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- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 2 am
Sat-Sun 11 am - 2 am
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Music Videos, Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
41 reviews for Irish Embassy Pub & Grill
Review Highlights
"...the place was, keeping the old bank feel and turning it..."
(in 6 reviews)
"The staff are very accommodating in that regard, God love..."
(in 2 reviews)
"Guinness was fresh and tasty just like it was served in..."
(in 6 reviews)
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41 reviews in English
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Review from Mark R.
12/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
I always make sure to pay a visit when in Toronto. I have enjoyed all of the food I've had here, and they have a decent beer selection. The prices seem a bit steep but, everything in Toronto seems expensive to me so, maybe that's just normal.
People watching is good and they have American Football on the TV's during season -
Review from Seong P.
12/9/2011
I got to my hotel around midnight on a weeknight. Since I was still on California time, and I didn't eat the terrible food offered for sale on the plane, I was hungry. Luckily, this place was across the street from my hotel, and open.
I got the fish and chips with a salad to start. The fish was a whole fried haddock fillet. I've never had it served like that before, and had no idea I'd get so much food. It was good, and I ate as much as I could, but it was too much.
The servers were very friendly. and the place had a comfortable vibe. -
Review from Antonia W.
Toronto, ON
10/18/2011
This was a cool place to hang out with friends on a Friday night. We hadn't made reservations but found a table for 6 easily at 6pm. We ordered lots of beer (guinness of course!) and each ordered mains. I had the pasta of the day, which had chicken and random veggies. It was alright, nothing memorable. The pasta was way on the al dente side. There was a lamb shepherd's pie, which was described as being very lamb-y! That should be a good thing unless you hate lamb. The complimentary bread was plain, tided us over til our food came out.
I wouldn't come here for the food, but service was friendly and we sat there all night. Also, coming from Victoria, where there are Irish and English pubs galore, I think what this place felt very uncozy compared to the other ones I've been in. Could be a slow night or maybe they could start up live entertainment :D Seemed to work well in Victoria. -
Review from Jonathan L.
Richmond Hill, ON
1/2/2012
I usually come here with coworkers during the lunch hour. They offer some really terrific food with a really terrific atmosphere. It kind of feels like the sitcom Cheers. Their beer selection is decent, and waitresses are pretty good. Not to pricey either.
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Review from David D.
7/16/2011
A historic establishment turned Irish pub situated in the financial district. Most of the clienteles are within 25-40, most dressed casually. It's always nice to be able to enjoy historic sites and eat at the same time.
It's tricky when ordering food in a pub. It's hard to expect anything half decent as business revolves around alcohol. But took a shot at it.
Oh, and complimentary bread came. Cold, to say the least. Hate it when restaurants do that.
Ordered:
Jerk Pulled Chicken with red peppers flatbread - This one was alright, though the amount of black pepper they put in masks the flavour of the chicken.
Kilkenny Battered Haddock - Came with the traditional coleslaw, tartar sauce and fries. Average at best. Came lukewarm. Argh!
Services was friendly and attentive, Came by from time to time to check in.
Note:
Prices are decent, but my best suggestion is to stick with the alcohol. -
Review from Noel D.
7/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here with my sister one night and had a near perfect experience. The staff was friendly and helpful, from the girls working the door, to our awesome waitress and even one of the bartenders who pointed me to the location of the restrooms.
Place was packed but we didn't have to wait for a table. Waitress was there in no time to take our drink orders. She was clearly swamped but super efficient, and we were eating food in no time. I wish I could remember what I ordered, but I know it was filling and quite tasty -- I'm 90% sure it was the Shepard's Pie, which I believe was one of their signature dishes, as it should be at all pub-like establishments.
The place itself is quite impressive -- it's an old bank building from the late 1800s. The ceilings must have been about 100 feet high. It's been a while since I've been but I do recall the waitress being great and the food to be quality. The two most important things! -
Review from SB M.
11/28/2011
Review only applies to brunch:
Got some basic breakfast food, bacon and eggs for one of us and eggs benedict for me. Nothing spectacular, nothing wrong with it. Not a particularly good deal. The building is nice. -
Review from bold c.
Toronto, ON
4 times the charm.....
Friendly service. Nice Irish accent from the server.
30 sec summary
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1. Coffee fast with cream and milk in proper containers. Coffee unfortunately is watery and stale. May have oxidized.
2. Nice ambiance. Relaxed with gentle sunlight drenching the old bank facility.
3. Ordered French toast special - $ 9
Summary: Improved service however the food is still not there. Looks great but the french toast was chewy. Not the server's fault. I think the choice of walnut and raisin bread was the root cause.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/26/2010
MESSAGE to all who work in the FINANCIAL DISTRICT - BRING CLIENTS to IRISH EMBASSY PUB if you want… Read more »
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Review from Raahul K.
Toronto, ON
7/3/2011
Went here for a mid-afternoon brunch, service and food were very average.
Ordered an Irish Breakfast which was fairly standard relative to other breakfasts, the actual food was a little different but the taste was average.
Steak and Eggs was overall average as well. Eggs were excellent but the steak was not very good.
"Fresh OJ" tasted like Minute Maid. -
Review from C S.
Toronto, ON
8/14/2011
Myself and my mom stopped in here after a visit to the Hockey Hall of Fame and we had a delicious meal. The service was a little slow but we didn't mind, they were all very friendly.
I had the best prime rib sandwich I think I've ever had in my life. I will have to revisit just for that. I know my mom also enjoyed what she had. It was a special of some kind. We took our time and liked it very much. -
Review from Diane C.
Toronto, ON
4/14/2011
A friend of mine was visiting from Ottawa, and we decided to eat here last Saturday night.
I don't come here often, since all the previous times I've been here, it's been for drinks, and it was always crowded.
This time, I ACTUALLY got to sit down for dinner AND drinks. What a novelty!
The architecture IS great here, as previously mentioned. (One of my friends who attended on this night can attest. She's from Montreal, and says that location's like a cave.)
The food was okay - although our server kind of got my order wrong - she did apologize, but blamed it on the fact it was her birthday the night before (hint, hint).
My burger was decent. And maybe it was just the way I was holding it, but I SWEAR if it wasn't the perfect bun-to-meat ratio. The Caesar salad on the side was just enough.
As far as pubs go, I've been to better. But what can I say? My food came on time, it wasn't luke-warm in temperature, and I didn't find anything in it that I shouldn't have. It's definitely worth going to at least once. -
Review from Rex K.
Toronto, ON
12/9/2011
Over-priced, pretentious and unfriendly service and crowd. Won't be heading back here again.
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Review from Michael W.
Toronto, ON
10/24/2011
You may not be able to renew your Irish passport at this Irish Embassy, but you certainly can get an interesting meal here. Aside from a burger, the menu appears authentically Irish and contains quite a few things you won't see on the average pub's menu. The quality of the food is very good, but also a little pricier than your average pub. There is a great selection of European beers on tap. It's a great place to go if you're tired of the standard pub food/beers.
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Review from Jonathan E.
Updated - 11/9/2010
Back in town for work nearby.
This is a solid choice for festive crowds (very busy on a cold Monday) and a good place for the beer/pub experience.
Still, the food was merely ho-hum.
I ordered the evening special, an 8-oz steak with truffle potatoes and assorted veggies. Medium, please.
After a wait, it was delivered slightly well done, with a patty of herbed butter that for some reason never melted. The long thin steak sat upon two perfect scoops of mashed potatoes, which were highly infused with truffle oil. The veggies were another breast mold of bell pepper and carrots.
Nothing was bad, but there was nothing really harmonious either, and the truffle oil often dominated.
Usually Irish pubs fall into three camps:
1.. They don't care about the food, for the money is in the drinks.
2. They work hard to deliver unique gastro pub fare
3. They stay focused on really good traditional fare.
The Embassy is a beaut of a pub, but I'm not sure which camp they want to be in when it comes to food.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/11/2010
Strangely I wasn't too impressed but didn't have the same probs as other. Overall I thought:
- It… Read more »
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Review from Steve M.
9/20/2011
Had a couple of drinks here and a tiny, basic spring roll appetizer. Beer taps were clean. Drafts were not skunky or funky. Nice old historic building - not sure what it once was. Maybe a bank? Crowd is late 20's to mid 40's. Decent venue to catch all the sports on the multiple flat screens. Guinness was fresh and tasty just like it was served in Dublin.
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Review from Alice T.
11/5/2010 4 Check-ins Here
I do love a good Irish Pub but this one I'd say is about average. Maybe because they're at Yonge and King so they cater to a tourist/business lunch crowd?
The food was your standard pub fare, nothing super creative like some of the gastro pubs in other neighbourhoods, but it is good and very safe if you're dinning with a less adventurous crowd.
I came here to watch a few world cup matches so the atmosphere was great but could use bigger tvs if you're here to watch sports. -
Review from Lana L.
Toronto, ON
11/6/2010
Great atmosphere. I went late on a Thursday night and found it a welcome change from the usual, congested ,loud pub. The place was lively but enjoyably so. Tables were accented with candles which was a nice touch to the antique architecture. It made me feel I could stay just that bit longer and maybe enjoy a second Bailey's coffee....
The location is also great. You can slip in there after dinner at one of the many nearby restaurants or hop off the subway and go straight there for a bevy.
I don't know how nuts it gets on the weekend but I certainly enjoyed my visit. The only downfall I would mention is the amount of stairs to the washroom. You may want to escort your friend who's had too many or suggest the use the classy "down the stairs on your bum" technique. -
Review from Alex x.
NORTH YORK, ON
9/27/2010
Surely you cannot expect ales, lagers, etc to be inexpensive in this beautiful historic establishment? I bring folks from out of town here, to impress them, and it never fails-- now lookie, I'm no beer expert and will probably never be, but this place isn't a run-down "pub" as its name might suggest, but a swankier and a more refined-looking beer house instead. The exterior is needless to say beautiful, and so is the interior; you come here to lift your spirits and enjoy some beers in a well-lit, high-ceilinged, clean and regale-looking space in a civilized manner, and that is just what this place provides.
I can't comment on the food as I have never thought of eating here due to the not-so-inexpensive drinks, but the service was top-notch, our beer expert/ server was courteous and knowledgeable.
A great place if you're made of money or if you want to impress the folks you're entertaining in town. -
Review from Meghan B.
10/13/2010
Let me begin by saying, I can't speak on the food at the Irish Embassy Pub and Grill.
We decided to stop in for some drinks after dinner on Thanksgiving. That being said, the place was not busy.
The drinks were excellent, but were expensive.
The staff was very friendly, however it told FOREVER to get a simple drink of water, even after we spent A LOT on drinks.
The atmosphere was pleasant, clean and welcoming! -
Review from Heather M.
10/1/2010
Had heard about this place being really busy, however it wasn't as bad as I thought. We made a reservation for our table, and it seemed it was full but not rammed.
Drinks were a tad expensive, but what can you do? You're in the financial district and you can't escape that.
Beautiful interior. Also, the Guinness (I like dark beers) was exactly as in the UK. Not too carbonated! Fantastic!
We only ordered appies, but they were pretty good. Tandoori chicken kebabs were surprisingly tender and in a papadum basket. Fries were good and perfectly crisp, liked the curry combo. Veggie spring rolls were good but nothing to write home about. Irish sausages were kinda yukky though.
The only complaint I have is that there was a piece of broken glass stuck to my pint. That was a bit sketch. -
Review from Briar G.
Toronto, ON
7/7/2010
Forget booking for groups on a weekday...or any day for that matter.
I organize events for my Alumni network once a month, and Irish Embassy came to mind as it's a good location and central for all.
I emailed a month ago to the web site "info" with no response.
A week later I called and was told they don't handle group reservations and to email Dave the manager. I emailed him, no response.
Fast forward to July 7th and I call as I haven't heard from anyone.
They won't take my group of 8 at 6:30 pm , and according to Dave, no one in the downtown core will. Well Dave, you leave me in a funny spot since you never emailed me back. He says he did - I ask him to forward me that email (yes, I just called you out) he says he doesn't know if he can do that.
So, we can't reach a common ground and I book another venue downtown at 6:30pm for 8 people.
You just lost my group business for life. -
Review from Hideki K.
7/2/2011
Nice Irish Gastropug in Downtown. Their Irish poutine is really good, it must be the mayo!
Listed in: Best of T.O
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Review from JR S.
Toronto, ON
11/17/2011
The staff was very friendly and helpful. Great location and very nice inside. The food was good, a tad expensive for the quality, but I would return for drinks and apps with friends. Customer service was great.
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Review from Thom H.
4/22/2010
I dislike this place for the same reason that I dislike suburbs, SUVs, wal-marts and The Eagles. Unfortunately, I don't know what that reason is. So, I'm giving Irish Embassy a three star rating.
First off, as others have said, there's pretty much nothing Irish about this place that is Irish, except the TV cameras and crowd control services that arrive every March 17. The interior is initially impressive because of its groin vault ceilings, but these ceilings tend to make the room very loud. It's also loud because its proximity to Toronto's bank towers ensure that the place is constantly full. Suits abound.
The food here is respectable. Everything is predictably nice and made with ingredients of decent quality. Nothing adventurous or interesting, really. The dishes here are designed to ensure that no one needs to spend any time thinking about food much. You're here to network. Eating is a secondary concern. TV monitors in every direction ensure you always have a way of restarting a stalled conversation.
So it's not really my cup of tea, but it is easy to direct people to, and I had a great time catching up with an old friend here. So, it serves its purpose well.Listed in: Lunch in the Banker's Bunkers
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Review from Melissa F.
Toronto, ON
3/30/2009 1 Check-in Here
It's alright..the waitstaff leaves something to be desired..and the people..well the people are an odd mix of financial men and then the mangey types who feed of the finance industry. It's not my favourite spot and I wouldnt' pick it if it weren't so conveniently in my neighbourhood.
But hey, it plays the hockey game, they have drinks, and average food. well, i'd almost say below average food but it's pubfare so one can't expect too much.
The environment is, again..quite something. I get that it's an old bank building..and I get that it's supposed to be charming.. but for some reason, it just really isn't. -
Review from Reesa T.
6/7/2010
I am a pretty patient person... I wanted to preface this review by noting that.
So I went to Irish Embassy on a tip that it was a good-beed good-pup place in Toronto and would be a great destination. What a lousy tip.
I give them 2 stars for being clean and having a clean bathroom to use.
The beer selection is really pedestrian, if just felt so uninspired... so... boring. Like stuff I could get elsewhere- anywhere else. The menu for food was bad. I don't eat meat so it was not a good menu for me to begin with but the variety was really lacking. Like when you go to a small restaurant that specializes in lunches and they just opened a few weeks ago... and all the ingredients overlap... the kind of menu that is limited because its the same few things done different ways... thats how the Irish Embassy's menu made me feel. Like their beer... uninspired.
Clean bathroom. Alright! Generally nice building, generally clean restaurant. Decor is kind of meh- and why the TV's!? Really... does EVERYTHING have to take on the slight resemblance of a sports bar... ? The TV's really ruin the ambiance for me, not just here- most places... Also- its a generally nice building, they serve Guinness.... there is nothing really to justify the name Irish Embassy though.
So the real kicker, the inspired waitress. Finally something about this place that stands out right!? Yeah- too bad she opted to stand out in this way... Tip for all servers (in case you didn't already know) even when your customer is a total jackass and 100% incorrect DO NOT outright argue with them. It was like this lady wanted to pick a fight. There was a drink, that was not mixed correctly. At least not to how it was requested to be made... and yet here it was. The waitress was so rude I couldn't believe it. I am a patient person. Even with things like this cause I have worked with the general public in the service industry and I know first-hand what a bitch it can be, so... I try to give people the benefit of the doubt. But this waitress was downright rude, argumentative and her attitude was completely unwarranted and unwelcome.
I wont go back- I wouldn't have simply because the place totally didn't appeal to me. But their service issues are a really big red flag for me. -
Review from Hungry A.
9/2/2008
THIS PLACE HAD CAFFREY's. (one of the GREATest Irish Ales) !!!
Good Service. Great Beer. Positive Experience. Decent Crowd. Cool Location.
POUTINE.
DEEP FRIED PEPPERONI (? I know , sounds strange, but it is awesome)
Went before a show in Toronto with a couple friends, and was certainly on of the highlights of the night.
Stop by for a beer, but be sure to check out their eclectic and yumy menu. -
Review from Jason D.
Aurora, ON
11/12/2009
Got a chance to visit the Irish Embassy while doing a little "stay"-cation with my wife at the Cosmopolitan.
After dinner and a show we were ready to head back up to the suite when we ran into the front line staff from the hotel, heading the 50m down Young street for an after work drink.
We were definitely surprised at how cool the place was, keeping the old bank feel and turning it into a pretty cool spot to hang. As mentioned before, quite a mix of patrons, from Bankers, Stiff-Suits, regular guys/girls and a douche or two thrown in for luck.
If I'm in the neighbourhood, I'll be back for a pint. -
Review from David R.
8/26/2009
My friend tipped me off that this joint has Kilkenny Irish Ale, my favorite beer--which I cannot get in the United States. Then when I booked my hotel I found that this was three blocks away, so I found myself in here twice during my short stay. As it turned out, lots of bars had Kilkenny, but I came here anyway.
It certainly is handsomely decorated, and much has been made of the old bank setting. However, I feel that the layout is a detraction: basically you have a big, square, open room. This leads to a lot of noise and a wide-open, airy sort of aesthetic; basically the antithesis of a classic Irish pub. In fact, it feels more like a restaurant and not at all like a pub. They have a lot of standard two- and four-top tables and a few high round tables, but no traditional pub seating. No snugs, no booths, etc. With the numerous TVs and the loud buzz, it feels really like a fancy Irish sports bar and grill.
But that's okay if that's what you're in the mood for--just don't go expecting a traditional pub. I spent a couple of hours here over two nights, and had a few good pints and an Irish whiskey. They have about a dozen of the former and two dozen of the latter. There were several intriguing varieties that I'd never heard of but I had been wanting to try the Bushmills 1608 (400th anniversary edition) and it did not disappoint. Silky-smooth, honey, clove, caramel...mmm.
One final note bumps them to four stars: my last night in town I approached the manager to see if I they would sell me a Kilkenny pint glass, telling him of my love of the brand. He went behind the bar, took a clean one, and handed it to me--gratis--saying "Cheers, enjoy." What a generous and totally unexpected gesture. I would have been happy to pay a fair price for it. That really tickled me pink. -
Review from lindsey s.
6/22/2010
With it being called Irish Embassy Pub & Grill, I was thinking it wouldn't be too slow of me to assume that it would be an Irish pub inside. I was a little disappointed to find it was far more of a sports bar not the authentic Irish pub I was hoping for when I walked in. The beer selection was just ok as was the service. I had a far better experience at PJ O'brien's with not only selection but also much more social staff.
In an effort not to be a total Debbie Downer, the building itself is quite impressive architecturally, and the less than stellar (read snotty and obnoxious) crowd that was there was probably just a by-product of Friday happy hour. -
Review from Mariko M.
3/10/2010
Worth a visit!
Here's my top 5 points about this place:
1) Ambiance and architecture of the building is great
2) Good place for after work drinks
3) Close to the subway
4) Many nice restos around if you want to move on to a meal after drinks here
5) Yummy pub like food especially the burgers
The only downside I found was the service. Each time I go, I find the servers to be a little pushy. -
Review from Chantal S.
10/17/2010
The overall experience I had at the Irish Embassy was pretty good. Friendly staff, good food, good drinks. To really get in and pick it apart though, I was in there on Thanksgiving day and it was pretty quiet, so why then would it take the server forever to check up on us? All I wanted was a refill. lol And I ordered the prime rib sandwich which was pretty good, well half of it. All the meat was on one half and the other half had a tiny piece of meat and all the rest of the bulk was onion and mushrooms. The horseradish mayonnaise was really nice though and so were the french fries. All in all I liked the place. Especially the interior architecture.
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Review from Andy H.
8/6/2008 3 photos
On a cold March night in Toronto, I decided the best thing to do was leave the hotel room and go get some drinks.
The Irish Embassy Pub and Grill is absolutely beautiful. From the moment you step in you are ready to Irish up! I had a few Guinness, Smithwicks and Kilkenny beers. So tasty and cold...with some Irish music playing in the background, it made for a memorable last night on my trip to this great city. Check out this place...the food looked amazing, but unfortunately I was only here to get my drink on. -
Review from Todd V.
Toronto, ON
10/3/2008 1 photo
This former bank keeps a lot of the old décor and feel of the old bank with very ornate and antiquated trim, vaulted ceilings, and very posh table settings. So, when the "Irish pub" feel tries to settle in, it seems a bit out of place, but still seems to work.
This would be the younger-yet-bigger brother pub to P.J. O'Brien's (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...), and is definitely a bit more upscale, looking for the suits to come in directly from the bank for a Guinness. The menu is stepped up a bit from P.J.'s as well, but is still decently Irish-themed. You're still able to get the mini-sausages that they sell by the shed-load at P.J.'s (you'll have to ask) and the food tastes good and authentic.
If I were you I'd go for the brunch where you're able to get eggs, sausage, and both types of pudding (white and black). Really tasty. I've also been for, erm, "client meetings" where after six hours of drinking Guinness, we found ourselves trying to divide the bill up so that we could each expense the "meal" to our respective employers. The staff are very accommodating in that regard, God love 'em. -
Review from Amanda L.
Toronto, ON
10/23/2010
I went there for lunch and was a little worried because I'd heard that they can be really busy. However, we had no problem and received prompt, attentive service as well. I had the chicken curry and it was served on a pappadum. Very tasty....the platters are large. I could only finish half of it and I have a fairly hearty appetite. We didn't have drinks and I didn't end up paying so I can't really comment on the cost. I would go again.
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Review from A.J. S.
12/30/2009
I was here, I found that our server was pretty rude. The ambiance was annoying, the beer was pretty standard fare, and the food did not look like anything special. All in all I didn't enjoy my experience at this pub at all. I did this pub on a pub crawl, and it was by far the worst pub of the lot.
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Review from Mark C.
9/15/2009
I have been lucky to go to Toronto for the past 2 years and this place has been a good place for us. Last year they did a great sunday brunch, this year it was cocktails until 3am. Good service & atmosphere. Popular with the locals at the weekend
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Review from Adam G.
Whitby, ON
4/21/2010
This is not a true irish pub. The food was average at best and a bit stale. Mostly full of guys in suits who don't know what irish is.
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Review from Hippie D.
Toronto, ON
4/10/2010 1 Check-in Here
Cold food, terrible service & ~$C27 for my troubles...
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Review from Brian C.
Toronto, ON
3/9/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Cool looking place, and always busy. The food is a little better than most pubs in the city but is overpriced the same. The beers are beers. Its irish pub meets the financial district.
