Went for the brunch. Breaded tater tots, breaded spicy meat, unpleasant multigrain bread..not sure what it was supposed to taste like, black beans and smoked bacon. Too many strong spices. Bacon and eggs should be simple and this was not. The staff are very pleasant and the place was clean which I appreciated but I would not go back because of the food. read more

Their breakfast burito is not really hot. It was still semi cold. The polenta was kind of blend even with the toppings. read more

The Wren - Cheddar and Jalapeno Polenta - Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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I've also been waiting patiently for The Wren to open. We went on Saturday (around same time as other reviewer Gita. see her review for some context). They've done an amazing job with the design and overall atmosphere. A mix of bar seating, booths, harvest tables, and a small "nook" at the back which offers a slightly more private area. Both interior and exterior decoration, fixtures, and lighting present a nice take on modern/rustic southwestern theme, and that theme is carried right through to the signage/menu and smaller elements. Always a good sign when this much effort has been put into creating a cohesive look and feel. The big question for us was whether or not the themes and quality would carry through to the food and service. I'm glad to say we were impressed with both. We had the Beef Brisket sandwich with fries and Fried Chicken sandwich - both were very tasty. Great selection of beers. Good music. Exceeded our expectations. We'll definitely be back, and hope The Wren is a sign of more good things happening along this stretch of the Danforth, which is badly in need of more good quality pubs and restaurants. read more

Probably one of the best spot on the Danforth to find a great selection of craft beers. If you're hungry they also have an amazing selection of food there. You won't be disappointed. It's definitely one of my go to place when I'm around. read more

My husband is definitely in charge of brunch spots now. He found this spot for brunch since it was closeish to our day destination of Tommy Thompson Park. The space and decor is very cute and follows the trend of most restaurant in Toronto: lots of wood, whimsical nods to the rural life, mismatched service (as in plates and cutlery), communal tables (they have booths as well). The menu is fairly small, which I love! It makes it so much easier to order and you have a sense that the kitchen will put effort into each dish. Service was okay, not stellar but definitely not bad. We were taken care of just fine. We had the Hungry Wren Breakfast and the Jalapeno and Cheddar Polenta. GET THE POLENTA. I love polenta for breakfast and I thought I was the only one until I saw the menu. Man this was just a treat. Creamy, cheddar infused and jalapeno spiked polenta topped with a buttload of pulled pork and a perfectly poached egg. Unfortunately, the pulled pork was a bit too salty for me so more than half went to the man. The man enjoyed his Hungry Wren with a note that the sausage was the least interesting thing on the plate. I tried some of his baked beans and tea biscuits - yum! My few notes to the kitchen would be: less salt for the pulled pork and get rid of the tortilla chip garnish. Other than that, don't change a thing. Ever. Always keep the polenta on the menu. I will be back. read more

Oh man, where to start... it's hard to describe how awesome our brunch at the Wren was. The Wren burger was excellent, but pulled pork polenta was on another level. Service was fast and polite and the atmosphere is great. I live nowhere near this place but I want to go back as soon as possible read more

Two words: Real hollandaise. 4.5* More words: tasty taps and eats, served by genuinely nice people who rock out to wicked music. I've been four times and each time I've found something else to rave about. First it was the fried chicken and the music, then the brisket, the third-time the revamped beer menu and the last visit it was the hollandaise and the oatmeal stout. I want to keep raving about this place but, at the same time, I want everyone to stay away because it's getting too busy already. AND they know how to make a Caesar with some kick and flavour. read more

Very good selection of beers, one of the best burgers i had in town ( i don't remember the name but from 2 burgers, the priciest one) ... it was a little oily but i think it was its nature read more

It's so great to see this stretch of the Danforth finally coming around. Only been waiting 16 years!! We may be over the hump on the hipster point of view, but we do like good food and good times as the lesser bars say. The order was: Vodka and soda with splash of Cranberry $9 One craft beer (forget name) $8 Chimichanga (sp) $15 Burger $14 The renos look great i know they worked very hard on making this a hip place to go and I will thank them for taking on the venture in the not so nice side of the Danny. It was busy for a Friday night around 6pm and we decided to sit on the Bar, the communal table is not for me, ok in chinatown on a one off, but if your into talking to strangers and meeting new neighbours it works. it was working many people sitting there! The burger was just ok, it has filler. Too much breadcrumbs and garlic. I prefer Burgs that are just the real deal only meat. The chimichanga could be described as deep fried burrito because that's what they are, the flavour was nice if your into tex mex, I really enjoyed it. The fresh guac ontop and the salsa wasn't overpowering. The pulled pork was not dry but not a stand out it could have been chicken. That being said i would order this again. The price point is very reasonable on all their menu items. Many local families and neighbours. This is early days for them, and they are busy and committed to making our neighbourhood more enjoyable within walking distance. I will definitely go back. note: i wish the owners were their asking how everything was? the bar staff were very friendly and accommodating. Service was above good. note 2: my kids are teenagers now but as another reviewer pointed out it's nice to see kids in a resto in this stretch, her idea of a kids menu before 8pm is excellent. read more

Amazing friendly service. Cozy with comfort food! Good prices for creativity and taste in food selection! Would definitely recommend this for a casual date, or even some dinner and drinks with the girls! read more

The Wren - Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I really like this place! The decor is very chic and trendy without being pretentious and the staff is all really friendly and professional. Thefood is great, fresh and arrives quickly. Great craft beer selection, small local wine list and fun cocktails. Open for Brunch on weekends, and dinner all week. Highly recommend this place! read more

I visited The Wren a couple of years ago. The food was terrific, the service was fast, efficient and friendly. Based on my prior good experience, I met a friend there to do it again. It was a Friday night, before 6:00. Not crazy busy. Special was shrimp po' boy with fries and that sounded good so both my friend and I ordered it. They have chimichurri fries on the menu, and I thought that would be a yummy upgrade from plain fries. When I asked the server to upgrade, she said "Yeah... that SEEMS like something we could do but there are no substitutions." Uhhhh... it's not a substitution, it's an add-on, for which I'm gladly willing to pay. I'm not sure who's idea it is to deny upgrades (either the kitchen is lazy or the server is lazy) but it's a poor one, especially when it isn't busy. It also cost the server a few % in tips from both my friend and I. Normally I wouldn't care about such things, but it was an indication of things to come. The fries were overcooked *chimichurri would have helped*. The bun for the po' boy was not soft, but not warm and toasted either; it was just dry like it had been sitting out in the open all day. The shrimp was greasy. The "fried cauliflower" we got as a side was limp, soft and greasy also. I didn't enjoy the server's attitude and the food was disappointing. Not worth a return visit. read more

I had a burger, the patties were black and crispy so clearly burnt to death and the bun was dry. The french fries seem like they're double fried. My friend had a quinoa salad that was dry and lacking flavor. And due to all the hard surfaces it's extremely noisy. read more

We moseyed on over to The Wren for an East end dinner on a week night. Arriving around 6:30pm, we saddled up to a communal table but moments later, a table for two opened up. For grub, we ordered the Southern Fried Chicken sandwich ($13) and the special which was simillar to nachos with pulled pork and chorizo ($12). Impressed with The Wrens long list of craft brews. I tried the Kensington Watermelon Wheat. We found the food very salty. Fries that came with the sandwich got a heavy dusting of seasoning salt and nacho chips were also super salty. Thank god for the beer to wash it all down but I'm not sure I'd return for a meal. Giddy up, Salt Lick! read more

3.5 rounded up to 4. I've had two visits to the Wren now, which is still looking pretty lonely in its stretch of the Danforth, so it's nice to have a good eating option prior to imbibing at The Only. The FOOD: Well one visit was super awesome and the other was pretty "meh". Our first visit had a chill special on the menu that rocked my world. Meaty, fiery, unafraid of flavour....simply awesome. Others were also generally quite pleased with their food. The second visit was much more markedly a miss. For burger week, I had something that tasted vaguely reminiscent of McDonald's, but priced at $15 with fries. The green chile chicken, while flavourful wasn't exactly what we were expecting, and the portion was a little smallish. Overall, a bit disappointed. The BEER: Their beer list is above average, focusing on local Ontario beers. That being said, going out with a group of beer geeks, we generally could only find 1 beer at a time on the menu that any of us that was impressive. or novel, but let's not be too hard on them. The SERVICE: Universally pretty good. The male servers are all in the lumbersexual style. They handled a member of our party being given a beer he ended up hating super well...simply replacing it without complaint. That's good service, I'd say. The AMBIANCE: Rustic chic. Yes, there are wooden benches and Edison bulbs. I don't mind, it's nice and casual and has a volume where conversation is still possible. OVERALL, I'm hoping the food was just a bit of a blip. I'll update after a couple more visits. After all, if you plan to sample the excellent samplers at The Only, where else are you going to go for dinner nearby? read more

Great atmosphere, staff and selection of beers. Like others have said it is welcome addition to that stretch of the Danforth. I've been in a few times, both when empty and full of people, same relaxed atmosphere regardless. read more

I was here recently for the Toronto Beer Week Pub Crawl and would definitely go back again. It was the first stop of the day and it was the only one I've recommended to friends after the event. The space is awesome, very trendy looking inside with picnic-style open area seating which makes hanging out with large groups easier. Cool artwork/decor. Even with a large crowd the staff was super friendly and attentive to everyone and stopped by several times to make sure we had everything we needed. Excellent food, great beer selection. Highly recommend! read more

Loved this spot. Not much else going on at Danforth and Greenwood, but The Wren seems more like an Ossington strip type of place. Great tunes (lots of Beatles) pumping just loud enough to hear but not so loud that you couldn't converse. Didn't try the food this time, just had a couple delicious pints of Amsterdam Blonde. Place was packed on a Thursday night, so I imagine weekends are damn fun! read more

I love this place! We came here on a Thursday night and it was pretty busy. We had to wait about 20 minutes for a table, but we managed to snag a seat at a bar and had a drink while we waited. Servers are very friendly and easy going. We ordered the guacamole and chips to start. A generous portion and chunky, just the way I like it, with pieces of tomato and onion added for flavour. Our mains came shortly after our appetizer. Extra points for good timing. Our server suggested we get the fried chicken sandwich and pulled pork chimichanga. The fried chicken sandwich was HUGE! Totally worth the price. It was juicy, tender, and so yummy. The fries it came with are fresh cut and also very good. The pulled pork chimichanga was delicious, too. A good portion of pulled pork inside. The chimichanga came with a side of house salad and beans. I really enjoyed the salad; it was fresh and the dressing was light. The beans were alright. They were... beans. Can't wait to try their brunch. Oh, and they serve Left Field here. Extra points! read more

Local ingredients, house made sauces, amazing beer selection. The stretch needed a place like this and ever since it launched, it has been popular - good to see. read more

The Wren - can't stop eating the chicken sandwich - Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I came with a small group last night for beers and grub. The service was excellent, the food (chips&guac and the Uncle Buck burger) was mouth watering. It was a cozy place with a not too rowdy crowd and calm encironment for a late night pub. read more

Love love love. Amazing cocktails, lovely people running the joint (who did so much of the work themselves, I saw the owner during construction & dude was regularly covered in paint, drywall, sawdust...) a labour of love and that fried chicken sandwich tells the tale of love right in your mouth. A welcome addition! Go Danforth East! read more

Great place to grab a craft beer and good quality food. I had the fish tacos and they were delicious. Generous portions. Service was efficient and staff were friendly. Nice decor. Would definitely come back here. read more

The Wren - Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

The Wren does brunch! How exciting to have a cool brunch place you might find in The Junction or on Ossington right here in Greenwood-Coxwell strip of the Danforth. Our friends suggested this place for brunch and I'm glad we came. The decor is urban-inspired country (when you decorate a place like a barn). There is lots of seating (3 booths, four tables of four, huge back booth, and one long family-style table that could seat 20?) We arrived at opening on Saturday, at 11am and the place was already starting to fill up. Lots of families with babies! But by the time we left at 12:30 it wasn't at capacity. I think the brunch here is still a bit of a hidden gem at the moment. The food is traditional brunch food, but with a little tex-mex twist. They have a great take on the breakfast burrito and the heuvos rancheros were tasty with homemade salsa and pico de gallo. I was salivating over the apple waffles. I like a menu that gives me enough must-try dishes to keep me interested and coming back. I haven't been for dinner, but was told the brunch menu was superior to the dinner menu. So definitely check it out! read more

fabulous food...fantastic decor...great service Me and my girlfriend walked in randomly once and I'm glad we did...'tis my favourite restaurant in the city read more

After trying to come twice before, once being turned away because of a private function and the other being food is not served past 10pm we finally made it. I had the Uncle Buck burger and it was fantastic. Price was reasonable and the portion was a good size. The meat was fresh and not frozen and the fries were real fresh potatoes, not frozen fries. I would have rated it 4 stars but I was dismayed at the fact that they didn't offer refills on their soda despite it coming from a fountain. Overall amazing food and a nice intimate atmosphere. I will be back again one day. read more

This place is so good that we've started showing up for brunch just to avoid the dinner crowds. For dinner, order the brisket sandwich or the fried chicken sandwich. (If you can, ask for the chicken sandwich without the watercress relish. I feel like they're going for a chicken-and-collards combo, but the relish is distractingly bitter.) Both are exquisitely juicy, and come with salty, spicy fries that are perfectly crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. For brunch, I really like the eggs benedict with red pepper compote. It's lighter than the pork belly or chorizo, and the compote is tangy enough to offset the hollandaise and the egg yolk. Also, most of their brunch options come with a salad, which I appreciate. The Wren actually takes their salad seriously -- no wilted greens or pale tomatoes. I also really enjoy their guacamole -- at first I wondered about included a diced hardboiled egg in there, but it really works and makes the appetizer feel more substantial. My secret hope is that they one day decide to pair their fried chicken from the sandwich with the brunch waffles they make on weekends. This is one of the few places I'd trust in town to do chicken and waffles right, and I bet it would be awesome. Also, if they continue to be this busy, they may need to invest in a sister space nearby -- maybe a bar on one side, and the dining room on the other? One more thing: I really love the music they choose. It's like the one place in town I can reliably listen to a mix that includes both Johnny Cash and Radiohead. read more

Heard amazing things about this place from friends and even on TV, and I was very excited to see what they had in store. The menu seemed very promising, even for the price. I ordered the turkey sausage and cheddar jalapeno polenta, and a friend ordered the fish cakes. The portion sizes were an absolute joke, especially for the cost. $17 for two fish cakes and a few spoonfuls of rice? Unacceptable. The turkey sausage, which is advertised as made in house, was dry and under seasoned. The polenta and fried beans were actually delicious, but once again, the portions were laughable. Following our meals, we were still hungry. Shocker. We shared the fried chicken sandwich. Far too much bun and toppings compared to the chicken itself. Another friend who was there ordered the same sandwich and it was massive in comparison. Our server gave me one of the worst experiences I've had in a restaurant. She kept pushing drinks, didn't help with any suggestions when I questioned the menu, and was no where to be found after we ordered our food. She was lounging at the bar, hardly providing any other guests with service. I dare say she was inebriated, due to her lack of focus and unwillingness to help us. I will not be returning, nor will I be recommending The Wren to anyone. This place is without a doubt going to leave you hungry, bored, and completely unsatisfied. I would leave ZERO stars if Yelp allowed it. read more

Such a welcome addition to the neighbourhood! My boyfriend lives in Phoenix, so I've been dying for a taste of Southwest back at home. And boy, The Wren does not disappoint. Everything I've eaten here has been on point. Do not miss out on the Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich, Pulled Pork Chimichanga or whatever the daily special i (it's almost always flawless). They have an unreal beer selection too. My only complaint is that the kitchen closes so early! I'd love a place in the east end where I can get late night eats besides shawarma, pizza or McDicks. Guess I'll have to settle by ordering 5+ orders of guac and chips instead. read more

My wife and I had brunch here this past Saturday. She had the eggs benedict with roasted red pepper and tomato ragout. I had the huevos gringos, both dishes were excellent. The salsa verde had a little heat, not as much as I would like but I still enjoyed it. The bean chimichanga was very tasty and the buttery croissant was great for mopping up the egg yolk. The picco de gallo was fresh and vibrant. The eggs benedict was more substantial than the huevos, but I didn't leave feeling hungry, it was enough to satisfy. I think though, if you are a big eater or absolutely famished the huevos would not be enough. We each had a Caesar, which had some great spice in it. The service was quick and professional. We arrived just after it opened at 11 am, it filled up quick. If you're planning to arrive 11:30ish or later there may be a bit of a wait for a table. There were a number of kids there, we'll definitely go back with our 3-year-old some time in the near future. read more

Ate here once about a month or so back and I have been thinking about it ever since! They did a vegan crunch wrap supreme for the evening and it was phenomenal. Very impressive. Will be coming back! read more

This is a great little place with decent food and great drinks. On the two separate occasions I've been there, I've had the Green Chili Chicken and the Shrimp and Haddock Cakes. Both were nice, but not quite what I had hoped for. I've had dinner with friends and gone on a date here and the setting is equally nice for either type of outing. They serve Ontario craft beers here, and they do brunch. I would love to check that out. Thus far, I find this to be a good place to go for drinks and to share some apps! read more

An alright-selection of beer but a neat menu and atmosphere. Our server was young and with a ponytail. Had the Mexican Flat bread special of the day. The flat bread was very hard to bite through but the toppings of tiger shrimp and avocado were yummy. I'd return for the Wren burger. Service was pleasant. Purchased my Craft Beer Passport without issues. Note - it can only be purchased in cash. Or magic beans, if you encounter the right server. read more

The Wren - Mexican Flatbread. Tiger shrimp, avocado, black beans, yummm - Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Went to visit some friends in the area and tried this place out for dinner. I was pretty impressed with the experience. Very friendly staff who made a few recommendations. We all had draught beer - the selection wasn't overly creative but it was good enough. Shared the guacamole and chips to start - delicious. I had the pulled pork sandwich, one friend had the hamburger and one the fried chicken sandwich. All of us finished our plates and talked about how good the food was. Overall, a good BBQ joint in the east end. Prices aren't very high ($13 for my pulled pork) so it's nice to see places you can get good food for reasonable prices in the area still. read more

Desperately wanted a cheeseburger and a beer, and had heard this place was good. Sat at the bar, and had a great experience. Server was super knowledgeable about the food and the beer, and accommodated requests. Service was prompt and friendly. Burger and beer were excellent. read more

What a great restaurant! Good food, atmosphere, service and honest price! I'll be returning soon with my family again. read more

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I want to declare my unconditional love for The Wren. From the friendly and helpful staff to the decor and music, the fine beer list, and the food - dear lord the FOOD - every atom of this place fills me with happiness. The Wren is my favourite food and drink destination in the world. No kidding. read more

Waiter is relaxed yet mindblowingly quick. The atmosphere is really chill. Friend ordered a chicken sandwich which was more of a burger. Huge and tastes great. Had the house burger myself. The beef is as beefy as it gets. Woudl definitely go again if i'm in the area. read more

Stopped by with a friend on a weeknight. Very nice variety of beer, but not much else. The kitchen was closed by the time we arrived so I can't comment on their food, either. Note that I arrived well over an hour before closing time, and was starving having worked a night shift. So the complete lack of food costed them a star. The service was impeccable, however. Not only did the barmaid possess a very kind demeanour, she went the extra mile to give me some extra beer when I (embarrassingly) spilled a third of my cup. Service is what brings customers back, and The Wren has it nailed down! read more

great gastropub. Great service and special food. I'll be back. If you've got a larger group (5+) grab the booth at the back. read more