**This was our third visit. We love the atmosphere, the staff and food. I know some people think its a bit pedestrian but they don't screw it up. **We started with an arugula beet salad and 2 butternut squash soup. Beets were sweet and the peppery flavour of the arugula really mesh well, the dressing was a blue cheese of sort vinaigrette just enough to taste. The soup was hot (i hate when you get luke warm soup)..with a hint of ginger very nice. **We of course ordered a doz. oysters, fresh, clean, crisp, cold and tasty. love the freshly grated horseradish. If your have oyster in your name they better be good. **Mains were 3 hanger steaks with fries (the fries need work seem like frozen job)....steak and peppercorn sauce cooked perfect. **Dessert - We had 1 flourless chocolate cake and pecan pie tart....nothing fancy .just what we expect (all good) **The service is excellent from the front of the house, to your waiter, runner and even management on floor, very smooth. **3 appts, 3 mains, 2 dessert, doz oysters, one beer, bottle sparkling water, 2 coffees + tip $140 read more

It was a breath of fresh air to dine at Pure Spirits Oyster House & Grill. It was mild, rain-free summer night (one of the few of this year's Toronto's summer). Pure Spirits was the perfect match to this now rare and awesome weather. Our dinner was very satisfying and very enjoyable from beginning to end. And the ambiance and service was ultra cool. We shared all our delicious dishes that night: mussels & frites, calamari and 12 fresh oysters recommended by our knowledgeable and friendly waiter. My good friend and I our devoured all our food and managed to end on a sweet note with the flourless dark chocolate gateau. I am NOT a dark chocolate fan, but after consuming this dessert, I am definitely a fan of this dark chocolate cake! Promise me you will still order this cake even after you're full from dinner, okay? You best promise! My friend and I were so engrossed in our delightful meal and conversation that we didn't notice we were still enjoying ourselves quite some time after Pure Spirits hours. Oopsy! But it was all good, the staff never rushed us once to boot us out the door and by the look on their faces, they weren't bothered one bit that we were there while they were closed. read more

Walked in on a really cold Wednesday night after an event at the distillery district and had wonderful dinner. SO and I tried some fantastic oysters - malpeque, fanny bay and my fav kumamoto. Our server was very frienldy, knowledgable and helpful. My main was a pasta with capers with tiger shrimps - sadly underwhelming. The shrimps were ordinarly size - not tiger shrimps. The pasta was greasy and the food was a little cold. My SO ordered the salmon and that was OK although it did have a good crust on it. I would go back for the oysters and the atmosphere. It seems like a warm place and worth a second shot. read more

The food here looked really crappy but no matter, I only had one thing in mind, and that thing is oysters. I came here on my birthday, a Tuesday luckily enough for their $1.50 oyster Tuesdays. Once again a place that claims it knows all about oysters has no green Tabasco. Fucking posers. So I brought my own green Tabasco, got my dozen oysters with a nice White Russian (made fairly well here) I can't really rate the quality of raw oysters but I was the only one in here at 2:00 pm on a Tuesday, some good music was playing and the decor is nice. I'm guessing the place fills up at night time because its HUGE in here. nice place, I would go again for the oysters. read more

Ribeye steak for me- too thin, seemed to be mediocre sourced meat. Celery root + potato puree very good. Lobster for gf- overcooked, somewhat chewy. Dessert was dark chocolate cheesecake with cherry, toasted coconut. Really good but a bit too sweet. I'm being picky about the food but paying $40 an entree brings with it high expectations. read more

Came here for the oysters! We had the dozen mixed platter and enjoyed these with the mild mustard sauce of the three options. The server was helpful and honest (appreciated the heads up on not trying the cocktail sauce with the oysters - seemed like a weird option anyway so I stayed away). Although the oysters were great, I enjoyed the large serving of the mussels more! The side of fries was a great compliment to the dish. read more

I have been here several times, most often for a seat on the gorgeous (and usually packed) patio. Most recently, for a prix fixe indoors with a large group. My opinion has not changed. The location is really what this place has going for it. The food is not bad by any means, but not outstanding. Definitely pricey. The summer times on the patio are much more memorable, but the prix fixe wasn't awful. We started with a simple ceaser salad, my main was salmon and asian greens with house-made dumplings (really unimpressed with the sloppy dumplings) in a broth and then a cake for dessert. It was fun, but not great value, as the $35 prixe fixe cost us $140 after two drinks each, tax and tip. Ouch. This is definitely one of those restaurants that you look at your bill and lament about what a fantastic party you could have had at home for the same price. I could have made a better meal and had better wine for the cost. Service inside has been great, outside not as much. I am sure I will visit again, as it is a popular spot come summer, but I wouldn't rush there by any means. read more

The food was good. Its my fault I didn't enjoy it more, we had the salmon mac and cheese and the lobster pappardelle. Which tasted good, I guess we were wanting something familiar BUT I went to a oyster house and didn't have any oysters. The restaurant was nice and the service was good. I'd definitely go again and try something new! read more

This place has a great ambience, good presentation, cute spot for date night and a quick walk around distillery district. Servers are nice and attentive. I really enjoyed the calamari, it was something different! Not your average deep fried calamari, I believe they used tempera batter, it's more Japanese style calamari which I enjoyed. My boyfriend said he really enjoyed the wings, tender, meaty and there were 3 hot sauces in dropped r bottles came with different levels of spice. My clam chowder was mediocre, you can definitely find better at like specialized fish and chip stores. Flavour was good but not a lot of seafood and a lot of potatoes. I'd give 3.5/5, great potential, I would come back to try other seafood items. read more

Pure Spirits - Wings, clam chowder, calamari - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

***1/2 Our food and sangrias were good. I ordered the chopped salad (chicken, avocados, corn etc) and it had the most delicios cilantro dressing. My friends were quite happy with their meals too. Though it doesn't come cheap I must say. The staff was funny. We asked for split bills. After they got the bills, we asked if we could pay for the third person 50/50. But they said they couldn't charge the third person's amount 50/50 between the other two on our credit cards. For that they'd have to find the manager again for approval. That's the strangest thing I've heard. I'd lkike to give it 3.5 stars, 4 is too high and 3 a little low. read more

Food is great and fast. Very confused on their menu~ ordered calamari, we got 5 pcs chewy squids (Chinese calamari tasted better than this place), ordered Oysters, came last ( we have to asked other server to get an update if the boat is back cultivating oysters from the Lake.) Our server Patrick no where to find. I have to asked another server again if he can find Patrick. Finally, he came not even have the passion to ask us how was our dinner. Then I asked for Togo box( hint buddy we are ready for our bill) but no MIA again. Staying at the Ritz asked our concierge for local hangout and he recommend me this Distillery District expecting not to touristy but failed on our expectation. Bad experience Will not recommend to come here if your Server is Patrick. read more

Had a mixed platter of the best looking Oysters I have had in a long time. Only $2.50 each. The West Coast Fanny Mae's were huge, firm and delicious. The PEI Malpeques were fresh tasting and while smaller than I expected, it may have only been in comparison! Good service, and cold beer made the experience even better. But it will be the Oysters that bring me back. Suggest this as an appetiser before Mexican food across the street :) read more

Pure oyster yumminess! I've been here a couple of times and the service and the oysters have not disappointed yet. The location is great, I have been there both during the day in the patio, at night in the dining room, and it's always beautiful and pleasant. Today I tried a mango gazpacho which I didn't really like, but that's my own taste buds; the oysters were still great. Their bread is evil, soooo good! read more

Pure Spirits - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I came here on a Monday evening. The distillery district was pretty busy. The patio outside was really busy and we decided to sit inside. The patio was pretty big and looked welcoming though. The waiter who served us was great super friendly kind of reminded me of Blairs step-dad from Gossip Girl. He checked back periodically to make sure we were enjoying our meals. I had the seafood mac and cheese and it was absolutely delicious. There was tons of seafood in the dish. Lots of salmon,shrimp and scallops. The dish was super tasty and filling. The portion was large and it was full of seafood they are definitely not skimpy on it. Id recommend this place to anyone looking for a nice seafood downtown Toronto. Not a fan of oysters so I didnt have any but they have a big variety so Im sure if youre a fan you can find something you like. read more

The food and ambiance were great....had a perfect spot on the patio. The service was a little sub par...was served drinks in dirty glasses and getting the bill was a bit of a headache. That being said, I had a great meal otherwise. I had oysters and the bouillabaise....yum! This would be an awesome place for a date, groups, and friends visiting Toronot read more

We had a group dinner last night. Our server was awesome, but I forgot his name. Everything that we ordered was cooked right and tasted great. I always order the fries with sauces, octopus and either creme brullee or panna cotta for dessert. I highly recommend coming here for supper and sitting on the patio (warmer weather of course) read more

Hey reader, I came here with a special lady for a special afternoon and the food was great. We had the salmon with salad and the green curry mussels and both plates made us happy. The service was lacking and that really sucks. I am a fan of interacting with staff who love their jobs and I figured that maybe this guy applied to the wrong location. How could anybody have been so grim, working on a beautiful summer afternoon in the Distillery District during a time when it wasn't even busy? I would describe this grumpy grumpster, but you'd probably recognize him as the mid-thirties male waiter, who wants big tips from big tables. If he was actually providing service, perhaps I could describe him better. Yes, I was green with envy when he was talking up the table with the 6 or 7 older folks seated a few tables behind us since he had no smiles to share with me and my lady =( I've been working in the service industry since I was 16 and I know boring customers are no fun so I make an effort to be social with staff everywhere. I know I didn't do anything to provoke his cold shoulder since we barely had a chance to have small talk or even exchange glances! I still left a nice tip ($11+) for a $75 dollar meal for barely any service, in hopes that he can learn to appreciate everybody who walks through the doors. That guy needs to learn how to turn lemon into lemonade. All he did was deliver the sour. read more

I chose Pure Spirits for my birthday lunch. Not only was the tuna poke absolutely delicious, the staff went out of their way to make the lunch special. read more

Pure Spirits - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Poor service, except for the waitress and oyster-shucker who helped us out. I asked for a seat at the bar and was told that no seating was available wait for a table on the patio and people were waiting up to 15mins for a table. When I stepped into the restaurant half the restaurant was empty and only a few people seated at the bar. I gave my table to others and an exception was made of me to sit at the bar. Service was limited, rolls were ice cold and I had to ask for cutlet and napkins. Pretty disappointing. Get your act together! read more

The patio at Pure Spirits is a pretty cool place to hang out with a drink and grab some food. I actually hate oysters but they have a lot of other seafoodie dishes to pick from. They're a bit pricey, but hey it's the distillery district. I LOOVE shrooms so I had to go for the mushroom and lobster spaghettini! Wild mushrooms and lobster is win... especially when they mention black truffles!!!! ($24) Sadly, I couldn't even smell a hint of truffles :( but the dish, though it looked like a pretty small serving, was filling and there was definitely a decent amount of lobster and mushrooms that lasted til I cleaned up the plate. Service was attentive and friendly from the hostess and our server. They had a page of beers, lots of wines, cocktails ($10) and martinis ($11) so I would consider coming back here for drinks on the patio on a nice sunny day. read more

We were here last night, and had quite a nice time. Their patio is extensive. With the brick floors, the atmosphere is authentic, but I did trip a few times (pre-wine) walking on the patio. The wine list is ok, but a bit price, average of $13 per glass. We ordered the mac and cheese with smoked salmon and seafood and a spelt pasta with sun dried tomatoes, caramelized butternut squash and goat cheese (there was something green on there too). Both were quite tasty. They will bring you unlimited amounts of bread (if you want it). I think the portion sizes were more than adequate. I think next time my friend and I will just share one order of pasta, rather than getting 2 orders. Nice place to dine, but it was a bit pricey. read more

I have been to this place a few times now and each time the service was outstanding and the food was absolutely delicious! Went there for my dad's 50th birthday a year ago and, although they were very busy and food came a bit delayed, our server was extremely apologetic and even brought out oysters on the house! Parents loved it so much so that we came back here for his 51st birthday last week! Different server this time, however, we still got amazing service (this time food came out much quicker - so no freebies :) Everything, from oysters and fried calamari, mains (Yellowfin tuna was to die for) to creme brulee for dessert was absolutely outstanding, from presentation to taste! If you are looking for a great seafood restaurant with an impeccable service and atmosphere, I highly recommend to dine here. read more

Excellent place for oysters with a large selection to choose from. Recently came here for a quick bite and ended up ordering the clam vongole, oyster Po boy and a dozen oysters. Everything was delicious. Will definitely come back for oysters in the future. read more

Pure Spirits - Clams vongole, dozen oysters and Po boy sandwich. - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Came here for the Sunday Steak & Grape special (8oz striploin with a glass of house wine for $30). I'm kicking myself for not taking a photo, as I was so disappointed by the end I knew I had to review. Sliced vegetables were the side but it was the equivalent of two button mushrooms, one pickled shallot, 3/4 of a fingerling potato, and three asparagus stalks...I don't get it when restaurants skimp on the cheapest parts of meals, like rice and potatoes. The medium rare steak was done as I asked but I think it was just pan seared, with a a splash of gravy....acceptable but nothing to write home about. The house Cabernet Sauvignon was good, and the server was super sweet. Would not return but to try the AYCE mussels and maybe half priced wines. read more

Summer + patio + oysters = wow I've come across this simple equation through this establishment. It was a quite nice experience. Afterwards, i realized they have 1.50 oysters on tuesdays afterwards.. So clearly I didn't read the yelp reviews before coming. I'll be coming back. read more

Fresh and delicious food, service was tremendous, waiter had great knowledge of the food the restaurants serves, especially the oysters. Will definitely come again read more

Pure Spirits - Great combination of fresh oysters with some white wine - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Great looking place for seafood in the Distillery District, with a big outdoor patio to boot. Right near the Young Centre. Seems like a popular place for lunch. The menu has about 10-12 selections of fish, but the burger looked good if you're not in to seadfood. I went with the seared tuna sandwich, which was good but nothing to write home about. The service was excellent. Pricey, but about what you'd expect to pay for the scenic location. read more

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Remember, just because something is a deal, it doesn't mean that you should eat it! If something costs $1.50, be careful what you pay for. My husband and I came here on a Tuesday excited to chow down on some oysters. We ordered 2 dozen Miyagi Tuesday $1.50 specials. We sat right in front of the oyster shucker. It was a little busy for a Tuesday, but this guy was shucking like his life depended on it! He was really fast, but really messy. I only saw him smell a few (for freshness) and the oyster shell pieces were all over his hands. When we got the oysters my husband and I nearly chipped our teeth a good few times because there were oyster shell remnants all over the oysters. Normally I slurp up the oyster from the shell, but I had to use the fork to pick up the meat and scrap off the pieces of shell. Not cool.... Also, a few of them were fishy and really small. Besides the oysters, we also ordered an ahi tuna salad. The tuna was alright--not too fresh, but the dressing and veggie/lettuce combination were tasty. We ordered the calamari and it was pretty good. Just crispy enough with a side of cooked sweet onions. My only complaint was that the portion was a tad on the small side for the amount of calamari served (and the price!). One thing that bothered me was that there was a restaurant manager who was hanging around the oyster shucker and asking him if he needed any help. She was holding things in her hand--probably sheets and stuff from booking a large group at the back of the restaurant. The shucker was getting swamped so she decided to help him. WITHOUT washing her hands, she started picking up horseradish with her hands and placing it on the platters of oysters. She also placed slices of lemons on the trays, making sure her fingers touched every part of the lemon. Normally I'm not too grossed out about this, but it was happening right in front of us! It totally made me think twice about how my food is handled at all restaurants. Overall, Pure Spirits needs to step it up. It's a shame because it's such a great location and the decor is perfect for a drink after work or a cute date on the weekend. read more

I have to admit I was very excited to eat here for lunch, however after being seated, my excited turned to not impressed. We went here for lunch and there were maybe acouple tables occupied, it took roughly 10-15 mins to get a waitress to order drinks. There seemed to be double (at least) the amount of employees compared to customers which made me very confused. The prices did not impress me either even though it was an "oyster house". Once we got our drinks we placed our food order, ended up with the chicken salad and asked if they could make the chicken blackened seasoned (personal preference) the waitress who was very nice said she had to ask her chef which I completely understood. She came back and said they could not (I didn't care too much, but what restuarant doesn't have that seasoning lol). We got our salads and for the price, the portions were small, was still hungry after finishing and they said they could make peri peri chicken (I had no clue what that was haha) ended up saying thank you and grilled chicken was ok haha. I do not know if I will be back as the first impression was ok, but not satisfying. Salad was good and staff was friendly, but other ran that I was disappointed. read more

Great place to chill out and hang out. The oysters were delicious. 6 for $12. The moosehead radler is delicious which a hint of grapefruit. It's the best beer I've had. Definitely recommend for a laid back place to hang out and knock back a few beers. read more

Pure Spirits - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I took my wife for the first time at the distillery and we decided to eat at the Pure Spirits Oyster House. We had to wait for maybe 15 - 20 min to be seated at the patio which was perfect because the weather was so nice. Food was alright and the server was nice and very friendly. We decided to order oysters for appetizer and it was delicious. After finishing our main entrees we decided to order more oysters but this second time around we find a huge fly at the bottom where the oyster had been marinating. We have been dipping bread and taking sips from this. It was disgusting and pretty much ruined the experience for us. I would go back for the oysters but this has definitely traumatized me for life. Tip - Check the bottom soup base of the oysters before eating, you might find fly or flies under there. I hate to give a bad review like this but I was very shocked to see this. read more

I wish I read the reviews before going to this place. The problem is that there are very few restaurants in this area and a LOT of people, so the competition is zero and they have no good reason to try and do better. We had tickets to one of the shows and went to this place before the show. The place looked half empty, but for some reason, there was pretty long line and it took them 20 minutes to sit us. Not sure why, maybe they are just trying to make it look busy. After being seated, we waited for a while to be approached by a waiter. We ordered water, which was brought to us half warm. Didn't anybody tell you that water is supposed to come with ice and lemon? I ordered the 6oz tenderloin ($35) and my wife the sashimi ($16). The sashimi was so small you could hardly see it on the plate. The steak was not bad - however, I expected MUCH more from a $35 steak. It doesn't come even close to steaks at the Keg, and is 30% more expensive. In addition, I asked for medium, and it came completely bloody. We also ordered yukon fries ($10) - completely tasteless, we could not even finish it. And small glass of cocktail for $11 - again, completely tasteless. The total bill came to almost $100 including tax and tip. The service was very slow, we almost missed the show. I would NOT recommend this place. read more

Very good one, highly recommended. We had an issue with one of the meals, and they've replaced with a more expensive one at no charge. Very good service, friendly staff and trained professionally. read more

Pure Spirits - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I was here last Saturday night and was severely disappointed. We sat on the patio and the table was in rough shape with things peeling off. When we asked for glasses of ice water, we were given ice cold water. When asked for actual ice, the waiter laughed it off and never brought it. I ordered the chop salad... very disappointed. I really expected higher quality. Maybe the Distillery District truly is a tourist trap. read more

A little pricey for the food and service, wasn't getting what was paid for.. We had to leave our table by 6:30 because they were busy, but we left at 6:50ish tehehe. Our waiter wasn't smiling,.. seemed arrogant. Oysters were alright :/ nothing too amazing that I'd come back for. I had the Nova Scotian Lobster Pappardelle, and it was yummmmyyyy :) :) My bf had the Mac 'n Cheese, with only one small piece of smoked salmon. My little disappointed baby, awwww... The restaurant looked lovely and definitely an elegant place to take my boss to, perhaps. Customers are nicely dressed here. On other days, I'd like to spend my money elsewhere.. read more

I love oysters! Fresh, salty and creamy these slimy little buggers are a gift from the ocean. I'll eat them however you want - raw, grilled, marinated, or soaked in a vodka shot. Based on this indiscriminate love of these shell fish I was excited to visit Pure Spirits. The one thing I don't generally love about oysters is the price, but every Tuesday there is a $1.50 per oyster special (all day!) that makes ingesting a dozen (or so) not so financially perilous. Our server was friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. 5 out of 5 for her. The oysters were great and the p.e.i mussels steamed in Malaysian laksa broth were super tasty, except for the 1 or 2 slightly dodgy ones my friend received. The Ahi Tuna Salad was nice but nothing amazing. I had the Atlantic lobster spaghettini with wild mushrooms and a black truffle cream sauce. It was OK, but under seasoned and certainly a case of a dish that reads super well on the menu but is underwhelming in person. I expected it to be packed with flavor from the mushrooms and truffles to enhance the lobster but it fell a little flat. A menu pitched at this price range needs to knock their delivery up a notch. Nice ambiance in the restaurant. The distillery district was dead on a rainy Tuesday night but I certainly can see it being a great, busy location on the weekend. read more

My husband and I are huge fans of Pure Spirits Oyster House & Grill. We had the opportunity to eat here while we were in Toronto for our honeymoon. The restaurant itself is located in the Distillery District, a very fun area to explore if you are visiting the city, and it offers a great atmosphere with a huge patio in the summer and cozy interior for the winter. For an appetizer, we decided to order oysters. They were fresh and fantastic. For our entrees, my husband ordered the thai green curry mussels with wild lime leaves, coconut cream, and sweet basil ($17). I ordered the chickpea falafel salad with smoky babaganoush, dandelion, tzatziki heirloom tomatoes and house pickles ($16). Our entrees were absolutely fantastic, and we ate everything on our plate! Typically, my husband and I will split a dessert. Their dessert menu was so fantastic however that we ordered two desserts to try: The Gin and Tonic with Gin semifreddo, tonic lemongrass fluid gel, and lime bubbles ($8) and Strawberries and Cream with strawberry consommé, vanilla honey yogurt panna cotta, fresh Ontario strawberries, and lemon poppy seed shortbread ($10). Both desserts were delicious and we are going to have to agree to disagree on what was our favorite dessert. They were both so good! Our service was also impeccable. Our server was nice, attentive, and fun. In sum, we couldn't of asked for a better meal at a better restaurant. If we are in the area again, we will definitely be dining here! read more

Ive been here twice with a pleasant experience both times. First time was a dinner and second time I did the summerlicious menu for lunch on the patio. The food is great, especially the PEI mussels as well as the oysters which you can never go wrong. On the pricy side but definitely a great restaurant for those special occasions. read more

Was sitting in the patio at Pure Spirits today for the first time. When the waiter finally came over, after about 10 mins, we were ready to order, but we're told there were absolutely no substitutions or modifications to the menu "because the kitchen is too busy." All we wanted was for them to hold the tartar sauce and coleslaw from the fish and chips because we don't eat it. The waiter confirmed it was all on the side but he had to bring it to the table. We decided to go elsewhere. I gave the restaurant one star because you cannot post a review without a star. read more

So the food here is good. Their seafood dishes and appetizers are cooked to perfection. Often you go to restaurants and the fish is over cooked. That is not the case here. If you go, try the snapper and rainbow trout. Now for the bad. I will probably never return again. It's -1 outside, feels like -4. We were 3rd in line, which was fine since I wanted try something new and was not in a hurry. When asked for the wait time, the hostess would say she didn't know. We were told the restaurant was at full capacity, including the seating at the bar. It could be 20mins to an hour or more. We waited about 1/2 an hour. During that time, many groups left the the restaurant, but only 2 people were seated. When we were eventually seated, about 6 tables and the bar area were empty. Why would they have their guests wait in the cold when several tables were free? Other guests came in after me and also questioned why they were made to stand in the cold when the restaurant was empty. Some were told its management's policy, others were told it was to avoid overwhelming the staff and kitchen. I was told that whether we stood outside or inside, we would still have waited. If true, I don't understand why you would not explain to your guests that they could be seated inside but there may be a wait due to volume. The only conclusion I can come to is that they wanted to appear busy and drum up interest by creating a lineup outside and claiming the restaurant was full. By the way, the lineup outside never died down, no matter how empty the restaurant became inside. I watched empty tables, booths and bar, with a clear view to those waiting outside. read more