Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse

Toronto's Most Serious Steakhouse, Now With a Room to Match

Walk into the fourth floor of CIBC Square at 81 Bay St. and the first thing you notice is the dry-aging room; glass-fronted, temperature-controlled, lit so the cuts are visible from the dining room. That visual is the whole argument for Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse in a single frame: this is a kitchen that wants you to see exactly what you're paying for before you order it. If you're booking a special occasion dinner in Toronto and steak is the format, this is where the city's most committed version of that experience lives.

The venue relocated to CIBC Square in 2025, adding a state-of-the-art dry-aging room and a piano bar to what was already one of the city's most formally executed steakhouse programs. The move planted Jacobs & Co. firmly in Toronto's Financial District, making it a natural anchor for business dinners, client entertainment, milestone celebrations within walking distance of the downtown core. For our full guide to where to eat across the city, see our full Toronto restaurants guide.

What You're Actually Getting

The kitchen, led by Executive Chef Danny McCallum since 2009, operates around a dry-aging program sourcing beef from Canada, Australia, Japan. The house works a high-temperature broiler and focuses almost entirely on dry-aged cuts. Wagyu is on the list, including A5 Japanese Wagyu, which is one of the highest grading tiers available and a useful benchmark for whether the price tier makes sense for your group. The $$$$ price point reflects a two-course spend well above $66 per person before wine; budget accordingly for a full table experience.

Wine program is the strongest supporting argument for the price. Victor Brum, who also serves as General Manager, doubles as sommelier alongside Kathleen Bradley. The list runs to 1,175 selections and 6,200 bottles in inventory, with particular depth in France (Bordeaux, Burgundy), Italy (Tuscany, Piedmont), California, Canada. Pricing sits at the $$$ tier with many $100+ bottles represented. Corkage is $50 if you're bringing something special. For a $$$$ steakhouse, having a Michelin Plate recognition (2025) and a wine list of this depth is a more reliable quality signal than any single review.

The Room and the Occasion

2025 redesign gives Jacobs & Co. the physical setting to match its ambitions. The addition of the piano bar makes this a workable choice for a two-stage evening: drinks and a pre-dinner moment before moving to the main dining room. The temperature-controlled wine cellar is visible from the floor, reinforcing the wine program's credibility rather than hiding it. For a business dinner where the room needs to signal seriousness without feeling stiff, the Financial District location and the visual of that dry-aging room do a lot of work.

For a date or anniversary dinner, the combination of the piano bar and the formal service model makes this a higher-ceremony option than most Toronto alternatives at this price. If you want a quieter, more intimate setting, consider Aburi Hana or DaNico instead. Jacobs & Co. rewards groups who want the full production: the room, the wine, the carving, the ceremony.

Booking and Timing

Book at least three to four weeks ahead for weekend dinners; Friday and Saturday evenings fill quickly, particularly since the CIBC Square move raised the venue's profile. Weekday dinner slots are more available and often the better choice for a business meal where conversation matters more than atmosphere. Lunch is served, which makes this one of the few $$$$ steakhouses in Toronto where a midday client meal is a realistic option. If you're visiting Toronto from elsewhere in Canada, note that comparable programs in other cities; Tanière³ in Quebec City, AnnaLena in Vancouver, or Jérôme Ferrer - Europea in Montreal, do not replicate the specific dry-aging focus Jacobs & Co. has maintained since McCallum took the kitchen in 2009.

No phone number or online booking URL is currently listed in the Pearl database; contact the restaurant directly through CIBC Square's directory or check current reservation availability through standard booking platforms. Dress code details are not confirmed in our data, but the setting and price tier indicate smart casual at minimum; for a business dinner, err toward formal.

Practical Details

Pearl Picks Nearby

• Prime Seafood Palace, if your group wants seafood at a comparable price tier
• Alo, for a tasting menu format instead of à la carte at the same price level
• Aburi Hana, for a quieter, more intimate high-end occasion
• DaNico, for Italian-leaning fine dining with a lighter touch
• Restaurant Pearl Morissette in Lincoln, worth the drive if wine is your primary interest
• The Pine in Creemore, for a Canadian countryside alternative
• A Cut in Taipei / Capa in Orlando, steakhouse comparison points if you're benchmarking the format internationally
• Narval in Rimouski, for an entirely different Canadian fine dining register

For more Toronto dining, hotels, bars, wineries, experiences: Toronto hotels, Toronto bars, Toronto wineries, Toronto experiences.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far ahead should I book Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse?

• Book three to four weeks out for weekend evenings. The 2025 move to CIBC Square increased demand, Friday and Saturday tables at this price tier fill faster than most Toronto steakhouses. Weekday dinner and lunch slots are easier to secure on shorter notice.

Does Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse handle dietary restrictions?

• The kitchen's focus is on premium beef, including dry-aged cuts and A5 Wagyu, so the menu is heavily meat-centric. If your group includes non-beef diners, contact the restaurant directly before booking, our database does not confirm specific dietary accommodation details. This is not the right venue if steak is not the central interest for most of your party.

Is Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse good for solo dining?

• It works for solo dining better than most $$$$ Toronto restaurants because the piano bar added in 2025 gives solo guests a counter-adjacent option that does not require occupying a full table. That said, the price point is significant for one person, the experience is calibrated toward groups of two or more. For solo fine dining at this tier, Sushi Masaki Saito's counter format is a stronger single-diner proposition.

Is Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse worth the price?

• Yes, if dry-aged beef is what you're specifically after. The in-house aging room, the depth of the wine list (1,175 selections, 6,200 bottles), and the Michelin Plate recognition in both 2024 and 2025 give you confidence that the kitchen's execution matches the price. If you want a tasting-menu experience at the same $$$$ level, Alo delivers more culinary ambition per dollar. If the steak format is right for your occasion, Jacobs & Co. is the strongest version of it in Toronto.

Is Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse good for a special occasion?

• Yes. The combination of the piano bar, the visible dry-aging room, the deep wine list, a formal service team makes it the most production-heavy special occasion option in Toronto's steakhouse category. For an anniversary or milestone birthday where the room and the ceremony matter as much as the food, it outperforms quieter alternatives. For a more intimate or less structured celebration, consider Aburi Hana instead.