This review is more about the staff than the food or anything else. I love seeing new places but end up traveling alone pretty frequently because everyone I know is either married with a bunch of kids or can't get time off from work. Anyway, I am not bothered by going to bars or restaurants by myself but I can be shy and it shows when I am unsure about some places. I walked into this place thinking that it might be a little awkward but was greeted by a friendly dude who wasn't the host I don't think but made me feel welcomed. A lot of the bars I go to by myself... the bartenders and staff seem to make me feel like a solo girl shouldn't be there. But this particular dude (barback, busboy, I think?) would come over and start a chat with me every so often. I didn't catch his name, but man, thank you for being friendly and for not making me feel like I didn't belong there. It was much appreciated. read more

Delicious food, beautiful jazz and wonderful atmosphere. That's a theme for today at The Pilot! So glad we made it there today through the traffic, it's so worth it! The room wasn't even full at first, and there is no cover fee. Unbelievable. The food is really good. I had mahi mahi. Great dish, with pineapple salsa, steamed rice and delicious salad. Prices are very reasonable. Highly recommend. We had a great time! read more

Been going here for several years now. great location especially when you want a rooftop patio but you think it may rain! Well covered patio, yummy food for a good price. Good spacing in between tables as well, for covid precautions. This is one of my go-to spots! read more

The rooftop patio was a lovely spot for autumn afternoon drinks! You have to climb about three flights of stairs, but it's a nice patio, and they open the roof during good weather. Atmosphere was nice and chill and not too loud. Drinks and food (bar food) were fair priced given the Sunday specials ($7 a beer, and for certain foods). Overall I really liked it and I would definitely come back with a group of friends or family if I'm ever in the area! read more

The Pilot Tavern - Rooftop patio - Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I come here for the rooftop patio - it's one of the best in the city! Great spot for after work drinks during the summer. Drinks: good selection on tap. Lots of good beers and some ciders to choose from. Food: I'd call it average pub eats. If you are looking for an outstanding dining experience, you might want to just grab a drink here and head somewhere else. Service: can be spotty as it gets very busy here. Not a critique of the servers, they do the best they can. It gets VERY busy on the roof, so recommend making a reservation. read more

The Pilot's heyday has likely flown on by, but if you're in Yorkville and are trying to avoid pretension, this is likely your place. In the summer people go nuts for their roof patio, their drink prices aren't too pricy and they sometimes have live jazz. Overall definitely A-OK, just a touch dated. read more

My friend held a private event on the second floor (named The Stealth Lounge) and we had a flawless experience! They were super accommodative and supportive throughout the birthday party. I believe the special event coordinator's name is Michelle and she truly exemplifies first class customer service. The bartender, security guards and hostess were also really great! The washroom is a little tight but kept very clean, which is a bonus for lounges. The seating was very comfortable and the venue itself is a great size for 150 people. I highly recommend booking here for a private event, the rates are so reasonable compared to competitors and you will be able to actually enjoy your event as the staff takes care of everything! Hopefully in the summer we will get to experience the 3rd floor roof top lounge! read more

If it was an option for 0 star I would have chosen that. The patio has rats walking around while you are eating your food. The funny thing is when we asked the waiter he said it's not them it's their neighbours . Will never go back read more

I visited this aeronautical wonderful wonder tonight for some post-prandial libations after a party in Yorkville. After two $20 cocktails, and an over-dressed crowd that made me feel more shame than a fanny-pack salesman, I retreated in hopes of somewhat cheaper cocktails at The Pilot. For those that don't know, the key to The Pilot is heading skyward to their impressive third-floor rooftop patio. It's a well-shaded and cordial space (much like an airplane) with plenty of seating and a splendid "atmosphere." (See what I did there?) Tonight however we were determined to stay in-of-doors; to avoid the mysteriously bone-chilling summer wind that was winding it's way through Yorkville (a metaphor for the trappings of wealth perhaps? Do meteorological phenomena even work in metaphor?). Our foursome grabbed an uncleared table in the back, and snagged some drinks. They have a decent draught selection here, with beers in the $7-8 range. Bottles were available also. Our evening was OK but trying to get our bill was harder than selling fanny-packs post 1993. Our waitress disappeared (I actually think she actually enrolled in and attended a night class) and we spent a good thirty minutes hypothesizing various drink and dash scenarios and debating the ethical implications thereof. "Do we leave after 45 minutes? One hour?" She eventually showed up and we settled our table like civilized human beings. That's the aeronautical way. Obligatory Title Pun: This PILOT might be on auto. Menu Readability: Like a cloud. Whatever that means. Need to mention: Washrooms are all the way downstairs. What this place teaches me about myself: I will leave a table after 60 minutes of server neglect. Be ye warned Toronto. read more

In the immortal words of Death Cab for Cutie, "Everything Ends". After plumbing the reaches of Yorkville for cheap lunches over the past year, I'm moving on to a new job in a different part of town...well, not that different, but different enough that it'll make timing a challenge. I will miss some lunch joints more than others. Most of all, I will miss the Pilot, a mildly grungy, multi-levelled affair with a killer patio for long summer lunches. I've never had a bad meal at the Pilot, despite working my way through the menu. If you ask for the signature dish, they'll try to sell you the Thai noodles. They're fine and like everything else here, generously portioned. I find them too heavy on the sweet and too light on the heat for my taste, but in a world where the Pickle Barrel serves its own take on Thai food alongside paella, brisket and whatever edamame-nightmare Rose Reisman dreams up when she's not strangling puppies, I'm not offended. Given the range of on and off-brand Thai places in this part of town, You're better off elsewhere, like Salad King, whenever and wherever it reopens. Do a bit of homework and you'll find that Joanne Kates once rated the Pilot's burger as the best in the city. Ms. Kates' praise dates back to a time before gourmet burger shops ruled the land, but her comments are spot on. A huge patty arrives on a soft, toasted sesame bun, with all the fixins and credible skin-on fries. Substituted sweet potato fries let you kid yourself into thinking you're eating healthy (let's forget the meat-truck in front of you, and the pint of draft by your elbow), but pre-New Years Resolution onion rings are the star of the show; golden fried and sweet, sided with a spicy dip which is put to better use on said burger. A patty-melt version eschews the fresh veg in favour of caramelized onions, Swiss cheese and fried marble rye bread. It's a grease-bomb, but a tasty way for the cholesterol-deficient to buck those numbers up. The same batter that covers the onion rings blankets a giant-sized portion of fish, of ----'n chips fame. Salads are more credible than you'd expect from a pub. A small Caesar starter would be enough for a light main. Grated Parmesan compliments the garlic-forward dressing. It's texturally correct; dry, sweetly crisp lettuce set off by a light application of creamy dressing. I appreciate it when a restaurant can tell the difference between soup and salad. The biggest surprise is the special onion soup. Francophiles know how difficult to get a good crock in this city. So many rely on a few scant pieces of onion and watered down beef base. The Pilot's onion soup is rich and full of nut-brown oniony goodness. Cheese is applied sparingly, over a proper crouton. The soup is even licked with Pernod. That's right. I said 'licked'. I cited Joanne Kates. You're lucky I'm limiting my remarks to foreplay. Desserts are made in-house, which is cause for celebration. Chocolate mousse is just slightly boozy, and comes topped with refreshing orange segments. Coffee is fresh, and drinkable. Service is friendly. Lunch may be out of reach, but drinks after work are definitely on the table. read more

Great place for laid back non-fancy service. Down to earth people. Great for a beer. 4.0/5 * read more

So peeved atm (at the moment). Had a super long shift at work and ended up at the Pilot for some Guinness, a regular theme in my present day life. After a few cold ones my m8 and I became hungry so we ordered up some food. Now...I have been craving fish & chips for a few weeks now but had been waiting to hit a proper well known fish & chips joint to fulfill my craving. Not sure what got into me tonight but I ordered this dish from the Pilots menu.....What a folking disaster.. The chips were ok, nothing spectacular but not bad. The coleslaw was hideous...dry and well under seasoned, just ghastly. I absolutely adore and love coleslaw for its tart qualities and fresh crunchy texture....but I predict my serving was a couple days old. The fish was by far the most disappointing aspect of the whole dish, when it should have been the highlight. I'm not a huge fan of fish on the whole, but I crave f & c because in my life I fiend TEXTURE when I eat. On a texture scale of 1-10 the fish I received was pushing 2. It was almost soggy and just the tips of the ends were slightly crispy, the body of the fish was gummy and the fish tasted brutal. No lemon wedge could save this unidentified filet. Come to think of it, I'm not sure why I didn't complain. Why I didn't walk into the kitchen and check the temperature on the deep fryer then proceed to refry my hurtin' under seasoned fish my damn self. My buddy who I was with had a rather lackluster meal himself and said that at the end of the day its a bar and what do I really expect. But, at the end of the day it's deep frying fish, a blind monkey could execute this pub classic if he listened closely enough to the popping of the oil. All in all I am so pissed. I ate a 1/3 the fish and all the fries and could not force anymore down. I am definitely full and not hungry anymore but soo dissatisfied mentally to the point where I feel like I need to eat somewhere else. Ok. I'm done with my fish & chips rant. Aside from that I'm at the Pilot at least twice a week on the flight deck puttin' a hurtin' on Guiness cans. Staff is very attentive and the bartenders are slick. The flight deck vibe is great, you do get a lot of suits but then again you're in Yorkville. Get thre after 5pm and it can be very difficult to get a table. I will always slam drinks at this venue but will never ever ever eat here again. The 3 stars are for the great times I have had here drinking and will continue to have, if this were strictly a food based review I would bestow a 0 www.realtalk.ca read more

I stupidly wore the wrong shoes for an event at the Pilot, not knowing the patio was up a few floors. When I made it to the top, I was rewarded with a huge patio, but only to be disappointed by the wait for a table. On a gorgeous night, the patio can fill up quickly. Thankfullly, we were able to order drinks while waiting and were seated not too long after we had arrived. I'd say the service was pretty good overall. Our waiter was impressively knowledgeable about beer. I found them a little strict with things like how many chairs can be at a table, and which size of chair can be at which tables. I'm sure they have valid reasons for their rules, but some of them seemed a little ridiculous. I ordered the nachos to munch on while drinking, and they were terrible. I don't recommend the food here - it's a tavern, not a restaurant. On the main floor you can check out some incredible artwork. The Pilot features different artists at different times of the year. The artwork is for sale, so if you see something you love, it's yours! I spent a lot of time admiring the current display which features airplanes. I plan on returning to check out different artists. read more

The Pilot has been the location for many an after-works drinks fest for our office over the years, as it is close-by, and can accommodate large groups. The rooftop patio is really the only good spot, and as everyone else is also privy to this, it gets very crowded almost nightly. They serve wine, a couple beers on tap and decent enough pub-style food. On the pricey side, but its the company you keep. Lots of suits milling about, lots of drunk under-dressed office workers. Lots of people smoking in the designated area. The Washrooms are cool, you feel like you are in a bunker. 100% stainless steel! Its ok for after work drinks. Just ok. Even so, I seem to get dragged here at least once a week in the summer and I'm fine with that. read more

Love the Pilot! Central and as unpretentious as you can get. Here's a review of my recent visit. VIBE I never go to the downstairs bar. It's all about the 3rd floor patio dubbed the flight deck, which is decked out in stainless steel. Great way to while away a Saturday afternoon. Staff are pretty good; on this visit, there was a bit avoidance. Otherwise, pretty good! Lots of advertising/MTV peeps from around the neighbourhood. I like the relaxed vibe. The downstairs bar is very simple. Nothing fancy but a great place for a first date to suss things out. And if it sucks, well...there's beer to swallow down the pain. I EAT/DRINK It's standard pub food. Nothing to write home about. I get my regular Heineken here. That said, they offer half pints. Half pints! OBLIGATORY CATCHY REMARK Get yourself in the Pilot's seat and come here. read more

On the very rare... extremely rare occasions that I venture into Yorkville I am always very hard-up to find a bar. I don't need much, just a good bar, nothing swanky, preferably doucheless and minus over-priced beer. A place that I can saunter into and not be given the kind of once-over where pricetags are being assigned to the particulars of my ensemble and smirks are shared bc I'm rocking Payless shoes. Not an easy feat in Yorkville, but then a friend suggested The Pilot Tavern after a movie at the Varsity. I liked the "flight deck" decor and half expected to hear the theme song to Top Gun playing in the background... I just hummed it instead. The beer selection was def on par with a pretty substantial list of options. They serve 50 on tap. Be still my heart. Servers were friendly and the atmosphere was comfy casual. I dug it, I drank... I found my Yorkville watering hole. I didn't eat there, nor did I get to scope out the patio so a return visit may be required in the near future. However I am sorely tempted to show up with everyone wearing a flightsuit and only calling eachother by our call signs. I would be "Goose". read more

Don't come here for the food. Come here to get your piss on. PROPER. Don't sit down at a table and look for service. Belly up to the bar and chat up your bartender! Order booze... talk to your neighbour! This is a Tavern not a Bistro. In fact, I think they should have nothing here but pickled eggs and pepperoni. There are still old men at the bar reading newspapers-- I LOVE THIS! Places like this are drowning in modern douche-dom. Speaking of which-- one of my favourite Pilot pastimes is to watch the dressed up douches stroll in as their tarty girlfriends sneer at the decor and some of the clientele they deem to be "eeeew". Time to drink...goin' to the Pilot. read more

Love the patio. This place is ridiculous awesome to hang out in over good conversations and beer. Sorry ladies (and gents.. I don't discriminate) but this place does not serve mixed fruity cocktails. BUT they do have this strawberry beer thing tastes amazing. They also have straight shorts for all alcoholic to indulge in. Go in with your good company and you'll enjoy this place. Lots of shareables and eating options and the servers are nice. Which is always a bonus. Most def a place I plan to utilize often. Who knows. Maybe you'll bump into me there. read more

Such a great place! Friendly waiters/waitresses and an awesome concept for a restaurant. The food is good, they offer some decent specialty drinks and the upstairs patio is SO LOVELY during the summer! Would definitely recommend to others. read more

Been coming here for years. Great atmosphere. Good place for a beer. Cool patio. Food is sh*t and very greasy. Wings were good. I often meet here with friends but always recommend to never order food. read more

Take it or leave it... Nothing too special at this place in my opinion. But, if they have a patio (as advertised), January might not have been a good time to drop in... Good draft beer variety was the savior. read more

Great little addition to the Yorkville area. Low key, good beers - it's like an updated version of Hemmingway's. p.s only place to be is the flight deck. But be ready for the stairs. Can get quite busy during the week after work. read more

The food is whatever, the tavern is fun, the large rooftop patio is exceptional and the weekly free Saturday jazz concerts (3:30-6:30pm) have been drawing jazz fans here for literally decades. Good luck getting a table for the jazz shows, those are reserved for regulars (though if you arrive before 2:30 you can probably park yourself at the bar). This place has been around forever and it's just a fun neighbourhood tavern, plain and simple. read more

The pilot is a great "not so little" pub in Yorkville. For being in the Yorkville area it's not too hard on your wallet and still serves up decent food and drink. I've been here mainly for the their rooftop patio when it's nice outside and it is indeed a very nice patio, very spacious BUT it is always busy with crowds made up of seemingly swanky late 20/early 30 year olds in business suits. It is incredibly hard to find a proper table and when you do you're very likely to be squeezed right in to your table to make room or the numerous standing customers, and getting a drink at the bar becomes the hardest task of your night. My one time experience here on the first floor for dinner was also just adequate, the atmosphere down there is also very loud making conversation across the table be analogous to a conversation at a night club. I ordered the "pilot signature dish" which was their Thai noodles for close to $13 big portion and very heavily doused in sauce, two things i don't always want in my dinner. Service was very friendly both here and on the roof, but it did seem rushed because of the crowds. I am a big fan of it's overarching aviation theme and their very aluminium type decor they have going on especially on the very long stair case up to the roof. If you want a quiet night this is not the location for you, but if you want to go out for a drink in Yorkville the Pilot might not be such a bad bet for a proper night out. read more

This is a really great bar in the heart of Yorkville. Doesn't have "Yorkville Prices" which is a major plus. Great atmosphere for having dinner and watching sports. Also, the Tuesday night trivia was such a good time. I went without a team and was paired up with some other players who I play with weekly now. You can win a pitcher of beer or a gift card through the trivia and they have an open pool table (SO RARE) which gives you something to do between rounds. Staff are friendly and service is quick. read more

Came here Saturday evening/ night after the Toronto FC game at BMO field. After reading the reviews I played it safe with their Nachos, and Calamari rather than being over adventurous with their level of cooking. Both appetizers got a 3/5, portion and price were reasonable..our party had a few bites of it over 3 bottles of vino! lol...Yes the Spanish Infinity tempranillo, Chilean Misterio malbec, and the Austrailian Wolfblass Shiraz...mmmmm....overall this place is great if you're looking to have a drink among friends in Yorkville, with its covered patio, and space. However based on the countless reviews, their food isn't the best! read more

Last week I made a reservation for 5 people at 8:30 at the Pilot. In my special requests I put "please seat us on the upstairs patio". When I arrived, the poorly trained hostess told me my table was inside because I booked on the lower levels OpenTable page and if I wanted upstairs, I had to book on a separate OpenTable page. I asked her if she saw my special request and she told me she had seen it. I told her I never received a call confirming my reservation, or asking to clarify where I'd like to be seated even though it was clear I wanted to be seated upstairs. She told me the wait for upstairs was an hour and I should have specified the reservation further that it was the only option. as someone who works in the industry I was completely appalled by her lack of professionalism. She didn't even offer us to take the indoor table then move up once a table upstairs became available. I'm not sure if they have a bunch of 18 year olds working here who've never worked in hospitality but I was completely shocked. The food service was great and everything after the initial hostess interaction was great. I'm not sure why these restaurants have open table and allow special requests if they don't read them, and they blame issues on user error instead of admitting they didn't look at the reservation list until a half hour before we showed up. Not to gripe on her character, but she was rude, and kept tapping around on her iPad but I could see in the window reflection she wasn't pressing anything. I felt like I was at a low tier outlet mall where the servers don't give a shit. read more

The rooftop patio is a great environment to have a beer and talk with friends. It gets very busy after work...which makes it all the better. Food is pretty good though we only had a ton of share plate appetizers. read more

The rooftop is a great place to have a pint, but otherwise there isn't much to recommend here. The beer is very expensive and the food isn't great. I had the canjun chicken pizza. It was very doughy and flavourless. I've also had the burger, and it's nothing to write home about. If it wasn't for the awesome roof deck (the "flight deck"), this would be a 2-star review. I understand this tavern has a lot of history, but it's just another pricey place to drink in Yorkville these days. read more

Nothing's better on a hot summer day then sitting with a cold drink on Pilot's rooftop patio. Love the ambiance, with the all-metal interior and airplane-style ceiling fans and light fixtures. Prices are great too - thankfully none of the pretention of Yorkville has eeked its way into this spot. If it's traditional pub life you're craving, The Pilot's got that too on its main floor. And try the burger. I found out later that it was named best in the city. I 100% agree. read more

Went here last night for dinner. I had remembered it as better; but I used to only go at lunch when I worked across the street so maybe it was just "better than being in my cubicle". Service was non-existent. The rooftop patio was about 55% full, if that, and our server mostly stood around the bar and chatted with the bartender. Our entire meal took over two hours for no reason. The food was boring and bland and way over priced. My dining companion had to salt his burger, it was so bland - that's like blasphemy. The washrooms are a million degrees and really gross, too. The only reason I'm not giving one star is that I like the "ceiling" fans and they have Fruili. read more

The Pilot Tavern is where people in the advertising industry go to chill. I found out during my time at AdWeek 2016, after visiting with a bunch of other students after our long day visiting various agencies around downtown Toronto. The location is ideal, and great for walking around when the weather is nice. When you first come in you realize what a relaxed atmosphere it is, and that's exactly what I felt (even in business casual clothes). I didn't spend too much time at the bar, but the waiters & bartenders were quick, friendly, and really on top of things. You can tell they take their work seriously and that's important when you're catering to a large crowd in a small area. Though I didn't have any food items from their menu, the catered food for the event was quite nice. Calamari, sliders, dumplings, and the various amounts hors d'oeuvres were nice to have with a drink. I would recommend this place to anyone hosting an event! I do see myself returning, hopefully in the summer to enjoy the outdoor patio with friends. read more

Gluten-free review: I came here on a weekday for lunch and got the cajun chicken gluten-free pizza. It was quite tasty and pretty good for a gluten-free pizza. The crust is more on the crispy side than chewy. It's an extra $3 for a gluten-free curst, which I feel is unnecessary, but at least it tasted pretty good. The cajun chicken version uses pesto instead of tomato sauce, which I feel isn't the best on a gluten-free crust. Overall it was a good experience. The staff was friendly and the pizza was good. Note: I am gluten intolerant and don't have celiac's disease. My reactions range from mild (a few crumbs) to moderate (a full bite of gluten-filled food) depending on how much gluten I consume. I did not have a reaction to the food here. read more

Stopped here for a drink on a rainy evening. First time going to a bar alone because I'm from a really small town. Drinks were expensive and I didn't know how much to tip but that's my fault. Very friendly bartender who helped me order my first real drink that's not beer. Will come back and recommend! read more

Visited the Pilot for the second time with a friend for food and drinks. We sat on the patio and it was great! I ordered the thai noodles which were pretty tasty, while my friend ordered the quesadillas and enjoyed them. Overall, it was a good atmosphere and we enjoyed ourselves. I will be back again! read more

The Pilot Tavern - Thai noodles and quesadilla's! - Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Service was excellent - friendly and efficient. A bit crowded but that can be a good sign. Had a burger with fries. Was okay but got lots of heartburn (unusual for me). Overall okay but unless you have a reason to be there not sure the reason to go. read more

Came by with my girlfriend to watch Raptors' game 6. Even though they were busy, they sat us down right away. The server took a while to get to us because they were busy and I only saw 2-3 servers on a game night. We ordered two beers (they have Mill Street Stout on nitro!), a poutine and a nacho. I didn't like the poutine - not sure why. I mean you can't really mess up fries, cheese curds and gravy but their fries were really dry, it felt like cardboard box on my tongue and the nacho was meh. I asked for hot sauce but didn't get it until I was halfway through my nachos - sorry, I know you guys were rammed by that time. It cost $1.50 for guacamole and $1.50 for jalapeño for your nachos - seriously meh. Our bill came up for $45 (without tips). I think I'll only go back if I didn't have a choice. read more

The Pilot was one of the top results I found online when I was looking for a nice rooftop patio during the summer. Located in the heart of Yorkville, The Pilot has a very relaxed vibe in contrast to the high-end restaurants within the area. I went to this restaurant twice because I enjoyed their patio so much the first time around. I ordered the Pulled Pork Sandwich during my first visit with a glass of Fruli and tried a pound of their wings for my second visit (I do not recall which flavour unfortunately). I wouldn't say the food was anything amazing or different than your typical bar. However, if you want a place with a rooftop patio that is more wallet-friendly, give The Pilot a shot when summer rolls around. read more

For drinks on a weekend, great place to be! The crowd is super chill and they also have my favourite beer (Caffrey's) on tap and I can never find it anywhere in this city! I was here for a birthday party and it was a good atmosphere for catching up. Then I came this past week for food and drink, and was left disappointed. First off, after we'd ordered our drinks is took FOREVER for someone to get our food order. I'm pretty sure it went from twilight to night time throughout our wait. The food was okay. My man friend had a special that was fish, rice and salad. I personally think ordering things like this from a bar is a bad idea. I was right. It was not good according to him. I had the quesadillas they were quite good. They only come with sour cream though, which was no issue for me but if you're looking for salsa or guac you'll have to ask. Last time, the whole experience was underwhelming and took forever. But my first experience was much fun. Thus, a score of 3. I'll have to make another visit to break the tie. read more

Went there recently with a large group. The food and drinks were fine; not noticeably good or bad. The service, unfortunately, was very poor. Our waitress seemed to have an almost religious aversion to checking on our table. Okay, I get that, I've worked service, maybe they're understaffed that particular night and she's busy. No, she's chatting for a _long_ time with friends/coworkers. I don't get it. I want to order more drinks. I want to tip you more. You will make more money! You don't need to be my best friend, but when the table has all empty glasses and people are obviously trying to make eye contact, maybe you should check in. Don't make me search for you to tell you that my table needs your attention. I'll probably go back because of the location, but I didn't have a great first impression. read more