Classic diner vibe which alone is worth a visit. Add the classic diner fare with regional specialties - and a visit is basically mandatory. If my home town had one of these - I'd be a regular. read more

Avenue Open Kitchen - Steak n eggs - Diners Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Avenue Open Kitchen has a casual, old-school feel that gives it some charm. The food was decent and comforting enough for a simple meal, but overall the experience felt pretty average. Service was fine, and everything went smoothly, just nothing really stood out in a memorable way. It's an okay spot if you want something straightforward and low-key. read more

This is one of those quintessential diners that you don't find anymore. There are seats at the counter and a few booths if you want to have some back support. We got a traditional breakfast of eggs, bacon, home fries and toast.... The food was excellent. The eggs tasted fresh and you could tell by the color of their yolks that they were either organic or farm raised. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Lots of character, lots of great flavors, nice antique car in the front for those loving the decor and ambiance. read more

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3.5 - this place has been in my yelp saved list for YEARS already. My partner and I went here before my evening shift and luckily we did not have to wait long for a table. The setting of the restaurant was traditional and the table we sat at was a bit sticky haha which was no surprise. I ordered the burger with fries while my partner got the smoked meat sandwich. We thought both dishes were average, not bad. They gave a good portion of food for both dishes and it was neat to see the kitchen very open. Overall I am glad I got to try this place and can happily check it off my list of places to try. read more

Avenue Open Kitchen - Diners Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Quite a little hole in the wall, was empty when we showed up but filled up within 15 minutes of my friend and I sitting down. Felt like a classic diner but with some Greek flair. The Montreal smoked meat was, true to its name, seasoned somewhat differently than pastrami, and was generous portion when served as a sandwich. My friend's breakfast platter with Montreal Smoked Meat instead of more traditional breakfast meats also met with broad approval. And the poutine was pretty good, although I am not an authority here so I won't get too into details. Ended up liking this place much more than I expected. Just beware of the narrow stairs to the bathrooms upstairs. read more

Avenue Open Kitchen - Montreal smoked meat sandwich. - Diners Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Best breakfast in all of Toronto. Well worth the wait. If you want a tiny diner with amazing hasbrowns (always ask for extra crispy) you can rely on them waiting for you here. Check the hours, they ain't waiting all day for you. read more

Super cozy little deli with very friendly staff and good prices. Can get a little busy at times but worth the wait.

A quaint little spot with an old time diner feel. The service was fast and friendly. I ordered the chicken souvlaki, and it was hands-down the best I've ever had. The chicken was perfectly seasoned and grilled, and the homemade tzatziki sauce was creamy, fresh, and full of flavor. My daughter's bacon burger and fries were equally as tasty. Everything was hot and fresh! read more

Avenue Open Kitchen - Diners Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Last couple of times I ordered from Avenue Open Kitchen the food wasn't enjoyable. Both the roast beef sandwich and french fries + gravy was super salty and the meat was dry -not juicy like before. Food used to be far better prior to pandemic. Thought would give Avenue Open Kitchen another try After a year. The hot hamburger didn't include veggies. Gravy was so salty. Even without gravy the fries alone are super salty. Never eating here again. read more

Great place for breakfast. The food was old school in a good way, nice portions, did not try to be pretty and quality ingredients. I had the eggs with Montreal meat, huge portion of meat and a side of bacon. Nice hash browns and appreciated the option for rye toast. Good place for a dependable breakfast. read more

Avenue Open Kitchen - Eggs and Montreal meat - Diners Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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It's a small but cute breakfast diner. There's 3 booths and single seats available. It's a no frills kind of place with classic items. If you're craving greasy salty comfort food that feels nostalgic then this is your place. The service is also good. A couple of friendly dudes working hard for the money. It feels like a hidden gem the moment you walk in considering the area is around the corner from all the fancy smancy king st. restaurants. Their "side" Smoked montreal meat poutine was large! I would say easy on the gravy (1-1.5scoops) and have the remaining scoop on the side because the salty flavour does build. Their cheese curds is a good quality and the strings pull quite far when melted. Fun, I know! Got their bacon and tomato grilled cheese sandwich, onion rings, and burger. All of which didn't disappoint though I'd skip on the grilled cheese if I could order something else. I'd definitely get their smoked Montreal meat sandwich next time because the chunks on the poutine was delicious. Wouldn't mind biting into a mountain of it. But what I truly regret not doing is ordering the smoked Montreal meat to eat at home to make my own sandwiches later this week! read more

Avenue Open Kitchen - Diners Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Arrived into Toronto on the redeye and found our way to downtown. Needed a quick meal before taking a long nap at the hotel and found this great little local diner. We sat at the counter and got to watch the short order cook do his magic. Service was friendly and attentive. Food was exactly what you want it to be from a diner. Poutine with Montreal smoked meat - We had to look up what Montreal smoked meat (MSM) is, but it's basically a fattier version of pastrami. This "side dish" is a full oval plate of fries with a generous portion of cheese curds and meat, covered in plenty of gravy. I fell in love with poutine years ago, so I was damn sure going to order it in a local Toronto diner, and it did not disappoint. The only thing that wasn't perfect is that I didn't get the full effect of the MSM because the rich gravy somewhat hides it. Still good, but if you really want to experience the MSM then this isn't the ideal way to do it. Peameal bacon sandwich - Again, we needed to research what peameal bacon is. It's kind of like a more tender hamsteak. Simply done as a fried steak on a kaiser with mayo, lettuce, and tomato, this was a simple but delicious sandwich that was a nice companion to the poutine and did an excellent job as an introduction to peameal bacon. If you're ever in downtown Toronto and interested in simple diner fare done well, this is definitely a place you should check out. read more

Classic. Tasty. Staple. Been going here for over 15 years. Go to breakfast, club sandwich, soups, grilled cheese

Stopped in here in a Thursday morning for breakfast and so glad we did! It's a small hole in the wall but what a gem! This is a classic city diner! The sugar pourer and mismatched salt and pepper shakers are so nostalgic and typical of a small diner. The open kitchen is legit!! We sat at the counter (there were no empty seats, a great sign)! The server was super nice and attentive! I ordered the cheese omelet and home fries with rye toast. I asked for the home fries to be well done but that was not really in the cards since the flat top grill was constantly in use and the home fries are legit potatoes with no oil so they'd have to cook for so long! The cook explained it to me after and i appreciated that he doesn't add anything to them. The omelet was good, exactly what you'd hope for at a diner. My mom loved her BEC on rye! The coffee is ground fresh on site and was good. The prices are reasonable and you can really feel the love from these guys! read more

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I've got a soft spot for Toronto-Greek diners that dot the city and they never completely leave my mind. Avenue Open Kitchen (since 1959) is one of those and within a 10 minute walk from my apartment so I'm a regular. They have a patio outside on the sidewalk in nicer weather, as well as booths along the wall and my favourite, single round seats along the open kitchen counter letting you watch the open-kitchen action and the grills behind the bar. I love their home made soup, oily, salty and served with saltine crackers so yummy! My favourite order here is the Montreal Smoked Meat! So delicious with the fatty little bits and dripping with grease omg absolutely awesomely great. Served on rye bread with mustard and a kosher pickle on the side, they do these all day long and know how to load it up and still have it not fall apart. My other favourite here is the classic Toronto Peameal Bacon anything. You can get this many places in Toronto and around southern Ontario, but these guys buy the good stuff and know how to cook it so it is not tough and melts in your mouth. My favourite peameal way is either part of a bacon and eggs breakfast where I make little sliders from the toast, egg and peameal, or even better, with tomato and lettuce on a kaiser! They do this well here too. Keep in mind all these orders do not travel well so they are best enjoyed at the diner, especially something like the MSM sammie where the fat will soon soak the bread turning it to mush and making the sammie a mess. Get in line (sometimes a half hour wait on weekends) sit down, start a silly Toronto conversation, slurp up the mediocre bottomless coffee, eat your meaty marvellous meal, and get out, someone else is waiting! read more

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What a hidden little gem this spot is. It's a small old-school diner, with the classic counter and booths and an open kitchen right in front of you. The staff are friendly too. I got a breakfast sandwich which was pretty good, nothing to write home about but got the job done at a reasonable price. Would totally come back here for a solo quick breakfast. read more

Staff (owners) very friendly, service fast and great food. We had the bacon and eggs ( 3 of them) breakfast. A place we'll go back to.

A hole in the wall is usually a great place for food and conversation! The first thing that I get offered on a rainy day in Toronto is coffee. And it was delicious! I ordered a plain hamburger with a side of fries and my husband ordered a triple decker sandwich, which is a BLT but with chicken. The food came in quick and hot. My hamburger was seasoned perfectly. A plentiful side of fries that were crispy and salted perfectly. Add a can of ice cold coke and I felt like I was back in the States. The price was very reasonable. My husband and I spent about 15 minutes speaking with a manager. A very interesting man! If you are ever in the Keningston Market area, walk an extra 15 minutes to this diner. Well worth it! read more

We made a day trip to Toronto and stopped in for lunch here, very much enjoying the sandwiches and service. The meat on each was piled high, and recommendations were good. Both of our kids finished their meals which says a lot. Would recommend. read more

Stopped into this cozy spot based on yelp's recommendations and were not sorry. Food was fast and fresh, service was great and reasonably priced. If you find yourself needing breakfast downtown, you won't be sorry. read more

Avenue Open Kitchen - Smoked meat and eggs - outstanding!! - Diners Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Instant classic. An early lunch with some colleagues called for breaky and we were not disappointed. Stellar reviews on the smoked meat sandwich and the peameal sandwich. When you do the simple things this perfectly, there's not much room for improvement. Sit at the counter for the real experience. read more

Happily I do not suffer from high blood pressure, if I did my omelette with no salt or flavor would have been great. My friend reported his sandwich did not taste like anything. The place is small and busy, the service is good and quick, but the food was underwhelming. read more

Solid diner to grab breakfast or lunch. My group enjoyed a couple breakfast sandwiches, the roast beef, and the chicken souvlaki. Prices were fair for the portions, and service was fast despite a full patio. I'd recommend this spot if you're in the neighborhood! read more

Avenue Open Kitchen - Inside - Diners Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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No review as such. An old style diner with old style servings, not quite old style prices but great value for money.

Thank god I'm not a vegetarian because I would not be able to eat here lol Smoked meat sandwich is always my go to when I visit this place. The meat is super juicy and with a side of fries goes so well. I usually go here for my lunch break and it fills me up everytime. The place is clean and would definitely give them a visit if I was you. read more

Ordered Montreal smoked meat combo here. Was excited to try because of the stellar reviews on Yelp, but was disappointed by the service. Immediately noticed the server was not wearing mask or gloves. Counter was not cleaned when preparing the sandwhich. Food was medicore...not worth the trip. read more

Avenue Open Kitchen - Montreal smoked meat - Diners Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

This is a fun spot and definitely a very real "greasy-spoon" diner...not a hipster spot made to look like one. The food was OK - kind of what you'd expect from a regular-way diner. My peameal bacon, egg, and cheese was only OK on the basis of being served on white bread, which just made the whole thing feel kind of dry but not bad. I liked the poutine but found it *slightly* salty, and I almost never say that about any food. The thing that blew me away, randomly enough, are their homemade pickles. I ended up eating like 6 pickle spears...they are so sour and flavorful. Definitely not your standard grocery store / restaurant supply jarred pickle. Good spot if you need comfort food for some reason, but be prepared to leave smelling like the fryer as this place is TINY. read more

So so good!!!! The service was amazing and the food was delicious!! Visiting from the states and I'll definitely be back on my next trip to Toronto! read more

I ordered a Chicken Souvlaki wrap from Avenue Open Kitchen for takeout. The service was friendly and it's definitely a busy place for lunch. The wrap included grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato and taziki (sorry for my butchered spelling). Honestlty the sauce was a miss - it was not super creamy or flavourful. The chicken was a bit dry too. I wish it was better but it just wasn't. Also, I wish this had fries in it because that's how it's done. Overall, for a $8 lunch, it was alright. read more

Avenue Open Kitchen - Diners Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

In retrospect, it might have been a mistake to order anything but a sandwich from a deli. But I'm a big believer in the idea that if you put an item on your menu, you'd better make sure it's just as good as whatever your specialty is. All this to say I ordered a Chicken Souvlaki Wrap and thought it was passable. It wasn't bad, certainly, but it also didn't even come close to knocking my socks off. It arrives simply on a plate, unwrapped, which seemed like a weird choice, but whatever. I quickly folded it up and took a bite, and it's...fine. The chicken is definitely on the dry side and the sparingly-applied tzatziki is far from the most flavorful I've ever had. But, I mean, it's a chicken souvlaki wrap and you just can't go wrong with that. If I ever return, though, I'll definitely try one of their many deli sandwiches. read more

Great classic diner with lunch counter. Friendly family operation with cool lunch counter + booth vibes. Mostly classic favourites with a few Greek options thrown in. I had both a breakfast and a lunch here. Great club but the hot beef and hot chicken sandwiches looked boss read more

Maybe my expectations are too high, but I expect people who handle my food to do so in a sanitary manner. The last time I ordered a sandwich here, I watched the man at the front handle cash, slice meat, and make a sandwich without putting on gloves or washing his hands. No thanks, never again! The first time I ordered here it was for beef stew, which comes with buttered bread, corn, and mashed potatoes. Definitely too much for me to eat during lunch. The food was pretty good. There are a few seats inside, so expect to order to go. This place only accepts cash. read more

Avenue Open Kitchen - Diners Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I don't understand the hype with this place. The food was decent and the price fair but I'm docking off stars for the poor service I experienced. To start, there were no tables when we arrived around 12:30pm on a Saturday which was expected but there was also no greeting or acknowledgement that we were there waiting for at least 10 mins. The tables were dirty and sticky when we were invited to sit down, when water was brought to our table, the server split it all over the table and had to clean it up ourselves. Two coffees were charged when only one coffee was ordered and when we mentioned it to the server, we were still expected to pay for two. The bill is also hand written and calculated and the actual amount when the server tallied it up on the register turned out to be different from what was on the bill. The worst part is the sneaky menu for breakfast, there's an additional $1 charge for breakfast after 11am written in fine print. I don't mind paying $2 more dollars but I don't appreciate surprise amounts on bills. The meal turned out to be around $30 including tax and tips for two omelettes which is not cheap either to justify the poor service. A lot of things went wrong and it was not a pleasant experience to kick off the weekend. read more

Avenue Open Kitchen - Diners Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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My wife and I just finished eating here and let me tell you, it did not disappoint!!! Definitely a hidden gem! My only regret is passing it up for breakfast yesterday during my stay. It's a quaint old school diner feel with excellent service and delicious food!!!!! The server (sorry I didn't get his name) was so nice and personable and kept the coffee coming ( he must've known I needed it lol). My wife had the French toast with bacon, she absolutely loved it. I had the bacon egg and cheese sandwich with a side of their delicious home fries!!! (So tasty) Overall a great place to eat, I would give it 10 stars if I could!!!! read more

Avenue Open Kitchen, Toronto on Camden Street Of of Spedina -- Do not be turned off by your initial impression; this is an ancient diner with a counter and stools and booths - it's not retro, it's real! Wonderful staff, they cook what you want the way you want it, classic flat top grill burgers - my husband was thrilled they put a slice of ham in his grilled cheese and cooked it exactly how he said. He was ecstatic that they cook the burgers on the flat top with the buns right next to them so the buns get just that right but of juice from the meat on them as they brown. They were genuinely happy at our compliments and that they had pleased us! In an era of "there's always another customer", this treatment made us real fans!! This really great, tiny mom and pop restaurant, has been run by the family for decades - a steak sandwich is just that ... a steak on a bun (not that thin sliced stuff) cooked perfectly with steak sauce condiment; chicken soup like my grandma used to make (you know when the chicken is real and that little bit of chicken fat floating on top that makes the broth so rich and flavorful....and great onion rings! Looks like a dive, tastes like heaven and happy memories of what real cooking is all about!! read more

Avenue Open Kitchen - Diners Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Peameal Bacon Sandwich, Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich and the Chicken Souvlaki is pretty good, too bad they didn't have Pork Souvlaki

This is a hole in the wall authentic diner. Name makes sense because you can literally see what they are cooking right in front of you if you sit at the bar. Came on a hungover Saturday morning looking for a no fuss meal without a horrendous wait in line, and was satisfied. At 10:30, there were a handful of available seats inside. We didn't have the best server (no water refill, didn't seat us or give us a menu) but for the price and zero wait time it was still good. I ordered the bacon and eggs (comes with home fries and white, whole grain, or rye toast), and my boyfriend had the french toast (which was good) and an orange juice. The juice was in the bottle and not poured into a glass. Their omelets looked really good, if I come back next time I want to try those! read more

Avenue Open Kitchen - French toast - Diners Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Avenue Open Kitchen is a Toronto staple, and one of the last remaining "old school" diners. The staff have all worked there for years and the place has hardly changed, as evidenced by the pictures on the wall dating back to the '50s and '60s. We dropped by for breakfast on a chilly Saturday morning and ordered the peameal and eggs, and sausage and eggs respectively. Our food arrived quickly and was just what the doctor ordered - soul food. While not exactly healthy, we left with full bellies and not significantly lighter wallets with our bill coming to $28.50 including tax and tip. I would recommend coming early as it can definitely get busy late morning/early afternoon. Tip: Closed Sunday's. Head across the street to The Coffee Lab for a delicious espresso afterwards. read more

Good place for breakfast. Quantity is huge in the Torontonian standard. The old lady speaks softly and can be hard to understand if the environment is noisy. When ready to pay, grab the bill on the table and walk to the cashier machine. read more

This place has your old school greasy spoon feel. The service is a little weird and not exactly up to Toronto standards, but the food is fast and fresh! The peameal bacon breakfast is good (nice thick pieces of peameal), the potatoes are delicious! The eggs are eggs and the toast is toast. My friend said the omelet was underwhelming with the cheese not actually being melted in, but folder into a hot omelet. The lunch/dinner pieces looked delicious (some kind of club sandwich, the steak and eggs and the poutine). Good cheap eats! Excellent for students and the morning after long nights. read more

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