So I just had the best burger I have ever eaten! Literally the best. And I've tried many on the…read moreToronto Life 25 Best Burger list (which were great) but this one... I couldn't stop smiling while I ate it. This is one of those places that you just happen to stumble upon, (probably would pass right by unless a family member or friend didn't pull you in) and then you tell stories about how good it (the burger) was for years to come. It's one of those places you might forget where it was, but then all other burgers just won't compare, and you'll dream about the burger you once had here. So what made my mouth water so much... a homemade bacon burger with cheese (called the Banquet Burger). Bun - slightly toasted, patty - homemade, just the right amount of char on the outside and juicy on the inside, toppings - the works, lettuce, onion, tomato, pickle, cheese, and..... bacon.... but their bacon is maple bacon and it gives this burger its kick over the top. This juicy 'large' burger is just awesome, and I want to FedEx it over to Toronto Life so it can too reign publicly among the best. I had no expectations about this place, but its burger had me singing its praises all the way home. I heard their other food is made from scratch and also pretty good so I'll definitely have to give more a try next time. A diamond burger in the rough, you almost don't want to tell others about because you never want it to change. Thank you for completely satisfying my taste buds and making my night... you little unassuming neighbourhood bar.

Really wanted to like this place after seeing the great reviews. Sadly, these people can't cook…read more Pizza was too salty and bland, caesar salad had not taste, no salt and was overdressed. Wings were a good size, but had a weird taste. Dip sauce for chicken wings was bad and tasted a little too sweet.

Unfortunately places like these are a dying breed in this part of downtown, being replaced by…read moreoverpriced trendy and pretentious bars and restaurants. I love this place because it's a very comfortable and low key café/tavern with cheap dependable food and friendly service. The menu is part pub/diner food and part Thai/Vietnamese food. I tried both and I liked them all. I had the vegetarian tofu pad Thai and I was pleasantly surprised that the tofu was served crispy (and not greasy). It was simple and good and for $12.50 it's an excellent deal and you can't go wrong. The veggie burger was also good and I really like the fries as it has a very light crispy batter. Almost all of the items on the menu were under $12, and they often have combo food & drink specials. There is WiFi and it's good place to have some lunch, a beer or coffee while doing some work. Sitting by the window makes for a good spot to people watch on Queen St. This is definitely not a high end restaurant so I don't understand some of the poor reviews. It's a chill, humble neighbourhood spot frequented by residents in the area -- who cares that the furniture is worn and the interior is quirky and old, this is true character and charm you don't find in a newer establishment, especially in this part of the city.

Incredibly grilled cheese. Cash only unless you ordered via Ritual, but if you do and even if there…read moreare plenty of seats available you are not allowed to eat there lol. Kinda grungy, probably been around forever, ATM machine is at the back in case you didnt bring papers.

Quality food, adequate service, ok atmosphere. They sat me facing a wall in route to the back…read morekitchen... not da best.

The squid fried rice ($31) needs rebranding - it's not fried rice, rather an Asian paella. When I…read morethink of fried rice, I imagine a dish that emits wok hay (a fragrant, reach into your gut aroma) with individual grains tossed with vegetable and proteins. Alma's rice was too saucy, the romesco clumping the rice and drowning out the squid. And don't even get me started on the cashews... an annoying garnish that must be picked out. Drier and nut free, this may resemble fried rice. I was expecting mouth numbing spice with the Szechuan spiced lamb belly roast ($44) but not prepared for the grainy rub that covered the tongue and meat flavours. What a shame, as the lamb was cooked beautifully and after scraping off the rub it was delicious, especially with a dollop of the salty Chinese olive paste. With the chopped Chinese olive, the dish reminds me of braised pork belly with preserved vegetables (muy choy coaw yok). I would have preferred the lamb belly to have flavour profiles closer to this traditional dish, enhanced with a bit of Szechuan heat and a roasted crust. While the black pepper soy sauce in the pork wonton and noodles ($29) was too heavy handed, the noodles were incredible, having a lovely chew that would impress a pastaia. Sadly, this expertise didn't shift into the wonton's wrappers, which were too thick. At least the wontons were nice and plump, filled with a generous amount of pork filling (this could benefit from finely chopped vegetables to add moisture). Using scallions in the filling and reducing the amount of garnish would better balance the dish. Chef Chen's take on Peking duck ($58), a special for the evening, needs a permanent place on the menu. While the skin wasn't as crispy as Peking duck, it did have that lovely salty roasted taste and the meat cooked to a medium rare. The well crusted roasted turnips and the creamy foie gras sauce were great complements and left us wanting more. In fairness, Alma nailed the small plates. The parmesan tapioca fritters ($10 for 2; $5 for additional piece) were crispy, creamy, and captured a depth of flavours that beat out most arancini I've had. The tapioca also added a glutinous chewiness that would make a mochi lover swoon. One look at the beautiful caramel crust on the bao ($17 for 2; $6 for additional piece) and I could why the dish is so popular. Break the bao open and the dough is fluffy and moist... the consistency so perfect that I didn't even mind that the bun had no filling. Just give more of the stracciatella cheese and eggplant fenugreek dip as the tablespoon portions were too scant to share amongst three buns. I could have used all the eggplant spread on my bun alone it was so good. Diners may find the chili bean beef tartare ($26) salty, but anyone that's had chili bean sauce should know it's sodium laden. Our table loved the finely chopped beef mixture on the thin rice cracker, just handle it delicately to avoid it crumbling. Eating at Alma is like a rollercoaster... a series of highs and lows. We finished downhill with the coconut flan ($12), the syrup incorporated a strong flavour that just didn't work - it's hard to decipher but reminds me of the herbal pei pa kao mixed with white rabbit candy. It overpowered the flan's egg custard flavour, and the wild blueberries didn't hold up either.

Gord and I had supper at the Greedy Goose Tuesday evening. It was a fairly busy with FIFA fans as…read morethere are lots of TVs scattered throughout. I miss it when it was the Foggy Dew. I don't know what it's trying to be now. A sports bar? A family restaurant? The menu isn't overly exciting. Gord had a chicken Caesar wrap. I had chicken fingers (I took some home). I would have rathered a burger but all they had was one with mushrooms, onions and cheese for $25 and I didn't want all that. If I'd ordered the burger without that stuff, it would have still cost $25. Huh??!!

I was actually pleasantly surprised. The food is good! I don't dine much in alot of places that…read moreoffer burgers and pastas and nachos but everything we got was good!! Including Wagyu beef gyoza. I would definitely come back. Street parking only like all places downtown. But it's a good spot for casual nite out or game nite with their big screens. Nothing to complain about the service.

First night in Toronto and my daughter who lives there picked this place for dinner. Loved…read moreeverything about it . The guys who served us were pleasant and funny . I had the duck confit and it was awesome . Good wines and the desert was also excellent . Overall it was a great choice and I will definitely return on my next visit .

We'd just finished watching some excellent jazz at The Rex and were making our way across Queen,…read morehoping to pop in somewhere for a quick snack and dessert. La Palette is one of those places I've been meaning to check out forever, so it seemed like a no-brainer. I was in the mood for a cocktail, but they don't have a cocktail menu and even have a sign on the wall discouraging cocktail ordering, so I wound up getting a decent glass of wine. (Was I really annoyed not to be able to order a martini? I sure was.) For food, we decided to share the Pate ("House made Iberico pâté en croute, quince jam, pickles"). It arrived to the table pretty quickly and it's quite tasty. It's obviously been made with quality ingredients, and while I wish it hadn't been served right out of the fridge, the pate when combined with the fresh bread and flavorful olive oil made for a very satisfying snack. For dessert, we went with the crème brûlée. It's a pretty tiny portion and it's curiously been served in a tall (rather than shallow) ramekin, which meant that we didn't get much of that irresistible crunchy topping. But the pudding itself was very tasty and rich, so wiping it out wasn't a problem. The ambiance was excellent and the service was super friendly. I can definitely see returning for dinner sometime. I'll just make sure I'm not craving a cocktail.

Kicking off the Christmas celebrations at Fionn MacCool with good food, fab vibes and, backed with…read moreamazing live local music because the spirit of Christmas is incomplete without good food and good music. Featuring some of my favourite dishes that I devoured last night: - IRISH ICED TEA - CHICKEN WINGS - CAJUN PENNE PASTA - DOUBLE STACKED FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH - FISH TACOS - CHICKEN QUESADILLAS - BUTTER CHICKEN CURRY If you're looking to spend good times this Christmas with your friends and family with some authentic Irish drinks/ brews and drool-worthy food, you guys need to check out Fionn Maccools. Fionn Maccools 825 BRITANNIA ROAD WEST MISSISSAUGA Follow me at @iambibzz on Instagram for more amazing food finds.

Came here recently and it's not as good as it used to be…read more Service was slow and it was difficult for us to get anyone's attention. The Stacked Fried Chicken Sandwich was tiny. Waaay smaller than it should be for the price. It's like a tall slider. The Steak and Mushroom bowl was alright but the fries and Yorkshire puddings were bland. Overall it was a disappointment and a waste of money.

Dotty's located along Dupont near Franklin Ave in the Junction Triangle is a neighbourhood…read morerestaurant/diner serving snacks, large plates, and sides. The menu is simple, with offerings like "steak", "fish & veg" or "cheeseburger". They also have a good drink list - $9 house wines by the glass, cocktails, beers, as well as some non-alcoholic options. Inside they have seating at the bar or in the dining room, as well as a patio during the warmer months. The washroom is downstairs which is not accessible to all. The restaurant is walk-ins only, no reservations, where they open at 4:30pm. I stopped by Dotty's on a Wed evening right after they opened around 4:30pm for a snack as I had an event to go to around the area. Upon entering, I sat at the bar and was given menus. Service was friendly and I was given time to study the menu. The vibes of the place are casual and it's a space where you can come time and time again to try different things. Since I wanted something on the lighter side, these are the following items I ordered: - Small size caesar salad - $13 - Hamachi crudo (menu stated tuna but staff mentioned it would be hamachi today) - $25 - DGB (Dotty's Ginger Beer - pineapple, lemon, ginger, maple, soda) - $9 The DGB tasted great! This non-alcoholic option was made by the bartender and had a strong kick of ginger which I loved. It was spicy and not too sweet, the perfect drink if you want something zingy and spicy. The caesar salad was classic. The staff offered to give me a smaller portion as the actual size is larger. Romaine lettuce tossed in caesar dressing with crunchy croutons and heaps of parmesan cheese on top with a lemon wedge on the side. It was light and fresh and the dressing wasn't too heavy or overpowering. The crudo tasted great as well! There was some creamy sauce on the bottom which was paired with radish and jalapenos on top, giving the fish crudo crunch as well as some kick to it. Overall, a solid choice in the Junction Triangle for some classic food. Expect to be surprised by the dishes - the dishes on the menu may seem simple, but the flavours and execution of the food is done well. Would love to return back to Dotty's in the future to try other items on the menu!

Good casual spot, not too expensive but the food is top notch. The fries and soft serve are a must…read more Friend I was with had previously been to Dottys and had the burger and wanted to try something else - so I will be returning!

NeuLokal is a new restaurant that recently opened in the Junction with a great vibe. I visited the…read morerestaurant for lunch before their grand opening in the evening so it wasn't busy and I got to sit anywhere I liked. The server was friendly, and very attentive. We ordered the Penne Bikini, Beef Beef Wrap, Veggie Nachos, and a couple of Mojitos. The food was well priced, tasty, and beautifully presented. I look forward visiting this restaurant next time for dinner so that I can try more items on the menu. The interior is spaciousness, with a minimalist decor, and a warm color scheme. The overall ambiance was very modern and slightly elevated. I expect the evening scene to be quite lively given their extensive drink menu.

Thus is a nice restaurant with delicious food and live music. Service is amazing. It has a…read moredelicious menu. The bar area is nice and cozy.