LIVE

I was really impressed by this location - the design of the interior gives you a fabulous first impression, as well as the staff.
I had a glass of organic local wine that was absolutely stunning, and finally, the food was excellent.
Also, you find their products in health stores - I bought burdock sushis one time and they were perfect.

I have been to Live many times, and have always enjoyed it very much. The raw section has been growing (but I always liked their cooked meals, too). Desserts are fabulous. Live is also a great place for vegetarians/vegans with a gluten-intolerance, as most of their stuff is gluten-free.
Final good thing for people who like not having to line up for seats: for some reason, Live is still a bit off the map. I never had to wait, there was always always room - even when we once risked going there with a group of eight without booking in advance. No problem finding seats.

the first raw food i ever had was at Live! they still offer delicious raw food alongside a selection of cooked vegan options, yummy juices and smoothies and decadent raw desserts! the restaurant is lovely if a bit loud when crowded. great patio out back during the warmer months!
Updated from previous review on Tuesday March 03, 2015

LIVE is one of our favorites, even though they have experienced a drop in quality over the last couple years (no longer offering the killer pancake breakfast, or sake drinks).

Outside of that, there are some really good dishes, that sometimes under deliver, but probably the city's second or third best vegan restaurant. Friendly staff, and a great outdoor eating area in the back during the summer, LIVE will always be a favorite for us.

Best raw/vegan restaurant we've gone to! Love the layout of the menu. The food is unbelievable and the prices were actually great! Looking forward to my next visit.

I took my non-vegan mother here to celebrate my career and also to try out a new place. While the presentation of the food was spectacular, her portobello steak had hard particles in it that closely resembled earth. No big deal, we thought. Just take it back and give us a credit, right? The plate was mostly untouched. Nope, we got a sort of apology and half off that plate. Now, this is not a cheap location, so paying nearly 10 dollars for two bites did not suit us well. We asked for the bill and left - we will be sticking to the vegan places we know and love.
My raw combo platter was great, to be honest, but when the person you bring doesn't enjoy their food, you can't help but lose your appetite as well..

Check out my full review here: http://helloveggy.com/2013/08/12/live-food-bar-restaurant-review

I have enjoyed this restaurant for a number of years now but notice the prices are getting to be a bit much. They don't know how to make a good raw lasagna. I've always loved their desserts and brunch. The raw platter is now an absolute rip off for the small amount of food you get. Great drinks. I no longer feel the urge to go there for dinner but I will go back for brunch. The last time I was there, the service was painfully slow and it wasn't overly busy.

I have been a few times and my experiences have swayed from "oh my gosh, this is the best ever' to "send this back, I have lost my appetite".

Of course, the first time was the best, when I had the raw sampler. It includes 4 mini versions of their raw entrees. Granted not all were up my alley but I found some really delicious meals (the corn taco/nachos were great). I also recommend the chickpea fries.

I've returned to have some lack-luster stir fries and an even worse tofu omelettes (I figured a vegan resto couldn't butcher it but I was wrong). I'd suggest sticking to the raw foods since they have been better.

Their desserts are pretty good though. Nothing spectacular but ok. Their drinks are over-priced and don't taste that great anyways.

Fine dining restaurant with both raw and cooked food; healthy, well prepared food in a setting that is on the elegant side.

I found the various meals we got all tasted the same. Perhaps they were limited in the herbs on hand. It tasted good but there was nothing that distinguished one dish from the next, according to my tastebuds. Loved the gnocchi. Mmmm gnocchi...

This restaurant was a terrific surprise. I had the 'pizza' which, although not in any way recognizable as pizza, was delicious. I also had a green smoothie which was excellent. But perhaps best of all were the desserts. Their take on carrot cake was surprising and delightful. It literally melts in your mouth (probably because it's 50% tropical fats, but I didn't ask...). It was a bit pricey, but I'd eat here again as a special treat.

We came for brunch and enjoyed it as much as the first time we ate here. Three of us had the Tofu Omelet and one had the burrito; we all enjoyed the food immensely. There is an interesting selection of juices which are fun to try. It is not cheap but an excellent eat.

LIVE has gone way downhill since Chef Doug McNish left for Raw Aura.

On their website they still claim it's a vegan restaurant, but they have bee pollen in their drinks and honey in their desserts, and apparently have for quite some time.
[edited by staff- see tos]

I'd been thinking of coming here for a year or two, but wasn't so sure about a raw food menu. I also had other preconceptions that made me wonder if I could enjoy a vegan place with such a specific culinary mandate.

Being proven wrong was never so delicious! There are a few cooked options, but the "raw" aspect would not have been a problem. In fact, I preferred the raw dishes to the hot ones.

Presentation, cleanliness, mood, ampleness of menu, taste, purity of ingredients, wide selection, innovation of dishes, service, great feeling for having eaten "right", unpretentiousness of staff and clientele, location (right on subway station)... I couldn't have asked for better.

I was just taken out for my birthday, and will try to finagle my way back again with other friends for a belated celebration!

I really enjoy my meals at Live. While it is a bit expensive, you get what you pay for in healthy sized portions and very high quality food. At the time of this post, I'd have to say that Live is the best vegan/vegetarian restaurant in Toronto. The meals I have had there have been tastier than Fressen and far less pretentious. Their brunch items are incredible, the atmosphere is relaxed and clean, the staff is friendly, and it's a short walk to Casa Loma if you decide to head there on a date.

I went to Live just once, with my boyfriend. I might have liked it better if i would have make different choices. I had a green juice : expensive and really small. They forgot 2 ingredients, and the guy came to my table and just poured them on my glass in front on me. That was a bit weird. We ordered the raw poutine, and was excited about it. I did not liked it, my boyfriend did. I guess it depends on your taste! I had a big bowl with lots of greens, avocado, nuts, and grilled tofu. That was fresh and good. The tofu tasted amazing. My boyfriend had the tempeh crab cakes, and it was ok but not my type. Finally, the desserts we chose were the cheesecake ( average ) and the black forest cake ( amazing )for about 10$ each. I can understand that because i make raw cakes at home and it is really expensive.The server was rude, and looked bored, or tired. Maybe he was. But i have to say that we went there at around 9h40 thinking they closed at 11 but they closed at 10 so i was happy that they let us eat. I would be curious to come back to try more plates. I feel like i havent got all i wanted from this experience and i know it is part my fault, because i arrived late and made some wrong choices. But i also felt like that this place was not what i expected ( service, taste )...

First off, the food is delicious. I can't fault the food. The four times I've gone the food has been very good. But the price means that I average a visit once every half-year, and so far I've had two times with poor service, and two times with.. reasonable (not really good) service.

In the worst case the person I was dining with broke a tooth on a pit left in their pizza, and we ended up having an argument with the server if the tooth had actually broken there(!?) and got.. one free dessert.. which was too frozen hard to eat, even after waiting 20 minutes to try and let it thaw.

Besides the lacklustre service the food and menu is fantastic. I have enjoyed all the food I've gotten there (except the frozen dessert) and while the portions are small and the prices large, I find the food filling and good value given how hard work raw cuisine is. I would strongly recommend it for people thinking of converting to raw-foodism as a great way to appreciate the possibilities, and for people who can afford it more regularly than I can, but I do hope the next time I get a server who seems like they enjoy their job and doesn't vanish for most of an hour. Until I see that this is the case I can't give them more than "fair", given how strong service is to the dining experience. Lunch does seem to be better than dinner for service as well.