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    Free Times Cafe

    3.7 (111 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 11:00 pm

    Order Free Times Cafe Takeout or Delivery

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    Business Info

    FREE TIMES CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Free Times Cafe

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    Bagel lox and cream cheese
    Laura R.

    I'm giving a perfect score for the Matzah ball soup alone! Every decadent bite transported me back to the old country -- aka my bubby's kitchen. The soup is incredible and unleashed a time capsule for me - transporting me back to my childhood. It is just as she made it. The latkes are wonderful as well, get them with the apple sauce. The bagel with lox and cream cheese was solid, but not as AMAZINGLY INCREDIBLE as the soup! I love this restaurant, comfort food at its finest.

    3-Egg Veg omelette
    Hal C.

    LAST DAYS of WINTERLICIOUS on Feb 9, 2023! The delightful, friendly, classic, efficient & cozy Free Times Cafe at College & Major is participating in Winterlicious 2023 with a prix-fixe 3 course Lunch ($20) and Dinner ($25) Menu and removed any deliberations by adding the Tax and 18% SC to the bill. Attached pictures have the Winterlicious as well as the standard and drinks menus as well as my delicious selection of Vegan Burger appetizer, 3-Egg Veg omelette, and Honey Cake. The service is impeccable and the interior décor is brimming with old world charm with lunch running Latin style until 5PM.

    Small matzo ball soup
    Karmen N.

    Open mic on Monday evenings at 7:30pm. Mostly older men playing guitar and harmonica. Small cozy area with excellent service. Got the small matzo ball soup (~$5), and it comes with bread and butter. Nice presentation. I love caraway bread but expected it toasted. It was neither fresh nor stale. The soup is clear and too salty! Could only drink a few spoons. I think they boiled it to death too. The one piece of celery I had disintegrated and was all yellow. Also, I never had matzo ball so I didn't know what it's supposed to be like. For me, I'm not a fan of this bland mushy ball that has the texture of of soaked bread and tofu.

    Classic breakfast with two eggs any style and a lot of sides.
    Carly M.

    Free Times Cafe is a classic brunch spot at the north end of Kensington market. I haven't been there for other meals but I'm sure the food is good. The staff are always friendly. The food is always good for brunch (though I think a bit pricey depending on what you're getting). The interior is a bit run down but part of its charm. They have live music on Sunday's which is fun. Worth checking out if you're in the area and want a classic Jewish breakfast.

    The event I attended.
    Andrew S.

    I came here with a a few friends for their comedy and magic event. We purchased tickets for the show on the Eventbrite website. We were greeted by the performers who were very nice. The waiter stopped by and gave us menus. A few moments after the show starts he returns and we said we were still full from dinner earlier. He said we'll be charged 5$ if we don't order anything. So two of my friends ordered a drink. This was a bit odd since the event page said nothing about needing to purchase food from the venue if we were to attend the show we already paid for. After the event was finished, my friends went to pay at the counter because the waiter never showed up with our bill. We were waiting outside for one of them to go to the washroom. The waiter rushes out and asks if we paid. Well, yes we did. So he goes back in and then returns again and said we need to pay an additional $10 since me and one other friend didn't order anything. I declined to pay this since we paid for an event and now they are forcing me to pay an additional fee for going to it. He said he'll just get my friend who's still in the washroom to pay for it since I refused. I asked him to let me speak with his manager. He brought me to his boss and I explained the situation to her that they never mentioned on the event that I had to spend money here or pay a fee. She tries to guilt me by saying "so your not going to support this bar?". I re-explained that this is a matter of you asking me to pay additional to the tickets. It's like I paid for movie tickets at a theater and as you leave they say "you didn't buy anything from our concession stand, so pay up another 5$". She said "fine, you don't have to pay, but don't ever come to my bar again". If their policy is to have a minimum spend to attend the event, specify on the event page. Don't give patrons who paid for events a surprise door fee. Since this was their "mistake" they should own up to it, not be rude to us. So yes I won't be supporting this bar as the service is terrible.

    Matzah ball soup
    Conrad G.

    Probably the quintessential place for Jewish soul food right in the city of Toronto. You can't go wrong by ordering their signature potato latkes served with applesauce and sour cream, along with a bowl of chicken matzoball soup. On various nights there are live musical offerings to help enjoy your meal. I was graciously served by servers Mike and Victor, and is definitely a place that I would frequent for life.

    Special.
    Martin S.

    Free Times Cafe is famous for the AYCE buffet for Sunday brunch so I thought I would have their sampler plate typical of what you would get at the buffet. It was $16.95 and included a bagel, cream cheese, smoked salmon, latkes, along with those scrumptious blintzes. Those are egg crepes filled with sweet, lemon flavoured cottage cheese. Solid and filling. The latkes go well with the sour cream and homemade cinnamon apple sauce. Delicious! Since it's still winter the fruit accompanying the plate was a little pale, but that's understandable. It was a lively Saturday and the place was hopping with early afternoon brunch parties and the beer was flowing steadily. Truly a enjoyable and enduring restaurant and a fixture along with College Street strip.

    the front of the cafe with its iconic neon sign
    Anna P.

    a really charming, old fashioned (I would say) place. the cafe hosts many live events (music, storytelling) and is also a home to Sunday Brunch. the menu is quite good (although not too many options for vegetarians or vegans). there are beers and drinks on special available. I love the place's decor and its unique atmosphere. the staff is super fast, friendly and attentive. there is some art on the walls and also many posters about concerts and events that took place over the years, and their number is impressive. a good venue to meet with a larger group of friends as there are many tables and they can be easily arranged together.

    Delicious salad bar
    Abby M.

    Came here for an impromptu Sunday brunch with family and was pleasantly surprised by the "Bella! Did Ya Eat?" Jewish brunch buffet, that happens every Sunday. We had no clue this was going on at all. There was live music (Kiezmer and Yiddish Cabaret) happening in the back room which we didn't see but could hear and was a nice touch. The buffet consisted mostly of various salads with some classic Jewish fare such as cheese blintzes, potato latkes and gefilte fish. There was also a dessert section with various tarts, cakes and fruit. The buffet is set up by the front door which can get a bit crowded with people coming and going, as well as the narrow hallway between the dining room and the entrance/buffet area. The owner, Judy seemed to make it a point to greet all of the guests personally and all of the servers were friendly and circulated around the restaurant often. This was a fun and interesting experience. The food wasn't anything fancy but if you're looking for something out of the ordinary and open to trying different things I would definitely recommend stopping by on a Sunday for brunch.

    Sangria!!

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    3 months ago

    Business owner information

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    Judy P.

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    Came here for a comedy show. Neat location and atmosphere, the food was okay, nothing spectacular, but also not bad.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Free Times Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

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