I was in the area for a show and I wanted to grab a drink and a bite beforehand, so The John seemed like a perfect option. I walked in and I immediately was impressed with the vibe. It was just so comfortable and I thought the various pop-culture posters and video game machines really enhanced the comfy feel. I wound up grabbing a couple of well-priced pints and decided on the Fried Chicken Sandwich, which comes with fries. I'll be honest, it's not a great sandwich. The bread was cold, the chicken wasn't crispy and full of tough-to-chew pieces, and even the fries were about half those tiny pieces you get sometimes. But you know what? It didn't even bother me that much. The servers were super nice and completely on the ball in terms of knowing when to ask if I needed anything. And like I said, the atmosphere was terrific. I'd definitely return to The John, but next time maybe I'd forgo the food. read more

The John - Fried Chicken Sandwich. - Pubs Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Cozy bar/pub for casual hangouts, and old-school arcade games in the back. We came here for a late dinner on a Thursday evening in a large group, no reservation and we were seated right away. I got the Mac and cheese with pork belly, it was good but nothing special. Prices average or slightly high for what it is Friendly service but I can get loud and hard to get server to see/hear us Washrooms downstairs read more

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Gord and I stopped in at The John last night. We both ordered wings. I got mine with had Buffalo sauce and Gord had salt and pepper wings. Both were good and hit the spot. It's a fun dive bar with lots of board games but the beer could be colder. read more

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Paid parking available along Bloor or free parking up Pauline or Sett. Variety of craft beers, sub average $6-7 pints. Cadillac wings are a hit amongst locals. There's a deal for wings on Wednesdays. Veggie burger is always consistent. read more

The John - a hamburger and fries on a plate - Pubs Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I met friends here for drinks and food and was shocked and delighted to arrive and see the sandwich board out front advertising pints of indie Ale House Instigator IPA on special for $6. All day long. In my experience of reading sandwich boards in Toronto, fancy bars and dive bars alike are pretty stingy with their happy hours, usually offering a deal on one of their most boring, flavorless beers. I don't know if this IPA promo is a one-off for the John or not, but kudos to them for satisfying our tastebuds and stretching our beer dollar on this visit. We won't forget. To no one's surprise, we had 3 beers each. We also ordered a lot of food. I had the John burger ($17), which was really good. The patty was simple and meaty, good toppings and a bun that fit the burger and didn't overwhelm it. Fries were decent and I appreciated that they came out hot. Others ordered wings and sausage on a bun and dill fries. Everyone was happy. The service was super relaxed and friendly. Patrons seemed jovial and a few were pretty wasted, which added to the lively atmosphere. A fun night had by all. read more

A group of us stopped by The John (used to be called the Jim) before a comedy show. I've been before many times for drinks and to play video games. They usually have drink deals all day everyday. This time it was all Amsterdam Tall Cans for 6 dollars. I ordered a 3 Speed larger. We all split an order of Nacho's. It was a good size and arrived promptly. The Nachos had Beans, Pico, Jalapenos, Red Onion and a Spicy Aioli. The Aioli made it quit unique. The John is a nice place to chill. They always play cool music videos playing on the TVs, beer is always cold and the food is great. The place is my favorite place to meet up with friends and have a drink. They also just added a Super Nintendo with a bunch of preloaded games so I will be back for sure! read more

The John - Nachos! - Pubs Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Way better than most bars you will encounter on Bloor st w, and east (danforth). Interesting video and music selections. Bit of arcade. Menus hard to read, dark / small print (I'm old!). Good find! read more

Pretty impressed with this little bar. Great craft beer options, good prices and interesting food menu - not your standard fare. The dishes have a nice twist. Visited with a friend on a weeknight and ordered several pints and loaded fries. The fries were tasty and a good portion, and the beer options exceeded 10 which is great. The service was efficient and friendly and the vibe was unpretentious. My guest loved it and he is picky - has high standards when it comes to beer in particular. Will definitely return. P.S. they have happy hour deals on weekdays from 4-7pm. read more

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Came here to see a band (the Lucky Pennies) and the place has a really good vibe. They had the from window open. Staff were very friendly and helped me pick the right beer (I'm picky). They were slammed with orders but managed to be efficient and chill. Weren't a ton of vegan options so that's my only caveat, but 10/10 will go again. read more

Okay, okay ... so where else can you get one of their wonderful house burgers and a pint of great craft IPA for ten bucks? This is our go-to spot in Bloorview village. conveniently located a block west of the TTC station, this neighbourhood joint has great ambience, friendly service and very reasonable prices. No TV sports here, the screens only feature music videos of all vintages. The burgers come topped with all the expected extras and a pile of crispy deep-fried onions. The hand cut fries are triple fried for extra crackle. A burger not to your taste? The Jim offers a great selection of alternatives including chicken wings, salads, and other bar-style delights. The beer selection includes lots of Ontario craft breweries both on tap and in cans. read more

There is alot of craft beer on tap. Like a couple pages of craft beers. They are not all draft. The place is newly renovated. They hve a couple arcade in the back and board games. They have apparently top 10 bacon pub burgers. My tall gay friends thought washroom headroom height was a bit low. read more

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My friend from the neighbourhood had been speaking of this place. Brand new. So we visited for afternoon drinks. Bourbon and draft beers. Very clean "dive bar" vibe, like a safer Swan Dive. The owners are very nice and I wish them well. I would say that local competition 3 Speed has jumped the shark and Bar Neon is too political at this point so the door is wide open for The Jim. Will be back for sure. Vodka on tap haha. read more

Amazing service! Great beer menu that never fails Fun staff Clean environment The music makes me wanna dance Price is right read more

I love this local resto/bar. The music playlist is completely bonkers and hella fun. Think the Pet Shop Boys - It's a Sin edited to the Exorcist Movie..hilarious! The food is really good and well priced and the staff is too cool and super friendly. They do $5 burgers and beer from 5pm-7pm during the week and it's the best deal in town hands down. I highly recommend. Oh and there is an assortment of board games and Mario Cart to play while you are drinking one of the many beers on tap. Now go have fun! This place rocks! read more

This place is a hidden Jen. Great music videos and pinball. As well as the greatest beer and cider selection ever!!!

For sure one of my new neighborhood favourites. Lots of beer to choose from (although the selection leans more towards IPAs), so no matter what you feel like, you're bound to find something. The food is freaking fantastic-- their fries are INCREDIBLE and their menu is set to expand, so more yummy choices are on their way it seems. Vegetarian and vegan options are on the menu (yay!). The vibe is very relaxed and service is spectacular. Seriously. Everyone that works here is super friendly and makes you feel welcomed and attended to. Overall, a great addition to Bloordale! read more

Crazy big beer selection! Great food! Very casual and eclectic non-stop 80s videos playing on the big screen TVs. I had such an enjoyable evening I went back the next night! Some restaurants/pubs/bars along this strip of west Bloor tend to look a little sketchy but The Jim gave off a great vibe as soon as you walk in. I couldn't bring myself to order anything with Kangaroo in it... they are soooo cute... but there was enough of a variety on the menu to make up for my aversion to eating cute things. read more

My partner and I have been to The Jim a few times since it first opened. We're huge fans of this place, even though it's a bit out of our way, because the ambiance is always fun--thanks to the care that the owners put into everything they do. The décor is fun and relaxed, the selection of beers and ciders--most of which are produced locally--is impressive (40 taps plus quite a number of canned options), as for the food... great flavours and twists on traditional pub grub. We tried a number of their starters and especially loved the supreme fries, mac 'n cheese bites, deep fried ravioli, and chicken wings. The portions and flavours are great, as are the optional add-ons. We've tried bison on our supreme fries and loved it. A nice touch is the selection of games they carry--we LOVED joking hazard. We highly recommend this bar. Hasse C. read more

After walking past this spot a number of times since it opened I finally worked up courage to venture inside and I'm so happy that I did. Unlike other spots along Bloor in Bloordale, The Jim has something for everyone. Great spot for a date night, a group outing with friends or go in as a single looking for a comfy spot at the bar. The space is laid back, clean and provides amenities such as 3 TV's for the sports lovers and 2 arcade games for the fun at heart. Most importantly, The Jim offers up an extensive tap list and can selection of beers and ciders that encompasses the best and your favourites from breweries like Amsterdam and Collective Arts to name a few. They also offer wine by the glass and a small but mighty cocktail menu, including a fantastic Smoked Caesar with Bacon. Their food menu is the host to classics like nachos, tacos, the Jim burger, mac & cheese and wings along with a couple great vegan options all at a great price. The best part about their menu is that if you look a little closer you'll see that it is much more adventurous than first meets the eye, including items such as Boar, Bison and daily specials like crocodile. The staff really add to the already great atmosphere encouraging friendly, fun conversation and tossing in knowledgeable information regarding their menu items which shows they are really passionate about their work. The staff really make this place a great spot to venture to on your own or with your friends, whatever your occasion. What you can expect - homey, fun atmosphere, dad jokes, great beers/ciders/cocktails and food Where they go above and beyond - arcade games, ideally placed TV's hosting sports or your favourite 90's music videos, unique menu options and soon to be a second level for more fun and games! The Jim really has the whole package and I'm so happy to have a spot like this pop up in my neighbourhood :) read more