Toronto Vacation: CN Tower and 360 Restaurant

Outside CN Tower

We visited Toronto in early August. I had previously visited Toronto as a child, and we had skipped going to the top of the CN Tower, so it was on my to-do list for this trip.

Note: All prices listed are in Canadian Dollars and reflect pricing at the time of our visit. Pricing is subject to change seasonally and over time. Menus and movie attractions are also likely to change. 

When I looked up the information for visiting the CN Tower before the trip, I saw they had the 360 Restaurant which rotates while you eat. I had initially dismissed the restaurant as too expensive - $55 for lunch (adult) for a 3 course Prix Fixe menu. They do offer a 2 course child's menu of entree and dessert however they do not list the price on their website and I cannot remember how much it was.

Regular admission to the CN Tower is $32/adult, $24/child 4-12. The admission includes your elevator ride to the Lookout Level, the Glass Floor, Legends of Flight 3D movie, and Himalamazon a motion theater ride.

When I realized that the lunch price included your elevator ride and access to the Lookout Level and the Glass Floor, it suddenly did not seem so expensive (only $23 more than regular admission for adults, less for kids). While we did not receive admission to the 3D movie or the motion theater ride, we may have skipped them even with our paid admission.

We were able to obtain a reservation on the spot for lunch, at 11:45a. However, the restaurant quickly filled up and had we arrived even 45 minutes later, we may not have been so lucky. Your reservation can be made at the 360 Restaurant Kiosk next to the ticket counter. You then proceed to a special elevator for the restaurant (to the right). Prior to boarding your elevator they will take your picture in front of a green screen and while you are dining they will bring you a photo with the CN Tower view to purchase if you wish. Since we were arriving at the start of lunch when they were not fully booked, we were able to have our picture taken and board an elevator without a wait. We were also seated right away at a round table by the window looking out at Lake Ontario.

Seated at the Table

The central dining floor takes 72 minutes to rotate the 360 degrees. The windows and the inside supports for them are stationary as is the inner walkway around the restrooms, wine cellar, and stairs. It can be quite confusing to come out of the restroom and have your table be in a different location.  With the 3 course Prix Fixe menu we were in the restaurant for about 90 minutes so we were able to see the entire view. We were about halfway through a bus tour of the city before lunch, so we had some idea of what we were seeing and were able to find some landmarks.

The food was mostly good. I started with the 360 Caesar Salad and had the Crab & Mussel Spaghetti with Lemon and Arugula as my entree. Both were delicious and the spaghetti was a nice size serving. For dessert I had the Dark Chocolate Tower with Caramelized Bananas. I have to say that while the dessert looked fantastic, that I was disappointed in the taste. I did find that it improved if I ate the tower vertically instead of by level. With the kids menu, my daughter did not receive a starter (although bread was served to all). She selected chicken fingers for her entree and vanilla ice cream with a chocolate chip cookie. She called it a reverse ice cream sandwich since the cookie was wedged between two scoops of ice cream.

My daughter insisted that I take her picture returning from the restroom as she straddled the moving floor and the stationary floor.

I am so glad that we decided to do the 360 Restaurant. The restaurant is a level above the Lookout level and you have unimpeded views of the city and Lake Ontario that come to you. It was an extremely relaxing way to enjoy both our lunch and a view of the city.

We have been to the Sears Tower, Eiffel Tower, and many other lookouts over the years. While the 360 Restaurant rivaled other views, I was very disappointed with how the Lookout Level compared. About 1/4 of the Lookout Level windows are in the Horizons Restaurant which you cannot enter if you aren't eating. The Lookout Level was so packed (probably because it was a long weekend in Canada) that you could barely squeeze in to see out of a window. Also, there were no signs, or markers pointing out what you were looking at or what cities were in different directions. Fortunately we had taken a bus tour that morning and were able to pick out a few highlights.

The Glass Floor is located one level below the Lookout Level. When we had been to the Sears Tower a few years ago, my daughter and I had gone out onto their Ledge and looked through the glass floor to the street below. On the Sears Tower, the glass floor extends out from the building. However on the CN Tower it is the lowest level of the saucer at the top and is part of the regular structure. My husband again refused to venture out onto the glass floor, but my daughter and I braved it again. We were able to see the Ripley's Aquarium below.

View through Glass Floor

There is also the SkyPod that is 33 stories above the LookOut Level. SkyPod costs an additional $12/person to experience it. We did not make the trip up the additional level. And for brave teens and adults, you can do the EdgeWalk and walk on the edge of the roof the 360 Restaurant. You are harnessed, and are free to lean over

I was very happy with our trip to the CN Tower and having lunch at 360 Restaurant. I definitely felt that the price was worth it. Had we not done lunch, I think I would have been extremely disappointed in the experience. I definitely don't feel that the experience of the Lookout Level and Glass Floor was worth the regular admission cost.