I am surprised to see that I haven't reviewed Pearl Diver yet as I am a huge fan of this place! A recent visit reminded me how much I love this place and that I just don't come here enough! I especially enjoy their Thursday daily special - $100 for 100 oysters. I didn't know I was capable of eating 33 oysters on my own (I had split the 100 oysters with just 2 friends) until I tried it at Pearl Diver! The oysters were so fresh, plump and delicious, and I was very impressed with the quality. Sometimes when you go for $1 a shuck promos, you don't always get the best oysters, but that was not the case at Pearl Diver. Over the years, I've tried various things on their menu and everything has always been delicious. A surprising highlight for me was their burger - charred to delicious perfection. The burger wasn't cheap (priced at $20) but honestly has been one of the best gourmet burgers I've had in a long time. Highly recommend everyone to check out Pearl Diver if you live or work near the downtown core! read more

We went here because we haven't been out for oysters in ages and the existing reviews (9 or 10) all said this place was the bomb (referencing other oyster places that were also allegedly the bomb). So expectations were high. The atmosphere was (is) great. The menu was respectably limited yet varied (so they can do all the items well, right?). The actual food--including the oysters--was fine, not amazing (aside from the fish of the day--seabream--which was cooked perfectly and had us picking at the bones). The prices, however, are just too high for this caliber of food. And while our server was polite and seemingly knowledgable, service was just plain slow. There was plenty of front-of-house staff (and it wasn't yet that busy when we went in) but the staff seemed more interested in chatting with each other than providing the kind of service that $135 meal for two should include. read more

Pearl Diver - Seabream (fish of the day) - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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LOVED this place! Fantastic food, chill vibe, and friendly staff! I met the owner, Patrick, and I can safely say he is a truly awesome dude who can shuck so many oysters so quickly, it is mind boggling. The Shemogue (spelling?) oysters I tried here were easily among the best I have ever eaten. Sweet and pleasantly salty. The fish and chips are amazing. Their batter is so light and crispy and the tartar sauce really rocks. If you aren't a fish lover, definitely go for their burger, it is so freaking delicious. The sticky toffee pudding is a must do for the end of your meal, absolutely scrumptious gingerbread flavoured goodness! A little birdy told me they will be opening for brunch in the near future ;) I can't wait to return!! read more

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Came here on a Tuesday for the seafood circus/tower (~$30). I'd like to start off with saying that my friend and I are not oyster fans, she's never tried them before and I'm trying to get used to them, but damn I didn't think it would come with so much! The top tier had plump and juicy cocktail shrimp, mussels, crab legs and some clams (I think). Everything from the top was delicious. The oysters were what we had trouble with, experimenting with the vinegary and cocktail sauces, and trying to differentiate the oysters. What surprised me were the raw clams, I've never had that and I don't think I will again haha. It was a cool experience for us food noobs. My friend and I also order the fish and chips to split (~$20). I agree with some other yelpers that the fries are super salty. I was drenching mine in ketchup to balance it out. Also, the tartar sauce could've used a bit more lemon. The fish was really good though, battered and fried to a crisp, and it came with 3 pieces, yumm. Would I come back? Definitely. I'm eyeing those mussels next time and some dessert. read more

Pearl Diver - Seafood Circus - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Do yourself a favor and make a reservation! This place is right and romantic setting. I was lucky to walk in and grab a seat at the bar! Which you can order off the full menu. They have amazing daily specials so make certain you check or ask for those. I got the cod which was beyond amazing. It was so full of flavor and fresh fresh fresh. Oh and sitting at the bar is a plus since you can watch them shuck the oysters as well as make cocktails. If you're looking for a romantic spot this is it for sure. I'll be back with my wife as I know she'll love the seafood tower they have which gives you samples of all of the sea! Me.. I'm a land lover but bring on a white flaky fish any day. Lol read more

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Headed to Pearl Diver on a Saturday night to celebrate a special occasion with the bf. I had made reservations a few weeks in advance and found that when we arrived at the restaurant, it was bustling with people. The restaurant itself had a very low key casual vibe which was nice. We were seated quickly by the window and we quickly buried ourselves in the menu trying to figure what to eat and drink. For starters we had the Shucker's dozen special. 3 kinds of oysters (Fanny Bay, Kusshi, and another one from Ireland) for $45. Delicious! We also ordered the calamari appetizer and the coating on the calamari had a kick to it which was unique. For mains I got the mussels and frites and my bf got the steak. The broth the mussels came in was Thai inspired and I tasted hints of lemongrass, ginger, and coconut which was great. The steak my bf had was good too; you wouldn't think to order meat at a seafood place but they did a great job of cooking the ribeye. We opted out for dessert as we were too full. Overall, service and food was great, I wouldn't mind going back to Pearl Diver. Would really love to check out their unique brunch menu as well (oyster benny anyone...??)! Remember to check into Yelp so you can get 10% off your bill (drinks excluded)!! read more

Pearl Diver - Shucker's best dozen special - $45 - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Found this place via Yelp and went here right after flying into town. We came on the perfect night as the Sea Food Circus was on special for Tuesday night. I went with the managers recommendation of the Mediterranean Sea Bearm and it was excellent! I would highly recommend this place as both the food and service were excellent! read more

Pearl Diver - Mediterranean Sea Bream - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Was in the mood for some shellfish and so decided to give Pearl Diver a try. Quite a small spot so was lucky to get in during the dinner hour. Cozy atmosphere with friendly and knowledgeable wait staff. To start I had the zinc and drink special with Malpeque and Savage blonde oysters and a Trailhead lager. For my main I had the coconut mussels with focaccia. The mussels were a nice size and the coconut broth with chilies, lemongrass, ginger, and garlic was amazing. Finished off the meal with an espresso. Excellent! read more

Pearl Diver - Coconut mussels with focaccia - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Great Environment. Servers are nice. We ordered a seafood tower and a fish & chips. The fries was amazing. Homemade tartar sauce was delicious. (It tastes like homemade to me.) The fish was decent. The seafood tower was available on that day. so we were lucky. the tower consists of oysters, mussels, sake-soaked clams, rolled smoked salmon, shrimps, and snow crab legs. Oysters were fresh but mussels were not. They were sandy too. I would prefer to have little more clams and less mussels. Overall, the experience was good, maybe little understaffed because it took a little while to get attentions. read more

Pearl Diver - seafood tower - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

What a groovy place with an actual oyster bar! We came here a few years back & had totally forgotten about it until we we checking out where to eat the other day. We happened upon the Pearl Diver & remembered how good it was the last time we were in Toronto. Delish & quality service! read more

Never participated in their Thursday 100 oysters for $100 special so we got another couple to join us for the occasion. Made reservations and got to the restaurant without much issue ( this restaurant used to be called Starfish) Got greeted by a nice waitress and began to order once we were seated. We ordered the calamari for beginners. My wife ordered the grilled sea bream, I had the fish and chips as our mains. The other couple ordered a soup and a burger. Lastly was the order of 100 oysters! Our appetizer and mains came out and we polished it off. The food was alright but nothing special. Then our 100 oysters came. We were told they were all malpeque oysters which was fine but damn were they puny in size! It came with some lemon wedges, horseradish and only 2 sauces which was a bit of a disappointment. There was a cocktail and a vinaigrette sauce. The oysters were fresh and all but again, they were very small and unsatisfying. I will probably return to try out other selections on the menu but definitely not for their 100 oyster special! The service was good and they didn't rush us at all. They even told us we could have the table for 3 hrs which was super generous! read more

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Best clam chowder in the world. Great atmosphere and friendly staff. The Bloody Mary was horrible, nobody uses tomato juice anymore for Bloody Mary's except this place. But that's was the only hiccup. read more

Pork belly was salty and dry. Kimchi fried rice lacked strong kimchi flavor. Clam chowder and Lobster sliders were both bland. Oysters on the half shell were ok. Service was ok. Unfortunately, I developed stomache issues soon after dinner. read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE I came here a while back in the summer and was blown away here! My hunni loves seafood, so I chose this restaurant downtown when I knew we were going down for errands. When you walk in you are greeted by a beautiful and dim restaurant. It has a bit of a romantic feel, but with more energy. It can be a great date place if you don't mind it being a bit loud. We were seated promptly ( since I made a reservation) and were lucky to get a booth that was like a bench, where we sat on one side with the table infront of us. Making it a bit more intimate for us (which was nice). The waiter was helpful and knowledgable with the menu and was attentive and excellent during our meal. Now the food: Of course, one needs to order the seafood tower at pearl diver, because you need to bask in it's holy glory at least once in your life. The tower is damn beautiful, with two tiers of seafood beauty. On the top tier you have your shrimp cocktail, salmon and king crab legs On the bottome you have your assortment of oysters with 3 dips FRESH AF pretty much sums up the tower. JUST TRY IT. Chicken Liver & Oyster Pate I really enjoyed this, but my hunni thought it was a bit weird. I mean it seems like a weird combo, but I thought it was a great savoury dish. So i think this is probably a hit or miss item. It's pretty difficult to explain the taste of the pate, but it's oyster so... if you're adventurous or an oyster lover, go for it! Cured Fish Plate Assorted and served with rye bread Fresh. not the highlight but still a great appetizer Sticky Toffee Pudding The hype about it is true. It's a decadent dessert that really hits the spot after the meal, the pudding is soft and melts in your mouth. ** we also ordered two cocktails but I forgot the names, but they were both very good and would 100% recommend** Overall, I had a great time here !! I liked the food, atmosphere and had a great waiter. This place also seemed to be great for birthdays since I saw a large table in the back celebrating a birthday and another birthday celebration in one of the booths as well. read more

Pearl Diver is a casual seafood restaurant ideal for small groups, date nights and families. The daily specials are a great value especially the Tuesday Seafood Circus Platter and Thursday 100 for $100 Oysters. Food - Decent quality - fresh and plentiful but not the higher end quality of many $$$ seafood restaurants on Yelp. Oyster menu has good variety but quite a few were not available at the time due to seasonality or supply. Seafood Circus Platter - Probably an okay value at $65 regular price but a steal on Tuesdays at $29! - a dozen oysters - mixture of Fanny Bay and Malpeque - were fresh and tasty. - 3 jumbo shimps - not as flavourful as others i've had - a bit on the rubbery side - 1 crab leg - decent quality but a bit of work to remove - 4 cold mussels - didn't like these that much - texture was too firm - 4 pieces of seared tuna - was pretty good You can probably tell I felt the quality was OK but not above average. Service - Friendly and attentive. Servers were knowledgeable about the types of seafood and oysters. Environment - louder, bustling ambiance with wooden tables in open concept. Younger crowd overall especially for the special nights. I would give it 3.5 stars if I could - primarily for the value and selection vs the quality of the seafood. read more

Pearl Diver - Pearl Diver Seafood Circus Platter - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I was walking by and decided to stop in and grab something to eat. Talk about fate! This place is amazing! The late night bar menu is phenomenal! The breakfast/ brunch is also really good- with huge portions. Overall I was impressed and would return! The breakfast took a long time to cook and the waitress in the morning charged me for an extra item ( I brought it to her attention and she fixed it). Otherwise good! Many people just come for the oysters. read more

Pearl Diver - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Great seafood restaurant hidden in the east end, located at Adelaide and Church. They have great daily specials if you dine in at those specific times. We went on a Saturday evening so naturally there wasn't going to be a special during peak hours. I ordered the seafood tower at a price of $66 which includes a dozen oysters, two snow crab legs, ahi tuna, pickled mussels and 4 cocktail shrimps. It was a great platter to share but could have done without the crab legs, mussels, shrimp and perhaps add more oysters so you're able to try out different kinds. I ordered the grilled octopus which will run you $19, the octopus was over grilled and you could taste the char which was a little disappointing. I ordered the scallops, which is seared wonderfully except they add this jam to the scallops which is unnecessary and takes away from the scallops taste. All in all, it is a great place but if you want to try some more unusual things it will run you a few extra $. read more

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This place is special. Their seafood platter is brilliant and worth getting. Service was amazing, and watching oyster chucking from the bar was really cool. It's not white table cloth, but neither were the prices, but the vibe is very cool and the seafood is exquisite. I'm coming back for sure. read more

Sooooo...came on the oyster night, but didn't get the oysters (which are probably the biggest draw for this place). The first thing I noticed was the restaurant is WARM. It was a very warm day in the city, and walking into the restaurant, I was praying for the sweet embrace of AC, but was greeted by more stuffy warmth. It's a quaint spot, and service is alright, albeit detached and needed to be prompted (we had to ask for water on several occasions). We ordered the oyster and chicken pate (this was good, though I think I prefer classic pate). We ordered the sardines (SOOOOO MANY BONES), the mussels (these were actually delicious, in a coconut curry sauce + fries were shoestring fries that were well fried), the calamari (this was interesting with a super crispy coat, but was very batter coating heavy, with little squid), and the fish and chips (same fries which were good, batter is very thin and overly oily, with a strong fishy taste....there is definitely better in the city!) Drinks are quite pricey, so not the best place to drink, but beers on tap have specials, and they have 7$ glasses of house wine. It didn't live up to the hype at all, but if you're looking for oysters, then I imagine it's the place to be! read more

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Small older restaurant but it was really good. We made a reservation and happy we did. Started with the seafood tower...everything was fresh and tasty. Our kids had the homemade burgers and they loved them. Great selections. read more

I visited with my friends for some seafood. I ordered a Steelhead trout and oysters for share. Sharing oysters was a bad idea because I could finish 4 in a blink. The trout was perfect. I do not typically enjoy fish, but I enjoyed this one a lot. The noodles and soup that came with it were just alright. I thought the fish would taste better on its own instead of being served on top of the soup. I did not like the meal was not filling enough, considering the price. I got that it was a seafood restaurant, but I wished I was full after leaving the restaurant. Next time I may just go for the fish and chips. The server was attentive and also helpful. The atmosphere in the restaurant was excellent. I may come back to try their other dishes. read more

Pearl Diver - Zink & Drink Oysters Dozen - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Cute inside and heavy on the ocean theme. I visited in the time period between lunch and dinner where they only served raw bar and beer - heads up! I was bummed since I wanted something off of the full menu, but it wasn't available and I was too hungry to walk elsewhere. The Yelp check in offer only works on full price items and doesn't apply to drinks, no specials. A bit stingy and misleading. The shrimp cocktail and dozen oysters were tasty and fresh. I had a Guinness to go along. I left $50 or so dollars later so not the most economical, but at least it was good seafood. I would have liked to experience their full menu but perhaps another time! read more

Came here to celebrate a friend's birthday and we had a great time here. We ordered the seafood tower as our appetizer (around $66) - delicious! Then I ordered the fish & chips ($19) - can't go wrong with this staple but I recommend you choose something different and unique if you come here. My partner chose the Steelhead trout ($30) - was a bit too soupy he said. The food are delicious though slightly on the pricey side. One of our other friend ordered the Pickerel ($30) - that looks even better, I would recommend that over the trout. They sat us at a big table near the back of the restaurant, so it was nice and intimate setting for two groups of people. Although the room is at the back, the waiters frequently peeked their head into the back to make sure we're doing okay. Our waiter was kind. We are thinking about coming back on Thursday for 100 oysters for $100! Awesome! Again, great atmosphere to dine with friends. Thank you for the friendly service. read more

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My husband took me here on Valentine's Day because he knows that I like oysters. He ordered 2-dozens for me and they were delicious! It was $20 each dozen during happy hours. My husband had a creamy soup, which was just okay since he cooked much better soup. He also had fish and chips. They were not bad, but nothing special. I also had KimChi fried rice. It was just okay. Overall, I gave the oysters 5 stars, but the rest of the food we tried 3 stars. read more

Had high expectations for this place based on reviews. Warm quaint atmosphere, with decent bar with view of fresh seafood prep area. Nice selection of fresh east coast oysters. Our waiter seemed distracted and not really interested in our dining experience. He was at our table maybe 3-4 times over the 1.5 hours. Food arrived at random times and made dining and conversation difficult. Menu offerings were interesting, I had the Icelandic Cod. Too many flavors, too complex, taking away from fillet. Curry mussels were ok, on the bland side. Overall I would recommend going for oysters and a beer/wine.... read more

Nice quaint restaurant. Food was fresh, drinks were good, and atmosphere was very nice.

We just had such a great special occasion dinner at Pearl Diver. We were a group of 12, including a set of kids, so not an easy group. Burgers, fries, focaccia bread, edamame, and clam chowder pleased the younger crowd. The older crowd enjoyed seafood, of course. We enjoyed two seafood towers, the mussels, the scallops (repeat order of that), roasted cauliflower (repeat order), lobster, and more. Enjoyed by all. Our server, Anthony, was simply terrific, a model of calm and good cheer throughout the entire evening, making it possible to focus on food and family. Kudos too to the staff who helped with our reservations for the awesome back room for big groups and for giving us directions for parking. (My only suggestion for the team is to get the parking directions on the website.) My tip to you: there is street parking on Adelaide (one way street going East) in front of the restaurant but that starts at 6.30p. Otherwise, try Lombard St., which is a tiny little lane behind the restaurant. We parked 3 cars between those two streets, so hopefully you can too. Thumbs up and thank you for a special evening, Pearl Diver team! read more

Pearl Diver is a neighbourhood seafood eatery. The wooden booths and rustic decor gives the place an east coast vibe. The service is friendly. I have been to Pearl Diver several times and I have never been disappointed. The food is delicious. To start, we had the mandatory dozen oysters. You cannot go to an oyster bar and not have oysters. The oysters were fresh and succulent. For mains, we also had the steelhead trout and coconut mussels. The trout was served in a savoury ginger & kelp broth with soba noodles, shitake mushrooms, baby boy choy and a sesame honey glaze. It was not what I had expected, but it was a delicious and a pleasant surprise. The mussels was delicious. The broth was savoury. You will need to ask for bread to mop up the broth. For dessert, we had a pumpkin spice cheese cake and chocolate cake - great way to end a great meal. I would highly recommend Pearl Diver if you are in the area. read more

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Tasty chowder and good value for money daily special oysters. It's a cozy place and the staff is helpful and friendly. read more

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We really enjoyed our lunch at Pearl River. After checking out St. Lawrence Market, we wanted to go somewhere to sit down and have lunch. I had bookmarked Pearl Diver before my trip to Toronto, and got a chance to stop by after doing some shopping. There weren't many diners in the restaurant, but I liked the space, with a nice bar in the middle. We ended up ordering: Dozen oysters (on special for $18): I seriously considered getting another dozen. Nothing beats fresh oysters, especially at this price point. Lobster Benedict: I really liked the Hollandaise over the nicely cooked eggs. The potatoes (cooked in ketchup?) were just ok. Shrimp po boy: the bread isn't what you would consider for a po boy, but the shrimp was nicely fried and light In addition to the good food, our server was friendly and professional. I would be happy just stopping by for oysters and drinks (they have some crazy promo for 100 oysters for $100). I would definitely return if I am back in this area I also got a 10% discount for checking in on Yelp). read more

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I read all the great reviews, so we decided to come here for dinner. Food was good, but not wonderful. Food came out quickly, however it took a long time for the waiter to take our order and to bring the bill. My favourites were the oysters. The scallops were ok, and the calamari was pretty good. I wouldn't rush back. The clientele is very young, not too sure why. read more

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Third time went there, always a pleasure as usual: great service, good price on the daily special, oysters and sashimi were so fresh, water was refilled constantly... My go for is the chicken liver and oyster pate! Con: saw two cute little flies hanging around last time. It is a hidden gem in the downtown core! read more

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Great vibe, warm friendly service, not pricy but high quality seafood! It is the seafood restaurant I go to in downtown. The best of this place is the daily special and happy hour special. The seafood circus is a must try signature dish here!! The spicy chocolate cake is very special, you can only find it here as well! The name is Burnt smoky chocolate cake with ice cream. They made our birthday celebration special and put a candle on the dessert, love their warm service! read more

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Came here on a Thursday night with some friends and got the 100 oysters for $100. The oysters tasted great and you can see them being shucked over the counter. They weren't too filling though (there were four of us, we each got 25 oysters) so we ordered some sides to share and I got fish and chips. Overall it was pretty great and would come again. Also got a Yelp discount for checking-in! I'm saving it for next time. read more

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LOVED it ... I had only been to the PD a few months ago for a drink but loved the vibe and staff so decided to take a friend in town from Edmonton. We had the pleasure of having KeKe as our server and she was attentive, kind and professional. Spencer was the Oyster Shucker and that guy knows his Oysters. We ordered the Seafood Tower which came with a dozen Oysters. Since my friend was a Oyster virgin Spencer sent over 2 more to try as a nice gesture. All the seafood was fresh and tasty. The shrimp was to die for so we still felt a little hungry and ordered more shrimp and I ordered the Pearl Clam Chowder.... this was the best I have ever had. Desert was amazing as well. This place is cool, relaxing , and the seafood was awesome. read more

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I've been going here a few years now, and this is pretty much my favourite spot in Toronto. Love their chowder, Caesar salad, calamari, and their oysters of course. That said, my favourite thing on the menu is their burger. Juicy, tender, and flavourful - it's spectacular! read more

We came for brunch on a sat. The restaurant was quite empty. Service was not bad, however the food was a bit lacking. The pearly chowder was a bit watery!!! The oyster Benny was ok, the salad had a lot of dressing. Shrimp po boy was ok.... The worst was the home fries. It's not crispy and with too much ketchup-a-like sauce. What pisses me off was the other table had the same benny but came with fries!! The fries definitely looked much better but we did not know we could change to fries....nor we were asked. Parking around here is expensive (green P parking was $5 an hour). Don't think I would come back again. read more

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Small and cozy restaurant, good fresh seafood. We got a whole fish and fresh oysters among other dishes. They have one large table at the back of the restaurant that could fit all 10 of us. But this was before the pandemic so I'm not sure about now. Would love to revisit again soon. read more

This place was one of my go to oyster places as they have 100 for $100 on Thursday. They oysters were always fresh and the place was always packed. But during the past few times I've been here I have noticed the service dropping. The most recent time we went was on a Friday. We noticed that waiters and staff members changed. They were all new faces. The service was extremely slow and the waiters were so rude. Not only that but the cleanliness of the restaurant went down. If you sit near the bar, there would be food flies flying around your head. The oysters were somewhat fresh but they were not cleaned properly as I found a tiny worm on my plate squirming around after........................................................ So sad, would not be coming back for oysters here anymore. Their sticky toffee pudding was so good. Reply to Martin: Hi Martin, Not sure why you're confused or find it offensive. You're the chef but not the shucker and I have complimented your sticky toffee pudding. I've spent over $1000 at the restaurant easily as I've been there a lot of times. Like I said service was acceptable before but the last few times I visited it was not so great. I'm simply stating facts based on my visits. read more

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Visiting from Chicago and I must say that I was very pleased with the Mahi Mahi and the Pearl Diver Burger! It was so yummy! The seafood combo special on Tuesdays is so delicious! I wish I could take it back to Chicago with me. Till next time! read more

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