Joe Bird
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We had a light lunch here and enjoyed the location very much. An eclectic choice of furnishings added some character to a fairly bland mall location. We enjoyed the food and the music was not excessively loud. Our server, Kate , was pleasant and helpful. I recommend this establishment.
This place was really great! I absolutely loved the Joe bowl or whatever it was called the Chipotle chickens was absolutely delicious and the veggies and guac were excellent too! Service wad quick and with good pricing and the view can't be beat! We really enjoyed our visit I'd absolutely come back again!
Pretty descent spot on the waterfront. Seeing as to how most places in the area are tourist traps, many restaurants don't focus on quality. I came here with a party of 6 and we waited to be seated on the patio on a weekday evening. The line was relatively short and we had a great spot. I had the fried chicken bao with the spiced fries as my side. I was impressed that they had so many side options. I like the chicken baos but they could have used some more sauce. I should have asked for hot sauce. My friends really enjoyed their meals as well. Decently priced is a big plus.
Nice little restaurant by the harbor front. Quite a selection from burgers, wings, and sandwiches. I went with the j.b. bowl which came with braised chipotle chicken, lettuce, pico de gallo, avocado puree, sour cream, cheese, habanero sauce and refried beans. I thought it was tasty but its a bit pricey ($17) considering the portion size but I guess you'd also have to factor in the price of a restaurant near the harborfront. They have a patio like area but the view isn't super great as there's another restaurant patio right between you and the lake. Overall, enjoyed the food however and would be down to come back and try another one of their dishes!
Sometimes you comes for the food, Sometimes you comes for the vibe and Sometimes you comes because it is just cool? Joe Bird probably the most happening place along the water at Queen Quay on a Sunday evening. On a nice summer evening, underneath the stars with live music. The crowds is hopping and the night is young. Patio is the place to be. Have a drink and some food? I don't think most people even remember how the food was after a few drinks. The "bird" was ok. I probably won't be back for the food....
Joe Bird was probably the busiest establishment at Queen's Quay. It has great ambiance, with a tiered terrace facing Lake Ontario, and a DJ providing some lively music. Chicken is the name of the game here, whether you want it fried, grilled, with a hoisin tamarind glaze, or just wings. We decided on the fried and grilled, four pieces of each. At $18.00 per order, it's not cheap but probably on par with other places in the area. That works out to $4.50 per piece (a drumstick, thigh, or 1/2 a breast counts as one piece). It does come with a choice of sides. The fried chicken was very crispy/crunchy but didn't have a lot of flavour or anything unique about it. It was just okay. The grilled chicken had a bit of a smoky flavour but the thighs were a little overcooked for my liking. They were on the verge of falling apart. The breast meat, on the other hand, completely lacked any colour but it was moist. If I had to guess, I would say ther were cooked sous-vide and then finished on the grill, even though there was barely a grill mark on it. I may be completely wrong but it had a texture I'm familiar with from cooking sous-vide. The Patatas Bravas, one of our sides, was also overcooked and a bit mushy for roasted potatoes. The garlic aioli and bravas sauces were understated for my liking. The Brusssels Sprouts were okay. Overall, I enjoyed the ambiance more than the food. I've definitely had better (for less money). Ambiance and location: 4. Food: 3.
Amazing views! Great salads. Staff is very friendly and attentive. The salad was fresh and delicious. Very creative flavors with coconut, feta, sweet potato and apple with a ginger light dressing. Worked very well together. John my waiter very very friendly
Gord and I had lunch today at Joe Bird. It was such a nice day and Gord and I sat on the patio. We split an order of corn bread and it was good. The jalapeño butter had a bit of a snap to it which was fun. We both ordered Joe's Fried Bird. I got mine with patatas bravas and Gord got his with fries. We both got mustard as our sauce but we found the chicken didn't need it. The chicken was good. It was moist and the coating was flavourful. My patatas bravas was interesting and tasty. We'll be back!
We went to Joe Bird for our office team lunch; we were greeted by friendly hostess upon entering the restaurant. We were seated at the patio facing the harbourfront as per our request. The menu is simple - fried/grilled/smoked chicken, fried chicken with waffle or sandwich. Salad and vegetarian options, sides, bread. Sauce is their specialty, so you can order extra sauce or Sauce flight to try all flavours My group have ordered different styles - fried, grilled, smoked and chicken waffle. Food arrived quickly and the portion is decent. I ordered fried Chicken with Waffles ($10). The fried chicken was juicy and the skin was crispy although the skin fell apart easily. I especially enjoyed the maple coffee sauce with the waffle. Overall, my lunch companions were happy with their food except the one who had BBQ chicken found the bird was not marinated enough. We also ordered the Fix Ice Cream as dessert. The desserts are definitely photogenic; they taste pretty good too. They claim their house made softserve to be no chemical and no artificial. $7 seems to be a little high cost but it seems to be norm in Toronto for a fancy ice cream sundae. I will definitely come back. It is good value to have a harbour view Lunch with good food.
I came here with my coworkers last summer for brunch and Joe Bird was a cute spot by the water - I'd say the portion sizes are moderate as well as the prices. Overall I don't think there's anything special about Joe Bird, but that doesn't mean it's bad! Food was delicious but did not stand out to me. read more
6 years ago
One of the best place to grab fresh brews. I liked the Kolsch and Belgian Wit. Chicken fingers paired well with the beers. read more
4 years ago
9 years ago
Absolutely impressed with this new restaurant!! The decor is tastefully put together... hip, chill atmosphere. Love the graffiti on the walls. The food was delicious and not expensive at all. We ordered BBQ chicken and chicken sandwich with side salads, which were really well made. Service was great as well. Servers are super friendly. Highly recommend and I will definitely come back! read more
5 years ago
Such good food any time I want good chicken I always come to here. I have been here multiple times and they always have such great chicken. read more
A touristy joint on a weekend before the Mariposa cruise. Watch your heads when the umbrella stands fall lol- the service is very good and attentive; the chicken for 25 for 8 pieces on its own is a bit pricey for not adding a size a bit of a fleecing to the poor at home tourist. However, the chicken and sauces were very flavourful and the ice cream campfire sundae was excellent (so my son says!) Worth a try. read more
9 years ago
My friend and I came here for dinner on a Saturday night. We were greeted as soon as we arrived and were seated promptly. It was dark so we decided to sit inside but I would imagine the patio being a popular choice during the day as it overlooks Lake Ontario. I ordered the two piece fried chicken with poutine and my friend ordered grilled chicken with seasoned fries. From previous reviews, I was expecting the chicken to be bland and would have to rely on the sauce (I chose BBQ), im the type that eats fried chicken as is without any dipping sauce lol but the chicken was juicy and flavourful, no dipping sauce needed. The poutine was really good. The fries were crispy and the lemon thyme gravy was soooo good. The cheese curds on the other hand, tasted like Kraft cheese strings for some reason lol. My friend enjoyed his grilled chicken but preferred the fried chicken better. The service was really good too. The food came out in a timely manner and the server did check up on us often but just the right amount. The quality of food and not to mention the view is superb for the price. I'm definitely coming back but next time during the day so I can enjoy the view with my meal! read more
2.5 stars for Joe Bird. We came on a hot summer day so naturally had to wait a bit given the location is perfectly next to the lake at harbour front! There is patio seating but we sat inside due to the long wait time. For the two of us we shared the 4 piece chicken meal and 2 sides - patatas bravas and Brussels sprouts. We picked the yogurt dipping sauce and in hindsight would choose something else as it wasn't that great with the chicken. The food took a long time to come. A long time. We probably waited almost an hour for our meal. When the food finally came we were disappointed to see that they gave us 4 drumsticks - seriously?? For a 4 piece chicken meal I would expect a mix of thighs/drumsticks. Our waitress insisted that it was normal but then a supervisor came around and apologized as they were running low on thighs and had to save them for their chicken sandwiches (okay...). She offered us another piece of chicken and ice cream on the house (which came probably another half hour after we ordered it and paid the bill). The chicken was average and the ice cream (which is from a restaurant called The Fix that seems to operate as a side business within Joe Bird) was way too sweet. The two sides we ordered were probably the highlights. The wait for the food was just way too long though and after reading other reviews on Yelp it seems like others have had similar experiences. read more
I was on the harbour front this afternoon with my husband and was super hungry and wanted to have something really good. So I yelped and found Joe's Bird. They have a very nice casual dining set up for indoor seating and a gorgeous patio. We decided to sit outside as it was really nice outside. We ordered 2 pc smokey grilled BBQ Bird with a side of Potato Bravas and Yogurt Za'atar sauce and 2 pc BBQ bird. Well, I would say I've had better. Smokey grilled BBQ bird was just alright nothing special in that. Very simple seasoning and even the grill was just ok. I wasn't getting that nice smokey flavour. Potato Bravas were also just okay...... some of the potatoes were still raw and weren't cooked fully. Yogurt Za'atar was good. 2 pc BBQ bird was a total disaster. They had just added too many elements to it which didn't complement each other and moreover it was overcooked so chicken was dry from inside. We told about this to our server and she got a new piece of chicken for us but that was a waste too. We couldn't even finish 1 pc together. This dish was a complete failure to me. Though the location of this place is amazing the food is not good at all. I won't come back here and waste my money. read more
8 years ago
I have been here multiple times now and their "Joe Bird" (fried chicken sandwich) never fails to disappoint me! Not dry at all, not super oily/fatty. They use chicken thigh, and not breast (which honestly, yum!) They fried it just a bit over, but it added a nice crunch to the burger. The fried chicken fillet went very well with everything else they put in the burger. Great value for what you're paying for it. Be warned - it's bigger than your average burger :) read more
5 years ago
8 years ago
Came here with a group of friends on a Saturday night. They had a live band playing, which was pretty cool. I liked the decor. We tried the fried (3 stars) and grilled (4 stars) chicken. The fried chicken was moist but the batter did not have a lot of flavour. The grilled chicken had a nice smokey flavour which I liked. I ordered chili with my order which I preferred over the fries that my boyfriend ordered. Price was reasonable for the portion $18 for 4 pieces of chicken + a side and 1 sauce. Overall I think I will come back again when I'm craving grilled chicken around the downtown area, esp in the summer when the patio will be opened. read more
7 years ago
FAV water front restaurant! I went twice in a week- so good & the view from the patio is amazing. The staff is also super kind & personable, and their food is amazing. You can't go wrong, whether it be with the salads or the sandwiches or the wings themselves. read more
6 years ago
This amazing spot on the waterfront has some of the best chicken & waffles in the city! Amazing vibes, food, service & views! read more
8 years ago
Went on two separate occasions, for brunch and for lunch. The location is fantastic, overlooking the water as it is right beside it, patio views are great. Never had to wait for a table either time we went. The food was delicious, but points are loss only because the serving size is a bit low for the price. read more
7 years ago
7 years ago
Went here a few days after opening and they had the usual new place hiccups and a couple of unexpected features. The place wasn't too busy, probably because it had just opened. Food: Ordered the chicken and waffles, grilled chicken with a side of broccoli & cauliflower and a couple soft drinks. For dessert we ordered coffee soft serve and a creme brulee sundae (whatever it was called). The fried chicken reminded me of Shake n Bake chicken. The coating didn't stick and wasn't crispy or crunchy. Two pieces were included: half a breast fillet and half a thigh. Most people think of the south when they hear chicken and waffles. The chicken didn't remind me of southern fried chicken at all. The chicken tasted fine, but Popeye's tastes better and gives you whole pieces. The waffes were on the crunchy side while also being chewy, and the included maple pecan bourbon sauce was nice, but there wasn't enough of it. I'd have asked for syrup, but they didn't have any. I asked for hot sauce and they brought me a small container of the house made hot sauce. What our waiter neglected to tell me was they charge $1 for the sauce. The grilled chicken was ok and about the same size portion as above. Since you specify a sauce, the expectation is the chicken would be basted with the sauce. Instead, a tiny container of sauce was served on the side. When they put the plate down, the chicken was hidden by the broccoli and cauliflower so either the pieces are small or the veggies are huge. The coffee ice cream was more ice than cream. Think ice milk. The creme brulee sundae was burnt marshmallow ice cream on a stale sugar doughnut and dressed w/ a few raspberries. Rather than brulee the sugar on the doughnut, or microwave the doughnut to soften it up, it just sat there like the day old doughnut it was, hard, dry and ready to be choked down. It was hard enough to raise a splinter or two on the wooden spoon that comes with the ice cream. Luckily, I felt the splinter before it actually got stuck in my lip. Even the melting ice cream had trouble penetrating the stale, dry doughnut skin. But the burnt marshmallow ice cream was good and creamy. Service: I could've sworn it was our waiter's first day as a waiter, but apparently he waits at other places too. He came by to take our drink orders and expressed his sorrow that the place didn't serve lemonade or sweet tea. The place is dressed up to look a bad replica of either a southern seaside shack, a southern swamp shack or a southern road side shack, but they don't have two staples of the non-alcoholic south, lemonade and sweet tea. So we ordered some other soft drinks. After a couple minutes, he came by with water and glasses. Then he came by to explain the menu and take our dinner order. Then 10 minutes later, our soft drinks were delivered. Ten minutes after that, our food was delivered by a server. Then 5 minutes later, our waiter came by to check on us. At that point, I asked for hot sauce and 5 minutes later, he delivered me $1 worth of hot sauce. FYI, $1 buys less than a fluid ounce. Interior: Good thing I had a tetanus booster a couple years ago because I could've easily gotten lockjaw if I scraped myself on the rusty table leg (unexpected feature #1). I also could've gotten splinters from the rough, reclaimed wood table top. Being a rough table top, glasses and plates didn't sit solidly or stably so you had to find the flattest part of the table to place your glasses. The interior makes liberal use of rusty, corrugated steel and repurposed wood pallets and cable reels, just like all the best shacks and shanties in the south do. And just like in the south, the rest rooms are outside the restaurant, across the atrium, behind the escalator (unexpected feature #2). Don't get lost making your way back to the bar. Price: Reasonable, actually. tl;dr: Bring your own hot sauce and make sure your tetanus booster is up to date. read more
3 years ago
9 years ago
Delicious! I ordered a takeout of the barbecue chicken. They have the option of fried, grilled or barbecue chicken but the barbecue chicken was the only one that had a specific pairing to a side of taro chips with a dipping sauce made of at least grilled pineapples, salsa, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, beets, and green onion. The pairing was amazing and the chicken (white meat) was very tender. Portions are sufficient and price is reasonable ($10 for the 2 piece). ***reason for 3 stars is because part of my chicken was pink. Thankfully I usually check before I eat and only one piece was like this. Hoping for some more consistency. Order takes awhile to come during a workday lunch so I suggest using ritual. Definitely recommend - hope the chicken is cooked fully next time! read more
3 years ago
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9 years ago
Was excited about this place but it did have a few flaws. Cons: I didn't understand the fries. I love me some small and crunchy bits but I don't want all of them to be. Felt like I was eating the leftovers from a fryer. It was seasoned well though. Would've just liked full, crispy fries. The fried chicken itself didn't taste like it had a lot of flavour(the fries tasted better) . I understand they have their sauces but I've eaten at some chicken and waffles places before and it's a good sign to me when you can eat the chicken on its own. Dippings to me should just give it a little umph! I know this might be a strong word but I hated the waffles. My partner ordered the chicken and waffles and the waffles tasted more like toasted biscuits to me. Maybe some people will like it though, I just didn't like the whole crunchy(chicken) on super crunchy(waffles) texture. Pros: Decor is nice really wants you to chill and have a beer. Service was great. Not overly hovering but they made sure they were close by. Chicken was juicy and moist. Just needed more flavour to me. Desserts are awesome. The variety is great and it's what makes me want to come back and try more. Overall the place is fine. I haven't tried the other stuff yet but I'm willing to come by again for their BBQ. There's still a lot more to try. The atmosphere and service is great. I just personally won't order the chicken and waffles again. read more
8 years ago
We loved it here! Great atmosphere, especially in the summer with the glass doors open and the lake breeze coming in. Food was delicious. Service was a little slow and our waitress was a little brusk but that's our only complaint. If you go make sure to also visit "The Fix" ice cream bar right outside. Cool flavors and presentation. read more
5 years ago
Joe Bird - Toronto. Nice place to have drinks and listen to music but the food is not good at all, never eat here. Also the service was really bad, the waitress was rude. read more
9 years ago
6 years ago
5 years ago
9 years ago
Found this place on our way to Goodman pub... Honestly so glad we chose to go here instead. The place is by the Harbourfront, so its great for patio. We got the chicken and waffles, BBQ chicken, and potatoes in Brava sauce. The chicken was super juicy and flavourful, not dry at all. The prices were surprisingly reasonable for a restaurant on the Harbourfront. Also got dessert from the fix which was a bit too sweet but still good. They have a lot of unique combinations of flavours for the ice cream. The only reason i gave it a 4 star is because they charge $2.50 for water, and the waiter didn't even tell us ? Also the service was okay but not terrible. read more
6 years ago
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7 years ago
There was a dead bug in my salad... worst part is that half the leaves of the salad were heated for some reason. Almost ate the bug as it was hard to tell with the darker leaves... good luck for those that eat at this place. Here's hoping I don't get food poisoning tonight. Ugh. read more
More info about Joe Bird
207 Queens Quay W
Toronto, ON M5J 1A7
Canada
Harbourfront, Waterfront Communities-The Island
Directions
(647) 977-2767
Call Now
Visit Website
https://www.joebird.ca
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