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    Boxcar Social

    3.3 (101 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Boxcar Social Photos

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    BOXCAR SOCIAL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Casual
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    Recommended Reviews - Boxcar Social

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    a man standing at the bar
    Jennifer R.

    One of the few waterfront restaurants I have ever been to that lived up to its location. Go for the view and stay for the great food and service. Our server was absolutely lovely and we enjoyed all of the drink options. The fresh lemonade was so good on a very hot day. They have a full bar and also operate a coffee bar. The lunch menu was somewhat limited, but offered some nice lighter options for a small meal. Great open air atmosphere with beautiful views of Lake Ontario.

    Chopped salad + falafel. The whipped feta is life changing :)

    Quick service, clean dining room, and delicious food. Our party had the French toast, turkey BLT, and chopped salad with falafel. Everything was fresh and delicious. Service was excellent. The harbor view is awesome too. We will be back!

    View from the patio
    Pranav M.

    Was on a walk this morning and decided to stop in for a quick bite and coffee Got an Americano and the breakfast eggs which is two eggs, some salad, two slices of sourdough, a few potatoes and we subbed the bacon for their veggie patties. Really tasty, only complaint is the portion size is quite small for what you pay for. Very kind staff

    Classic house burger
    Koji S.

    Not going to lie, based on purely the food and drink it might be closer to 3 stars - there are maybe two or three items on the menu that I would consider ordering as a main; the burger I did order was very good. The "Boxcar Martini" was kind odd, with the froth and almond milk creating a texture that only vaguely resembled that of an espresso martini (let alone a regular martini). (In the past I've ordered a Yuzu beer that I quite liked.) But the wonderful location overlooking the harbour boardwalk seals it - few other places in the area can offer the same sort of gorgeous views. Will be a frequent repeat customer for this reason!

    Flat white and almond croissant
    Maddy B.

    Boxcar social is one of the only few cafes situated on the waterfront which serves light bites and coffee. Whilst it's a little difficult to find due to the construction going on, it's just round the back of the harbour front centre with a slightly instructed but pleasant view of the waterfront. The interior is super trendy and huge, with options to sit outside on some benches as well. The menu is quite limited but with a focus on the coffee, it makes sense. Staff are super friendly but are limited in what they can do, my friend just wanted a grilled cheese and whilst they had the ingredients, they can't offer options. Saying that, there is some options for breakfast including a vegetarian option. I opted for the flat white and an almond croissant. The almond croissant was a little disappointing, tasting a little stale and chewy. However the coffee definitely made up for it - smooth and creamy, it's exactly how I love my flat whites. Definitely will come here again for the coffee, it's ace.

    a long rectangular plate of food
    Andrew L.

    A fantastic spot for a drink or coffee by the water. The outdoor patio provides a nice view of the lake, while the music from nearby areas contribute to the ambience. We tried the hummus platter which was delicious! It comes with three different versions that are incredibly unique and flavourful. Highly recommend the beet one as it brings a nice tanginess. An awesome dish to share as a group!

    Cavatelli
    Denise S.

    Great alternative to the chain coffee shops in the area. This is a vast improvement from the cafeteria that was previously here. Prime location overlooking the Harbourfront Centre and lake. It's right next to the skating rink (in the winter) and pond thing (in the summer -- which people hilariously try to "canoe" in, even though it's about 1 foot deep!). The decor and vibe is similar to other Boxcar locations. It's a great place at any time of day, both as a coffee shop, somewhere to eat a meal, or for a drink. There's plenty of seating, including several long communal tables and patio seating. There's wifi and in the quiet parts of the day, it's an ideal place to read or get some work done. Food options are much more robust compared to most cafes. They have a nice selection of paninis and salads at lunch. The fries portion is huge! Unfortunately, I found the fries super salty and their seasoning was overpowering. I've been here for dinner and they have a few small plates/sharing items. There aren't many "entree" type dishes, but there is a cavatelli dish that could be a main course and it was delicious. This area is such a culinary wasteland, so Boxcar is very much welcome here and definitely my go-to for Harbourfront eats.

    No TP
    Nathan H.

    This place is one of the biggest tourist traps I have ever been to. The food is decent but extremely overpriced. The bathrooms are some of the dirtiest I have ever been in. The food came out piece by piece with no rhyme or reason. I noticed a girl asking other tables if the food was theirs. I had to stand up and ask for manager to have my wife receive her food after 30 minutes of everyone else receiving theirs. Do not bring children to this establishment as there is no kids menu. I was able to have my kids share the fried chicken sandwich. Stay away - if their kitchen is anything like their bathroom I'm worried

    Geraldine G.

    This is a solid 3.5. The view is absolutely beautiful. Can't argue with this place for the water front setting. It's busy but there's always space somewhere. So props to the designers for accommodating throngs of tourists, locals and lakeshore lovers. We came here for coffee. The first attempt at a an americano was not too good. Too much water so I was happy to see they accommodated us with another cup. I ordered a london fog latter which stranglely enough tasted spot on with a starbucks version. A compliment or not?I am unsure. I can say, I loved the setting. Very relaxing. The customer service was okay. Not a smile or a wee bit of positive energy from the three that worked there. I was hoping maybe at least 1 out 3 might crack a smile or maybe something that said they liked being there. It's better coffee than the usual in the area but by no means is it say, a destination coffee house. Which is disappointing considering they featured phil and sebastian.

    Mocha latte
    Suor K.

    Boxcar Social is a great place to sit down and work when you need a change of scenery. I come here on occasion when I want to avoid being interrupted and need to get things done. I enjoy the natural light shining through the large windows and the view of the inner harbor. Even with music playing in the background and the idle chatter, the only thing that distracts me from my work is watching people ice skating outside. The coffee is great. The wifi is fast. Come here for the coffee, come here for the view. You won't regret it.

    Ace Hill Radler
    Evelyn A.

    Boxcar Social is so many wonderful things. An open-air event space, a waterfront patio, a communal work space with a badass coffee bar and a restaurant. Seriously, what more could you ask for? I've popped in twice. Once for patio cocktails and once for a little laptop and beer time. The food menu looks great, and people rave about the coffee, so I'll be back again soon. Plus, whenever I say the name of this place The Pixies pop into my head. Bonus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dIOYjnTxNk

    Nimish H.

    This is nice cozy spot next to Natrel Rink. It has good ambiance, nice music and decor. I ordered Cappuccino and cheese croissant. The coffee was overly milky and lacking coffee flavor. The cheese inside the croissant tasted weird. I may try this spot another time for drinks and meals, but for now its fail.

    Shrimp and buffalo cauliflower
    Amanda N.

    Went here while I was visiting Toronto. The area is gorgeous, but the food is overpriced. I thought that the portions would be larger, seeing as they were expensive and it's a social type of setting, where one would think they would have shared portions. But they don't, and they also don't split anything between parties. So if you're traveling, just note that one person will have to pay. Also, I got the shrimp, which wasn't really that flavorful. But my friend got the Buffalo cauliflower and she really liked it, just in case you're interested in those dishes. The service wasn't great. Our server took 20 minutes to bring our drinks. It was a Thursday afternoon and was kind of steady, but not too busy. He refilled our water once, and that was the last time he came to us. When we finished, he never came over. We were trying to get his attention for about half an hour, but he just kept dropping things off and disappearing. We just asked another waiter for the check. Not the best service. The view is amazing, right on the harbor. If you want something scenic, it's beautiful. This place isn't my cup of tea, but I think if you just want some drinks, it should be fine.

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    Overpriced and cold food. I was asked to come back and have something on the house but they are unreachable!!

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    Excellent staff, coffee and chai tea. Lovely establishment to stop in before a sailing in the tall ship Kajama.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Review Highlights - Boxcar Social

    I would recommend the Peach Blossom Tea with it's scented aroma and it'll leave you in a very relaxed state.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    BarChef - Pina colada

    BarChef

    4.3(471 reviews)
    1.8 kmAlexandra Park, Queen Street West
    $$$

    BarChef has been on my radar for a long time -- definitely one of those well-known cocktail spots…read morein Toronto. Every time I come here, I still think about a drink that's no longer on the menu. I've tried showing them photos and asking if they could recreate it, but it never quite tastes the same. I guess every bartender has their own way of balancing flavors. The cocktails here are beautifully presented. Out of the ones we tried, I liked the one served on the large round plate the most -- both visually and in taste. This time, I also tried the colorful cocktail with cotton candy that everyone talks about. Some people say it tastes amazing, others say it reminds them of soap. Personally, I didn't get that "soapy" taste, but it was definitely on the sweeter side. If you only order that one, it might feel a bit overwhelming. It's very pretty, though -- I found myself alternating sips with other drinks to balance it out. Everyone's taste is different, but I personally prefer cocktails that are more refreshing, slightly sweet with a bit of acidity. The ambiance is great -- dim, stylish, and perfect for photos. It's a fun place to visit, especially if you're looking for creative drinks and a unique atmosphere.

    This place is always such a good time. The drinks are sooooo good. Even the standard drinks are…read moreexceptionally well done. The food is not bad either. The vibe is very unique almost remind me of snapes closet or classroom from Harry Potter . The service has also always been prompt and good.

    Photos
    BarChef - Apricot ($30)

    Apricot ($30)

    BarChef - Margarita

    Margarita

    BarChef - Amuse bouche - IG @bougiefoodieboi

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    Amuse bouche - IG @bougiefoodieboi

    Compton Ave

    Compton Ave

    4.5(11 reviews)
    3.7 kmLittle Portugal, Beaconsfield Village, Dufferin Grove

    I've been meaning to try Compton Ave for a little while now and when they had their Christmas pop…read moreup, A Christmas Carol, I just had to go. Went here with a group of 6 of my friends and we pretty much ordered everything on the holiday menu. It's got a very old English style look to the place and was very tastefully decorated. For drinks we got the berry christmas (which they can also make non-alcoholic), jingle all the way (clarified), home alone, crosby's hot cocoa, cafecito, and muffin mans old fashioned. My friends loved their drinks. My cafecito and old fashioned were both stirred drinks and had the perfect Christmas flavor to them. I would go back again to try their regular menu next time.

    Good vibes, good cocktails, good food! 5/5…read more An immersive cocktail bar that had immaculate vibes during the holiday season. Decked out in holiday decor it was a beautiful time! Made resos way in advance to the holidays, got seated at a large sofa booth and had to share the table/ seating with another party. Not an issue at all! It's cozy and nice in there but boy, was it dark! I really couldn't see the menu with their small candle light and had to use my phone flashlight instead (haha!). Perhaps should get menu lights so patrons can see what they can order. We got a variety of cocktails to try which were all delicious and so different/ tasty. Also got a bunch of tapas share plates for the table as well. Here's what we got: Fried brussel sprouts 5/5 - Crispy, sweet and salty. Cooked with maple and dijon, topped with fennel and puffed tapioca. Great sharing vegetable dish. Scotch egg 5/5 - Never had a Scotch egg before and loved it. It's a soft boiled egg in the middle, coated with sage and onion stuffed pork and has a fried exterior. The mix of textures really had a delicious mouth feel to it. Hickory smoked olives 5/5 - Can't go wrong with olives, especially when they are smoked and topped with some citrus and herbs. Grilled steak diane 5/5 - A Picanha steak, with mushrooms, worcestershire, brandy, cream and apricot. The sauce that came with this steak was the winner of it all. Delicious, well balanced flavours. Everything here was really well cooked with delicious flavours all around. Dishes are tapas style so you can expect them to be small and shared. Receipt came in a cute envelope with a sealed stamp - the details were great! Can't wait to come back here to try more things in the future!

    Photos
    Compton Ave - Scotch Egg.

    Scotch Egg.

    Compton Ave - Interior

    Interior

    Compton Ave

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    The Carbon Bar - Platter

    The Carbon Bar

    3.9(441 reviews)
    1.7 kmCorktown, Downtown Core
    $$$

    I used Gemini to recommend a staff dinner restaurant for our team. BBQ immediately appealed to me…read moreas our group loves a good brisket. After a short uber ride we were pleasantly surprised by the cool decor, ambiance and service. We immediately noticed the BBQ tower - decided we had to give it a try. Not disappointed-- it was delicious - so much variety cooked to perfection! Cool sauces like espresso BBQ and hot sauce were zippy and flavourful. I had the Caesar, one in our group had the turkey burger, another brisket and the tower shared by 2. All were very good. In fact one of our BBQ aficionados said the food was better than famous Dallas based Terry Blacks! Our server was on the ball and friendly. I agree with some of the other reviews, this is a must-eat place in Toronto.

    We came here on a Saturday for dinner 5 p.m. seating. We pretty much had the restaurant to…read moreourselves so the service was pretty good. The restaurant itself is beautiful with very high ceilings yet still felt cozy. We were given a table for two situated the very end of a long couch that had a high arm rest. Hubby sat in a chair directly across from me. We ordered the roasted pear salad to start. It was good albeit a bit overdressed & I didn't find much gorgonzola in it. For the main, we had the pitmaster platter which consists of pork ribs, beef brisket, pulled pork, fried chicken and cheddar jalapeño sausage accompanied with French fries and pickles. We also ordered the jalapeño cheddar cornbread and collard greens. Unfortunately, both the brisket and ribs wasn't tender enough to have a melt in your mouth experience. It was a bit dry which was unfortunate since the flavors were delicious. The pulled pork & sausage was good with the fried chicken being our favorite out of the meats. Both sides were fantastic! My dining experience could have been better. The high arm rest was in my way from cutting into my food. I had to sit on an angle to avoid this. The meat platter was half covering our plates... while the table for 4 beside us sat empty for the entire time. With a bit more attention to the temperature of the meat & the comfort of the dining guests, this place could be so much better. We had several people ask us afterwards if we would recommend the restaurant & sadly, we cannot at this time.

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    The Carbon Bar
    The Carbon Bar - Pitmaster's Platter

    Pitmaster's Platter

    The Carbon Bar - Banoffee Pie

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    Banoffee Pie

    King Taps - Truffle fries

    King Taps

    3.9(484 reviews)
    1.1 kmFinancial District, Downtown Core
    $$

    King taps is not my usual happy hour choice but we wanted a change of pace and the leafs game was…read moreon. They always put the leafs game on when they're playing which is Mae's them a reliable game spot. Over the past couple of years I felt their food quality has slowly declined but today was different. Way exceeded my expectations. We started with a corona zero and ranch water (passion fruit flavour) we were both really happy with it. The didn't skimp on the tequila. We started with the Brussels sprouts which is always a great choice from here. Crispy on the outside and not an overwhelming Brussels sprout taste. This is likely because there is a generous sprinkling of grated parm and a great amount of dip. We tried the crispy tuna sushi. The tuna was beautifully marinated, so flavourful. And the sushi was nice and crispy. The vodka pie was a seasonal item and when we saw it listed, we knew we needed to try it. The sauce- amazing, the press was nice and flaky and light and really tasty. And the soccer Sada added nice saltines and flavour without being too overwhelming. For happy hour, the apps and pizzas were $5 off, and the ranch water was $5. I'd come back for the pizza alone! Jeans was our waitress and she was great!

    Huge selection of beer on draught. I counted over 20 taps, so you should have no problem finding a…read morebeer you like. Service was friendly, not too fast after sitting down, but didn't have to wait too long to order either. I didn't try any of the food, as only popped in for a drink, but from what I could see coming out to other tables it looked decent, and I likely would return to try some other evening.

    Photos
    King Taps - Upstairs Bar

    Upstairs Bar

    King Taps - Famous fried chicken sandwich with truffle fries

    Famous fried chicken sandwich with truffle fries

    King Taps - Rosé and mango margarita

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    Rosé and mango margarita

    Grape Witches

    Grape Witches

    5.0(1 review)
    1.7 km

    Grape Witches located inside the Waterworks Food Hall is their second location in the city (their…read morefirst location is located along Dundas St. W.!). This bottle shop has a unique variety of natural, organic, and biodynamic wines that may rotate depending on the season. The space also has a wine bar where you can try different wines by the glass or treat yourself in a wine flight or a whole bottle. The by the glass menu changes weekly where you get to have a chance to try new and exciting wines from different regions. I've been to Grape Witches several times but I was able to sit down at their wine bar this time and enjoy a wine flight (three 1oz pours featuring wines from Germany) and a glass of wine. Having the wine flight, I was able to find a new rose that I really enjoyed that I ended up getting a glass of it afterwards. Staff are extremely friendly, personable, and knowledgeable about wine where they can give you suggestions based on your preferences without being pretentious. You are also able to taste any wines you're interested in on the menu to see if you like them as well. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Grape Witches enjoying the delicious selections where I even found new favourites. Overall, a great new wine shop and bar at Waterworks Food Hall. If you love all things wine this is the place to go. They have unique bottles you can purchase and friendly staff to help you with selecting your wines. Will definitely be back to try other glasses of wine in the future!

    Photos
    Grape Witches
    Grape Witches
    Grape Witches

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    Boxcar Social - coffee - Updated May 2026

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