We had lunch at their beautiful back patio today, which is a really great environment to relax on a summer afternoon. The goat cheese dip only came with 3 toast points, and considering there were 4 of us, the extra effort to toast one more piece of baguette would have been appreciated. The calamari was your standard pub fare; under-seasoned with a side of Mongolian fire sauce that lacked heat. Steamed mussels were good, but bread for dipping had to be prompted and it was tasty. Two of us ordered chicken pizza and the results were completely different, both in appearance and flavour. Odd. The portabella mushroom quesadilla was lacklustre with wimpy, dressing-less salad leaves underneath. Our waiter was inattentive and seemed bothered to have to clear the table, which we had to ask him to do. He took a "lunch break" during the middle of attending to us and loudly blamed the waiter a table over that "someone was supposed to cover for me". When presenting the long-awaited bill, he scolded us for "not telling him" to split the bill when we asked. There were 4 of us. Not difficult. Overall the staff and food didn't live up to the decor. Such a shame. read more

I'll give Allen's one star for their burger and wings. When ordered medium rare the burger is juicy and delicious (when ordered medium it was significantly drier, I wouldn't be as excited if I liked my meat well done). It's rare to be able to find a place that makes their burgers so that you can order them medium rare. Their wings were saucy and delicious. Another star for their patio. A sweet unexpected space. That's all the stars they get. One point off for charging for lettuce on the burger. That's just cheap. Want fries with your burger? That will be "about $5" extra. One off for the price! Everything was really over priced here, and as I mentioned above you feel really nickled and dimed over every bite. I paid $45 for a pint, a salad, and my share of some wings and fries. One point off for how poor that salads ordered were. Both the niscoise and the goat cheese salad were severely lacking. The niscoice was just a hard boiled egg, a tomato, and a handful of green beans. No lettuce, no presentation. Nothing. Barely any food. And the tuna that was served with it was overcooked. The goat cheese salad was under dressed, with two puny pieces of goat cheese. For $16 I expect more. One point off for rude service. The older gentlemen who served us was rude and snipppity from the very beginning. Yes, we were a large group, but we made a reservation, so it was known that we were coming. Our table was not ready for us, we had to wait about 40 minutes to add the last table to seat everyone. No one lit our candles, we had to do it ourselves. Our waiter was not helpful in recommending beers from their extensive menu, and he consistently gave the impression that he wished we were not there. We spent $600, and left feeling like we were an annoyance to him. I don't think any of us will be back. read more

Great patio in the back. Nice place for a few drinks but the prices were insane (they clearly arent aiming for the middle class here). The food wasn't that amazing either, was good but for the price *shrug* read more

I've been to Allen's what now feels like a million times, but we were in on Monday because it was a co-worker's birthday. And at my office that means a meal at Allen's, and yes, you are absolutely allowed to order the steak. I have had lots and lots of long boozy dinners here. The funny thing about this place that you will either like or not like, is that they are actually relatively formal about their service. They have very high standards about their beers and food - but the atmosphere is decidedly casual. The dichotomy is odd sometimes! But I like it, and I like their patio in the summer even more. There is a massive willow and at magic hour it is pretty magical back there. Also sometimes in the summer they have had free wine tasting at dinner, which can also turn things towards magical. Anyways, most recently I had their homemade bread (which is delicious and unchanged in like seven years) to start, and then a burger with swiss and sauteed mushrooms, half and half yam and potato fries on the side. It is indeed one of my favourite burgers in town. I've also had their Friday night steaks on multiple occasions and they are always great pieces of meat. I find that they do fish less well. Their scotch selection remains excellent, with lots of bottles brought back personally from scotland by the owner. If you ask them if they have "The Michael Jackson Book," they might produce a copy for you to go through while you order scotch. They have one of my favourite microbrews, King Pilsner. They also have good espresso. Summer night parking on the Danforth is not great to deal with so I usually just park at the Green P around the corner - and it's a hop-skip from the subway station as well. read more

Classy Irish pub with a higher-end food offering. We ate lunch on the patio and it's pretty stunning - tall, old trees give off a really nice vibe, it's covered, and it's also large without being too commercial. I ordered the pork chop and my wife the nicoise salad, both of which were great. Good drink selection and service was reasonable considering how busy it was. I'll definitely be back. read more

I have been here many times, so I am surprised I had not reviewed Allen's before. In warm weather the patio is gorgeous and when they grill on the patio it makes the experience that much better but it can get cramped and the chairs are tiny fold up style, not the most comfortable, but I guess that is their way of keeping patrons from staying too long. Almost every time I go, I order the burger. There are so few places that will serve you a rare to medium-rare burger, but Allen's can because they grind their own beef. If you order your burgers well done then you might not appreciate what is special about these burgers. My pet peeve is that the only mustard they offer is Dijon, and I am a fan of old fashioned yellow, so I either bring my own or go without. The onion is cut thick but suits the burger and the pickle is quite sour, so have a nibble before putting it on your burger in case you don't like it. On my last visit, I ordered fries, which cost extra, and they are not the best - very thick cut and not crispy enough, but my greater issue was that I had to ask for ketchup, and mid meal the waitress took it away to give to another table??!! The place was almost empty, being 10 pm on a Sunday night... Does that mean they only have ONE bottle of ketchup? And it's ED Smith not Heinz? I had to ask for the bottle of ketchup back - awkward! I'm not a beer drinker but my friends and hubby tell me they have an impressive list of beers here. The ketchup hoarding waitress was not the friendliest, but service was prompt. If the weather ever gets warmer, we will be back for the patio. read more

Glad that we ended up choosing Allens to have dinner and drinks, the place is very cozy staff are very friendly and they know the menu very well. Food is amazing I highly recommend the qinoua salad, the goat cheese and herbs dip and the mushroom quasadilla. I definitely will go back to this place to try other items on the menu. read more

When it comes to Allen's, I'm pretty predictable. Sit me down, pour me a beer, bring me a burger. Called it, great night, done. The beer list is great, the crowd is a generous age range of regulars and others, the servers know their stuff, and the food is stick-to-your-bones good. I've sat with people who opted for the fish and chips, the salmon, and the curry (complete with chapati); all were good when I sneakily extended my fork across the table towards their plates for a sample. But the burger, the burger, is what satisfies my occasional (fierce) craving for beef. As per the menu: every week Allen's gets a whole Angus steer delivered, which they butcher in-house. The burger patties are made from this, no fillers, no fancy-pants additions, no sides. I once ordered the fries as an add-on and they weren't worth the precious stomach real estate. Stick to the beer and burgers and it's a foolproof combo, folks. Yelp note: Allen's has A/C in the summer (phew!), but if you can stand the heat, and can find the space...the back patio is a true gem and oasis. read more

We went to Allens for a late lunch and ended up staying a lot longer than anticipated. Such a cozy vibe. The food was delicious accompanied by amazing service. The staff here are so friendly and welcoming. They also have a massive outdoor space out the back which looked amazing, can't wait to come back when it's open to hang out there. If you are near by definitely check it out, and if you like whiskey then you're a fool if you don't try it. Jason behind the bar is the reason we Staten longer than expected, but all the staff were amazing. We will hopefully be back. read more

Great ambiance and feeling of being in a live place - great patio, full place and the service was good. I was just happy to find a place that had that organic feeling of people having a good time. That's it - no magic, no Wizard of Oz or flying monkeys. It just feels right, and no pressure. Please visit the patio! They have a great beer list and overall I was pretty thrilled with the experience. If they had flying monkeys, it might have made it to 5 (actually, I didn't get a chance to try the food, so am holding out on giving it the full 5). Fun! read more

Allen's is known for it's burgers, or so it's menu says. However, after trying one of their famous burgers last night (a $16 privilege that includes exactly zero sides) I can safely say that it was one of the biggest casual dining disappointments I've experienced in Toronto. It's not that the burger is bad, it's just that there is no reason it needs to be sold at 25% premium when compared to most other competent pub or casual dining fare. Compounding the burger disappointment was terrible service. It took 15 minutes to be seated in a restaurant with lots of empty tables. The waiter rarely checked on us and it took forever for the food to arrive. It's not bad food, it's just overpriced and, in my experience, is delivered by staff that are in no hurry and don't seem to care about providing decent, let alone outstanding, service to patrons. Avoid. read more

I can't tell if it's a pub attempting to be a restaurant or a restaurant disguised as a pub. Either way it seemed wildly overpriced for what it was. I don't begrudge anyone for running a business, but the city has a wide selection of better steak places, burger places, seafood places...etc. Our dinner for two ran $150 with wine. If the bill was half that I would've been happy with the value, but as it was it just seemed like mediocre food at double the price. read more

Tony, our server, was amazing! From knowledgeable to entertaining and friendly. Definitely will come back to be served by him. The manager was fabulous as well. Thanks boys! read more

Been to Allen's a couple of times. This is a place for the company you are with, not the service or food. The policies are so very "twee." Ordered margaritas, one with salt rim. We were told "we don't put a salt rim on our margaritas." Here I thought it was my margarita as I was the one drinking it. The lunch bill was 136.73 before tax and tip. I asked for a little extra naan with the vegetable curry as the last time it was pretty skimpy. I got 1/2 of a naan and charged 1.50 extra. No discretion that with a lunch bill of 137.00 they could not pick up the naan? I cannot even get started on a burger for 17.00 and an extra 6.00 for fries. The only thing going for it is the location near the TTC and Danforth shopping. Will seek out another place when I return. Our finished dishes sat at the table piled to the side by us. After a long absence from the table, I signaled the server to come and clear them. I must also state that it was not busy, so no reason not to be more attentive. read more

Came back here on a Friday night on a spontaneous Friday night bar crawl. We were chatty and craving chicken wings. Allen's A1 sauce chicken wings hit the spot. They are definitely on my top 3 list of favourite chicken wings in the city. Randall is the best. He's easily been working there for 20 years (no offence!). On a Friday night at around 8:30 p.m. the joint was BUSY. You could feel the urgency of the watiers. But it's still a great place to be regardless the night. I personally like it on a weekday rather than a weekend night. But still, yum and yum. An old faithful. read more

At first entrance I didn't know if I felt old or young. By that I mean that the youngest people in there before I arrived had at least 20 years on me; so either I felt young surrounded by the old or I was now amongst the old. Having just turned 30 two weeks prior probably fueled that thinking a little too much. Even though the patrons saw a few more wars than I have, it by no means felt like an old folks home catching the early bird special. There was still an air of sophistication while walking through the plastic flickering candle-lit restaurant to our seats. We were seated right away at a table for two and quite promptly our drink orders were taken. So fast actually that we didn't even have a chance to look at the really long, two sided wine list. The menu was interesting as it had a lot of information, a little too much information I think while ordering food. If sitting alone I suppose reading the story of the restaurant and a really long paragraph about the burger is a good way to pass time, when with people it can just be confusing as to where the list of food is. My partner went with the Ontario burger with cheddar cheese and fries (a la carte), and I went with the chef recommend of pork tenderloin and chipotle mashed. When they brought the drinks I laughed to myself a little bit. We both ordered rum and coke and they came in little old-school diner juice glasses. Later when my partner ordered some water, it came in those same glasses. The plastic candle on the table was in an even smaller version of the juice glass. It actually felt weird drinking a rum and coke out of a narrow glass that feels like if you squeeze too hard it will shatter. But I digress, they are just glasses after all and they did hold our beverages the way they should. Less than 15 minutes for the food to come out which I have been finding to be a rarity these days. My expectations were met on the first bite into a very tender and juicy piece of pork. While the chipotle mash was a little inconsistant in texture and parts were too creamy for my liking, it was very flavourful as well. My partners burger was also juicy, thick and tasty. The fries that came with her meal were actually quite good as well. Not quite as well done as liked when asking for well done fries, but they were fresh thick sliced potatoe and really good. I kind of like that they didn't undercut the taste of the fries with salt or spices, another rarity. With a touch of sea salt and pepper on the table that you grind yourself, this was an overall great main course. The desserts were a little lacking, with most of the dessert menu being beverages and two of the five food related desserts were tarts of sorts. I went for a chocolate Guiness cake with sour cream icing. While the cake was a little dry and tasted too much of cocoa, it was still tasty and the icing evened out the cake quite nicely. I would recommend Allen's if you enjoy wine or just want a quiet atmosphere that is a little more romantic in nature than just a group of friends. The music, as well as just the general chatter, was a very respectable level to not have to raise your voice or strain your ears to hear your companions. The service was also quick and excellent. I am giving them four stars based on the service and the main course as I don't think it is fair to dock a full star just because of a lack of real desserts. The price of most of the menu could have also struck it down a little, but there are enough choices that are in a more reasonable price range that it is most that big an issue for most. I say check this place out if you are looking for a nice, quiet evening. read more

In the past week I have been to Allen's 3 times. The first day we had champagne for a birthday toast in the morning, then a group of 3 of us met for lunch another day...then breakfast where It was time to shoot video and blog about it and make it a Daily GEM. As soon as I walked in the staff were amazingly friendly and the patio blew me away how big and beautiful it was. The massive weeping willows stood tall protecting us from the heavy sun these hot days, and provided the best atmosphere by just being trees...but housing the birds that sang too. I haven't tried a hamburger yet, but my friend did...and it looked awesome. Complementary fresh bread and real butter, very clean...even outside - and very well prepared food - with class. If you go once...you will be back :) read more

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Really lovely atmosphere, with its old New York vibe. Nice spacious patio that we sat on and the food was really yummy. I had the polenta fries with the house made curry mayo (yum!) and the chicken and waffles. They were perfect, not too greasy, portion size was right and the waffles had a pumpkin flavour that just worked. Really good. read more

Allen's - Pumpkin waffles and fried chicken. All delicately but perfectly flavoured. - Irish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I will take shitty service here just to enjoy the beautiful back patio! It reminds me of a traditional Irish countryside pub. I was waiting for a leprechaun to pop out from behind one of the lovely giant oak trees. Can't comment on the food because I didn't eat here, but they had a good selection of beer. Proper Irish staff fr the most part and no Chinese customers, always a good sign! read more

Allen's is an institution on Danforth I keep forgetting about. The backyard patio with a giant tree is surprisingly as spacious as the vintage toned cinematic, well aged feels-like-imma-in-a-1940s-tavern insides. It's a pub with a bit of an upscale casual bent to it, at least when it comes to the grub it serves, where it aims to deliver a gourmet food experience instead of mere usual pub fare. Maybe it's a bit over-the top that there's a thesis statement on the quality of their ingredients on some of the many items on their hefty menu. Maybe it's a way of saying we're no college dive bar; it's a place you can bring a date, have a family lunch or run a small casual meeting at--the mature sense of the business is palpable. On that sense the service is generally great and accommodating; the prices a notch above affordable though. They got pizzas and fish and chips and such. The decent burgers are small but tall A.F. And they got an insanely extensive beer list that spans several chalkboards. But yeah, the popular patio. More like a big-ass homey backyard of a relative's place and you're expecting steaks fresh off the grill. {TTC: Broadview subway station; it's pretty much adjacent to the Danforth Music Hall} read more

Ok I'm updating my review here because I came for the scotch this time, which is what they are really known for. It was very nice. I went with a scotch connoisseur friend of mine who was visiting from out of town and he ordered us a scotch (crap I dont remember the name) that he couldn't believe that they had on their menu. It wasn't outlandishly expensive ($25 or so for a glass). I'm no scotch expert, but this was fine scotch. My friend was sufficiently impressed. It was smooth and had some really nice subtle smokyness without being too sweet. Go for the scotch not the beer. just don't expect much in the way of atmosphere. read more

15 bucks for a medium sized hamburger without any salad or fries? You have got to be kidding me. RIP OFF! My wife and I will not return, unless we start wanting to waste our money! read more

I was surprised to see servers in white dress shirts and black ties, having gotten a very pub-y feel from Allen's website and their frontage. When you crack open the menu, you're hit with some very high-end looking entrees (specials), but at very high-end prices...which made me a bit nervous about what the burgers - which I was excited about - would cost. Surprise! The burgers are all right in the $15-range, what I consider a standard non-fastfood burger price. We picked up the Goat Cheese Dip with Garlic Toast to start - while the dip was fantastic and the bread was great, they really didn't give you enough bread to fully enjoy the dip. But that's pretty nitpicky. I'd say the burger itself lived up to its reputation. I got the one with goat cheese - it came with a chunk of goat cheese the size of the burger patty itself, crisp lettuce, pickles, fresh-looking tomatoes, and this potent horseradish mustard that I loved. Plus, since they prep all their own beef, you have the option of how you want your burger cooked. I ordered mine medium and it was perfect - juicy and flavourful. Despite the awesome burger, the REAL thing that will bring me back is the patio in the back. The decor gives it a really cool vibe, and you get a decent amount of sun into the evening. I also REALLY appreciate that it's not overcrowded. Even with all the tables full, you're not shoulder-to-shoulder with every other customer. Our service was slow, but as I mentioned, they were completely full. We weren't in a hurry, our server was really nice, and everything came out perfect, so it didn't particularly bother me. read more

Super disappointed with my latest stop to Allens. Pro: (immediately) seated on the (beautiful) patio (expected to have to wait as per usual) Cons: $14 for a gourmet restaurant burger is understandable, but another $5 for fries?? Cold spring roll appetizer was $11 for 2 small-ish cold spring rolls with a few garnishes. Really? Would go back, but likely only for drinks on the patio. Shame. read more

Probably one of the best patios in the city. Out back is a great patio with the feel of a true beer garden. A large, spacey area so that even when it is super busy, it never feels crowded. Big arching trees right in the middle of the patio that provide much needed shade on those hot summer afternoons when you are out enjoying good food and drink with friends. Not to mention that the service is great and the food is fantastic! Eating inside is a nice experience as well. A nice, cool environment in which you can unwind and savor a few hours. You can also grab a drink out front where they have a couple of tables out on the sidewalk. But the patio is my favorite thing about this pub. read more

Cute pub right beside the Danforth Music Hall. Pretty busy on a Tuesday at 7PM. Sat at the bar and had a burger (which according to the menu is one of the best in Toronto) and was disappointed. It was FINE, but not great, and very expensive ($17 without any sides). My friend got fish and chips which he said were decent but also very expensive. Good selection of beer (about 10 beers on tap), and beer prices were a little more reasonable. I'm sure I'll end up here again for a drink before a concert but won't bother eating. read more

I went to Allen's for the first time last night after hearing some good reviews over the years. We arrived at 4pm for a glass of wine/beer. The white-haired waiter told me that the Reisling I ordered was a "4 or a 5... too sweet", in spite of the the LCBO giving it a "0" rating. Within the next half an hour he came by twice to see whether we were ready to order dinner. No, not at 4:30 in the afternoon. Finally, he told us that our table was reserved for 6:30 and that we would have to leave by then. When my companion asked another person who worked there whether we could reserve a table, he was told they don't reserve tables on St. Patrick's Day. My companion ordered a second beer and asked the waiter to recommend something. He did. I don't drink beer and I don't recall what it was but my companion tasted and said it was awful. I had a sip and if the perfumey scent wasn't enough to turn us off, the taste certainly was. He asked the waiter to please bring something else and I said, "That is really weird tasting". He walked off in a huff, saying, "Thanks for saying I have weird taste!" Pretty juvenile and very unprofessional. I wanted to order the mussels but I asked first if they were a good size because of the time of year. His reply was, "There's only one way to find out". I took the chance and shouldn't have. They were fairly numerous but really puny. My friend's meal was an Irish Wood Smoked Salmon with potato cakes, an expensive and very small serving. The service was appalling. read more

We dropped by for a quick pint after dinner at Pizzeria Libretto (see other review). We had hoped to go to Dora Keogh's next door but it was closed, so settled on Allen's instead. The decor is old world Irish pub with a hint of New York. There is lots of seating, either in booths, at the bar, in dining area or the huge patio out back. We settled on the bar and ordered two pints. My Mil Street Organic was flat and the bartender quickly changed it for a King Brewery Lager instead, which was much better. The crowd here is definitely older than Dora Keogh's, and it's a lot quieter which can be a good thing if you're looking for a quiet pint. It was a Sunday night and wasn't so busy, so we finished our pints and paid up. Perhaps we caught them on an off night but I wouldn't rush back for the atmosphere or Irish 'craic' as there simply wasn't any. A solid three stars for sure - decent but nothing that would blow your socks off. read more

With Allen's you actually get two pubs in one. Allen's the main pub and restaurant, and Dora Keogh (http://www.yelp.ca/biz/dora-keogh-irish-pub-toronto), an über-traditional Irish pub that is so traditional, you can use words like "über" to describe it and it won't even flinch. Both have their trappings and their purpose, but Allen's is definitely the place between the two where you venture in for a meal. A mainstay on the Danforth, Allen's is always shoulder-to-shoulder and busy due to its location, it's backyard-enclosed patio, and not least of which, its food. With lunch and dinners both fresh and delicious, you get to see why the place is packed. Friday and Saturday nights are by far the busiest, so be fairly warned. The beer list is substantial, the menu is wide but not to the point of being overwhelming, and the flavours come from the use of fresh and, in some cases, exotic ingredients. If ever you thought that British food is boring, think again. read more

The first time the lady and I went here, back in 2004, I thought the burger was one of the best I had ever had. Well, I've since had the best burgers that New York, Chicago and LA have to offer, and I can say that while the Allen's burger is tasty and well-textured, it's not exactly earth-shattering. Also, "We also serve what are widely considered to be Toronto's best burgers" = most Canadian sentence ever written on a menu. So... + great beer list, including 10+ local Ontario craft brews in addition to the "house" brew (brewed by Amsterdam Brewing Company) + pretty good burger; if you've ever had DuMont Burger in Williamsburg... it's like that but not quite as good + classic Irish pub ambiance - pricey - fries blow - service not great and server not very helpful - hard-to-read beer list - menu hasn't changed in 5 years and still doesn't list the burger... which is what they're famous for In sum: if you're in the neighborhood and you don't mind overpaying for an overhyped burger and some decent suds, do it. But if you're going to make a special trip, save yourself the heartache and buy a bus ticket to New York. read more

It's a bit dicey but the patio out back is enormous. I would probably go again but just for the beer. It was a bit quiet on the Sunday evening that we went, but we were in the neighbourhood. It's an Irish pub, but I wouldn't say that it's genuinely Irish. Service was friendly and the beer selection was gigantic. Come here for a quick pint but I wouldn't linger for long. From the reviews below, this place appears to be a hit or miss. So come prepared to stay longer or leave sooner than expected. read more

In the mood for some pub grub, we ended up at Allen's. As we waited to be seated, we felt a bit ignored... Sorry, I like smiles and warm welcomes! But once we sat down, the service was attentive, they helped us hang our jackets and pulled our our chairs. It's a nice pub, non-sticky floors, extensive beer list on the wall. Fish and chips were tasty! Halibut wasn't over battered and the fries were crispy and golden. Lamb pie was nice. Tasted like something someone's mom would make. But wasn't overly exciting. I saw a little kid eating a burger. I wanted to take his burger. It looked delicious! Overall, a nice place. A bit pricier than expected considering I was still hungry after my meal. But I would return again to try some other things and have a pint. read more

Wow this place has great food, and holy awesome patio! If you want a patio that is really spacious and isn't crowded, yet still gorgeous, look no further. Food is fantastic, I've been 3 times and every time it was just stellar. The burgers were fantastic, probably the best I've had in the city. But yes it's pricey. Too pricey if you ask me. I'll take a point away just for that. But still it's a great little joint, good selection of beer, friendly staff, amazing food.... and a great patio. Cheers. read more

LOVE THEIR PATIO! This place has one of the nicest patios in Toronto. Who wouldn't want to enjoy a pint of their favourite beer under the canopy of the two majestic trees they have. The tables are well spaced out, the patio is enormous and they could easily pack another 5 or 6 tables back there, but they chose not too and this makes that space all the more comfortable and inviting. They have built-in seating surrounding the trees, so you can't help but feel like you're in someone's fabulous backyard. Their beer list is extensive and their wine offerings are impressive as well. Service was quick and our waitress was friendly. One thing of note...we had visited another pub earlier in the evening and we're given a list of "don'ts" before our server would even take our order, due to "by law restrictions" and yet 4 doors down, those restrictions (no tables of more than 6 ppl, tables couldn't be moved) somehow magically disappeared at Allen's. To be fair, I didn't try their food, but I'm basing this review on my beer drinking enjoyment and this place was near perfect. I'll update the review once I've tried their food. read more

This is a review for their brunch service and beers. I've managed to make it here 3 times for brunch and once for beers, and have yet to be disappointed once. The ATMOSPHERE: Allen's is a homey place on the Danforth that seems to attract quite a regular (and slightly older) clientele. It has a comfortable, welcoming vibe and a nice sunny patio. The FOOD (brunch edition): They have some of the best eggs benedict (and variants) that I've had in Toronto combined with a generous of serving of perfectly balanced Hollandaise sauce. They get a bit creative with the sides working things like a sweet potato hash in instead of home fries (yum). I will also compliment their French Toast which is just sinful. The other thing I've noticed is that they usually have one or two quite excellent vegetarian options. They also have more lunch-like items, such as sandwiches available as well. The DRINKS: On the BEER side they have quite a selection...about 10-15 taps and quite a large bottle list. Like any Irish Pub, you have your Guinness, but they manage to work some of the macro-micros onto the list, and occasionally even some real micros. The bottle list includes a decent (and quite pricey selection of Belgians). The thing to rave about, though, is their SCOTCH selection...it's quite the library of this potent potable. They're pretty expensive, so I've been glad to not be tempted at the brunch hour. The SERVICE is almost always quite friendly, prompt, and attentive. I've never had the slightest complaint here. It's that nice mix of friendly and just slightly formal that keeps it on point and comfortable. OVERALL, Allen's is a very tasty place for a comfortable, relaxed brunch. They prices are just a tad bit on the high side, which is the primary drawback. read more

A very disappointing experience I have to say....went there with a lot of hopes...the food was good but the service was absolutely terrible...unfortunately the server who served us came across as a racist person....just her tone shrike she spoke to me n my friends was very derogatory....went there for a birthday celebration but felt more pressure from the server than a feeling of welcomeness...we were looking to enjoy some drinks first before we got something to eat...but the server kept on pushing us to order food...even warned us that if we're sitting in the patio we will have to order food....which we were planning on neways but after a few drinks...even the drink service was super slow...had to wait almost 20 mins for a drink every time I ordered one...that is way too much even if the restaurant is full... All my friends and myself are foodies as most of us are from the same industry so we know how it works...but I have never come across such bad and racist behaviour on a servers end....we very well know what tip means to servers so I personally make sure I tip at least 20% of my bill but because of my experience at allens I tipped only 15%....though one of my friends was extremely upset with the servers attitude and decided to majorly undertip...the server came and argued with us regarding the same.... feel bad for the kitchen who had done an awesome job...the food was good but I would never recommend the place to anyone on account of its service and customer interaction... read more

It's an over priced pub with small portions...Had the fish n chips and it was all batter! Never going back.

Two words: STEAK FEST!!! I couldn't go through Toronto without a visit to Allen's again. But the Steak Festival that was going on was a perk. The menu listed out a variety of meats, which farms they came from, what the cows were fed, etc. I'm a huge supporter of local foods so this was a real treat. I went with a local farm (Miller?) grass-fed only sirloin cooked rare. All meats were aged a minimum of 30 days. It was delish! Topped off the meal with a scotch. Their selection of scotches still blows me away. Service was prompt and courteous. The waiter new a lot about the steaks and scotches. This place stays tops on my list. read more

Last night before a concert 4 of us went for dinner. 4 mains 2 cocktails 1 good bottle of wine that was $80- this is mentioned for context. I had the burger with cheddar and peameal bacon. Peameal was raw in the middle. Allen's solution? The manager has decided that we will remove the cost of the peameal from the bill. Mickey Mouse operation. Btw burger was not worth the cost. Will obviously not return read more

One of the best burgers in the city. Definitely. Patio is lovely, you almost forget youre in the bustle of Toronto. The atmosphere is great too...what I think of as a typical East End attitude. Laid back, a mix of young and old, couples and families, groups and pairs. My only beef: Last time I was here, I had a great salad with grilled chicken breast. I went back, about a month later and recommended the salad, or what i presumed to be the same salad, to a friend. But it had changed! Instead of a full grilled chicken breast, there was only a half breast meagerly chopped atop. They forgot the dressing and brought it on the side. The salad definitely went down hill. If their other food is going down hill as well, this might get a quick decrease in rating. read more