilled and very flavorful. The table was stocked with a large bottle of water, so I was never left wanting.
I started with the Charity bread, which is a personal-​sized, crisp loaf of focaccia bread. It was drizzled with garlic butter, super fresh olive oil and Parmesan cheese. I took a bite and immediately my tastebuds were rejoicing. It was crispy on the outside and nice and soft on the inside.
The meatballs seemed to be highly praised on other reviews, so I ordered a classic «spaghetti and meatball» which was superb. Their meatballs are in fact, huge. This one was the size of my fist. (And I have pretty pudgy fingers) Mikayla told me that their meatballs had been voted #2 in the city, but that the #1 place had closed down. Thus by default, best meatballs in Toronto! I agree. The house made spaghetti was cooked al-​dente and served with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Mmm.
I finished off with the tiramisu. I asked my waitress if the taste was overpowered with coffee, (cause I’m not wild about coffee) and she said that it was «prominent, but not a slap in the face» which was 100% correct. The taste and texture was outstanding. Creamy and delicious.
Overall, it was the best experience of my trip so far and I can’t wait to go back to try their fresh-​made mozzarella cheese!
Cheers!
EDIT:
I wanted to comment on the other reviewers complaining about the oil on the charity bread– the menu does say that it’s served with lots of garlic butter. If that doesn’t float your boat, then ask for a little less or oil on the side. I personally dipped my bread in more oil that came on the plate! It was super flavorful.

Scaddabush and I go way back as I frequented the Square One location when I lived in Mississauga. I am so happy to work nearby this surprisingly spacious location now. The ambience is just right and I’ve been here many times, and know I will return many more times.
The *only* downside is that the outdoor seating kind of sucks. you’re literally seated in single file along gerard right on the street, so keep that in mind if you want to dine outdoors.
I could say a lot about the food and rave about the fresh mozzarella like everyone else does, but I’ll leave it at a few short recommendations:
The mozzarella with the pingue prosciutto
The meatball in any form
The charity bread because A) it’s cheap, B) ain’t nothing wrong with garlic, oil, and carbs, and C) charity
The shrimp pasta with capers — though I think it is hit and miss depending on who is in the kitchen it can sometimes be really good
The grilled cheese with fig and prosciutto
The bruschetta (the classic one, haven’t tried the others)
There are more good things on the many than there are bad, so pick with confidence!

Their fresh mozzarella is a signature thing for a reason. My friends and I ordered the «Naked» and split it among the three of us. There definitely was not enough, it was so good!
I ordered the Capri pasta and a regular size was a nice, big portion. The pasta was super delicious too and you can taste the difference when it is made in-​house. The Orange sangria was good but the pitcher was a bit small for $ 27, in my opinion.
Our server, Brittany, was great as well. The only thing that night was that our dessert order got put in late in the kitchen so it took a while for it come out, however, I knew firsthand that it was super busy that night.
I’d come back for the mozzarella alone!

Really good pasta! I really like it. Came for the pasta and left satisfied. I also like the mango peach Bellini. That’s my fav cocktail and they’ve made it great:) I’m really happy with the food and the service there. The waitress is very friendly and approachable.

Just a standard Italian place with standard Italian food. Dropped by here because Libretto was full and we wanted some pizza.
Pizza here was alright. Instead of the normal circular pizzas, they like to do their pizza in a rectangle. I don’t really prefer this because you end up with 4 corner pieces haha which no one ever wants to eat.
Tried the fresh mozzarella which was great, and came with some oiled bread and salt and marinara sauce. It was around $ 13 for one ball that would feed around 4 people.
Also tried their «famous» giant meatball. which was only ok and way overpriced at $ 13 for one meatball which the server described as «the size of a baseball». It was definitely smaller than that.
Overall, it was just standard Italian food and I can’t say I recommend it nor stay away. If you are looking for something to eat and have no other options then it’s not too bad.

Had a great time here with work friends as we celebrated a birthday. They have an extensive menu of appetizers like their fresh mozzarella made to order, homemade stuffed meatball, and delicious pizzas and pastas.
The last time I went to Scaddabush we ordered an avocado and goat cheese bruschetta to share. The creaminess of the cheese and avocado nicely contrasted with the crunchiness of the bread. We also ordered a meatball stuffed with pepperoni and cheese, which had some tasty garlic chips adorning the dish. The meat was still moist and there was serving was enough for 3 of us to share.
I had been eyeing the zucca pasta (large serving $ 19.97) since first laying eyes on the menu. It is a butternut squash ravioli with a hazelnut butter cream sauce and fried sage. This dish was so satisfying that I ate a large portion by myself.
Was a bit disappointed that even though we told the waiter in advance that we had coupons after signing up for their Social Club that would give us $ 10 off an order of $ 30, we were not told until it was time to pay the bill that only one coupon can be redeemed per table. Despite this lack of transparency in the part of our server, the food was delicious and we plan to come back to try some of Scaddabush’s other menu offerings.

Get the fresh made mozzarella cheese infused with honey. It was a hot ball of sweet and cheesy delightfulness. Although good, it’s quite pricey. My ball of cheese and some bread came to $ 17 after tax and tip.
I also tried some of the charity bread — felt good since proceeds went to charity but didn’t feel good about the garlic breath and eating the pool of oil the bread was drench in.
The cheese was the highlight of my experience but the service was subpar. It was slow and we kept getting other table’s orders brought to us. Okaaaay yeaaah I came in with a big group and big groups are harder to server but Scaddabush and I expected a bit more attention if I’m paying an enforced 18% tip.

Can I have that Naked fresh mozzarella again?
I’d return to Scaddabush for that mozzarella alone. I liked everything in that dish: focaccia crostini, fresh mozzarella bun that you can cut into slices, and tomato jam that tasted sweet. It’d make a perfect snack at any time of the day. I’m definitely trying some other fresh mozzarella next time I’m here.
I also tried a Caprese salad, and that was fresh and delicious. For my main dish, I got a small Capri pasta. Shrimps, scallops, mussels and other seafood in it were soft and they melted in my mouth. I found their mussels different from most other places, because the mussel meats were so soft. While I liked the seafood being soft, I didn’t enjoy the pasta being soft. It was cooked too «well-​done» for me. I didn’t like the tomato sauce that much, either.
The waitress was attentive and professional. She did a great job of timely asking us if we needed anything and also leaving us alone to enjoy our meal. This place would be a great spot for date nights.
Get their Social Club discount of $ 10 off if you spend more than $ 30. Sign up for it at least 24 hours before your reservation so you can get the discount!

I’ve been to this location a couple of times. The food itself is good, but the service made me come back. Good hosts and waiters make for loyal customers.
We had the spaghetti with giant meatballs. The meatballs were not overdone and very filling. The fried garlic was a little too much for me near the end of the meal, but I know others love it. I also tried their burrata as my main the other time. Great decision, it was amazing. Also, their tiramisu is good, but could be more flavourful.
Join their Social club and you’ll get $ 10 off a $ 30+ bill.

BOTTOM LINE: House made mozzarella, need I say more?
Every now and then, life throws a surprise your way, and in this case, it’s a chain resto that doesn’t suck. Judging by the quality of their food, you’d never know that it was the same owners as Jack Astors! Located on the ground floor of the Aura condos, Scaddabush (along with Reds Tavern and Duke’s Refresher) are run the by same management. The staff have always been professional and, perhaps as a nod to our changing times, thankfully not all ridiculously scantily clad. The interior is cavernous and the area is divided into more of sports bar area, but there various sections walled off so that you can host more private events. Exposed brick, edison bulbs. Check. Prices — very decent.
The highlight, of course is the food. You pretty much have to their MOZZARELLA WITH PROSCIUTTO, and their BURATTA is very good as well. If you’re gonna get their MEATBALLS, get it STUFFED — it’s worth the 60 cents. I’ve never actually ordered any of their pastas, but my DCs have had good things to say about the CAPRI. For me, I almost always get their thin-​crust pizzas, especially the DIAVOLO, which probably has way more kick to it than you would expect (and that’s a good thing). It’s nice that they give you a ginormous pair of scissors to cut it with.
Their beer selection isn’t the greatest — it’s too bad they couldn’t share some taps with Duke’s next door), and you’re relegated to either Moretti (aite), or your usual big brewers. They to make some standard cocktails and offer a fair selection of wines. Either way, you’ll probably find something you like.

I stopped by for lunch last weekend and the restaurant was surprisingly empty. We were seated immediately at the back of the restaurant, which was probably the reason why service was excruciatingly slow.
Our server was incredibly sweet but for most of the meal, we had no idea where she was. There was only three other tables occupied, so I didn’t understand why our food took forever as well.
Maybe they were taking their time to perfect the dish? Doesn’t taste like it — The brick chicken literally tasted like a brick, tough and overcooked on the edges. The pasta was also soggy and overcooked. Clumpy mush would be a nice way to describe it. My friends burger patty looked like it sat I the sun for a week — It was so visibly dry, it looked unappetizing.
This was my first time at Scaddabush, and probably my last.

I went with my friends here twice for dinner and they consistently provided great service.
The food is good. The first time we went, I tried the meatball spaghetti. I couldn’t finish it. It was ginormous! Also, the meatball tasted undercooked. I like my steak medium rare so I have no problem with somewhat raw food… But the meatball had the consistency of a meatball being uncooked. I actually stopped eating to take a moment to check if it is cooked. It was brown, or, well, it’s a dark place, I wouldn’t be able to tell even if it was red actually, so scratch that. The point is, the meatball didn’t taste cook.
Like everyone is saying, get the charity bread! First time I went, I wanted to get seconds because I was sharing it. By the 2^nd visit, I got my own.
I also like the fact that for the pasta, you can choose your size, pretty much S, M, L. If you’re ordering appetizers, small is good for you, unless you are a hungry man/​woman, then go medium. I think large is meant for sharing.
Overall, go back there again again for the environment and the service.

Really, really, REALLY enjoy this place.
I’ve been here about twice now and both times I’ve gotten pizza (being a pizza-​enthusiast and all) with no regrets.
The latest one I had was the Bacon and Egg. Satisfies my need for everything yummy and breakfasty, but not too greasy surprisingly. Eating it was a bit of a mess, but it was well worth it. The egg is sunnyside up with athe yolk still a bit raw so you get the juiciness of all the sunshine when you poke through it on your bacon. It’s also perfect to dip your pizza crust in afterwards!
The rest of the pizzas have a bit of a fusion of a lot of things unlike your traditional thin crust pizza places like my fave, Libretto.
Still, really good fusions. The rest of the menu I have yet to try, but from the looks on the other tables, the helpings seem to be quite generous and very delicious (people are smiling).
Overall, I would definitely come here again. Also sign up for the Scaddabush social club if ya want to save $ 10 for a $ 30 meal!

I’ve been to scaddabush twice.
Ambience: Modern, but with a rustic feel. Liked the candelabrum on some of the tables. It’s two levels and you can book large parties upstairs. There’s a bar area with a fair number of screens to watch sport games. I really like the music there. The DJ plays 90s throwback, which is awesome in my books! The main washrooms are upstairs and there is one accessibility washroom on the main floor. Reservations are easy to make online through open table.
Service: I had pretty good service both times. The first time, the service was slower, but we were there at a busier time. Servers are knowledgable and tells you what the specialties are without you asking. If you are sharing pasta, they split it up in two bowls, which I always like! Very detailed oriented. B+ to A
Food: scaddabush is known for their fresh mozzarella cheese, pasta, and meat balls.
Today, we tried:
Prosciutto mozzarella — the combo together with bread, fig jam, and mozzarella was pretty good. The mozzarella was very fresh and chewy. I found the mozzarella pretty tasteless on its own, but mozzarella normally does not have a lot of taste. B
Capri pasta: seafood tomato pasta. The mussels are fresh and there’s a lot of seafood in the dish. the pasta is super fresh. The only issue was the pasta did not have much taste. The tomato sauce was watered down. Not too impressed, but pasta itself was great. I would buy it to cook at home. B
Primavera pizza: the pizza dough is very tender and soft. However, I found the pizza a bit tasteless. I don’t like olives, but the Olives gave the pizza flavour, which was good. B
Mojito drink: it was ok. A bit too sour for my liking, but the drink has orange it in so it’s supposed to be sour.
Overall, i wouldn’t say the food had a lot of flavour, but it is definitely fresh. Overall grade: B

Super restaurant ! Très copieux. Mozzarella sympa. Raviolis au potiron magnifiques! Même pas pu finir la portion small !

Very disappointed with my lunch today @ Scaddabush. I’ve been there twice before and enjoyed the food but today was awful.
Ordered the grilled sirloin fold-​over sandwich and it was not served as advertised. The description on the menu reads: «Freshly baked flatbread, mozzarella cheese, pickled onions and peppers, Parmesan aïoli, herb oil, arugala, tomatoes»
All I got was flat bread with steak, arugula and cherry tomatoes. Oh and I guess it had peppers and onions on it but they weren’t pickled… (see pics)
Let’s recap what was missing from my sandwich:
mozzarella cheese
parmesan aoili
herb oil
Who serves a sandwich to someone without half of the advertised condiments? It was sooooooo bland, I only ate half. I’ll probably pick the steak out of it later and give it to my dog.
We already waited half an hour for our food, and it was a staff lunch so I didn’t want to make a scene and send my food back… but I did have to ask for mayo. They ended up bringing out plain mayo from a jar… no aioli.
My boss ordered the Chicken avocado BLT and his was also missing the advertised «piccante aïoli and pickled red onions» it was supposed to come with.
Such a disappointing meal. I’ll definitely think twice the next time someone suggests a meal at Scaddabush…
Update: I contacted Scaddabush about my experience via their web-​site over 2 weeks ago and have not yet received a response. I won’t ever be back here, or to Duke’s and Red’s either…