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Corned Beef House
Category: Restaurants Sandwiches Sandwiches [Edit]
270 Adelaide St WToronto, ON M5H 1X6
Neighbourhoods: Entertainment District, Downtown Core
(416) 977-2333
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 11 am - 9 pm
Thu-Sat 11 am - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
30 reviews for Corned Beef House
Review Highlights
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"I really enjoyed the Montreal smoked meat sandwich platter..." In 5 reviews -
"...sandwiches, the sides are great (garlicky potato salad FTW." In 3 reviews -
"...my sandwich but what really made my meal was the pickle." In 6 reviews
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30 reviews in English
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Review from Zaid S.
Toronto, ON
4/26/2012
5/5 for a good reason.
They don't do much, but anything they do, they do really WELL. I suppose it's to be expected, since they've been around forever. So corned beef? Best you've had. Coleslaw? Great balance of health and taste. Pickles? Good choice. Club? Great mix of flavors. Reuben? Wonderful.
Let me give you a story of this place to give you some character. I go here regularly with a group of friends. We used to go every night that was also pie night at Canteen just around the corner. So we'd do Corned Beef house and then Canteen for pie. Canteen pies were pretentious, style-wise and modest, amount-wise, but decent in taste. I don't want my desserts to simply taste "decent."
Some nights they didn't have pie. The guy who works at Corned Beef House, "Germaine" (I call him Jerome for some reason), who's a laid back bartender/waiter there, he would always suggest that I try their Apple Pie. We never did. Finally, pie nights ended at Canteen or we got sick of the savoury pies they always ended up having on "pie night." So we gave Corned Beef House a shot.
Their pies were amazing. With ice cream? Just a picture-perfect and wonderfully tasting pie. We wondered why we wasted our time so much trying out the Canteen pies. So we kept having the Corned Beef House Pies. Eventually, Jerome suggested we tried their cheesecakes. He told us they were good.
As per tradition, we ignored his suggestions until the day that they had run out of pie (they tend to do that, so make sure if you come late that you order the pie with your food). So we were forced to have the Cheesecake. Lo and behold, just as good as the pie, which is to say VERY good.
Same process repeated with the biscotti. Jerome suggested, we ignored, finally he actually just gave us samples.
Pie, Cheesecake, Biscotti, limited flavors but some of the best you`ll get. I wholeheartedly recommend this place. Tell Germaine that Zaid sent you. And call him Jerome. Doesn`t matter, the food will taste just as good. -
Review from Teena D.
Updated - 2/26/2012 11 photos
After Gord and I saw Goon, we went around the corner to the Corned Beef House for supper. They make amazing sandwiches and we hadn't been there since last February.
I ordered the "gigantic" 10 ounce corned beef sandwich on light rye. Gord ordered the "gigantic" 10 ounce Montreal smoked meat sandwich on light rye. Like the last time, we gave each other half ... and like the last time, they were delicious!
We learned that last time that because the sandwiches are so big, there is no need to order anything else (like French fries, potato salad, etc.).
Jermaine took excellent care of us ... he was nice and chatty and played excellent tunes (oldies).1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/12/2011
My husband and I had supper at the Corned Beef House this evening. This is our second time at the… Read more »
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Review from Daniel H.
Mississauga, ON
2/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
My gf and I did not know what to do on a frigid cold Saturday. She told me that she had a group on for Corned Beef House.... so off we went.
Immediately when we walked in there was this laid back, friendly kinda vibe. With Sam Cooke and the James Brown playing in the background, we enjoyed a large Smoked Reuben Sandwich and their Mochas (which totally hit the spot).
This place is classic, unpretentious and just plain badass. Love the decor, Great food, Great service, and Amazing Reubens. -
Review from John Y.
Toronto, ON
Ordered the small size corned beef on marble rye with mustard. Meat was sliced very thin and stacked about 2 inches high. Moist and tender, worth every penny spent, could only eat half the sandwich, took the other half home and made another full sandwich with all the extra meat. Also ordered the beef and vegetable soup, also very good. For a quick bite, this is da bomb
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Review from R Y.
Toronto, ON
4/8/2012
Excellent roast beef brisket sandwich - the meat was perfectly seasoned and so flavorable. U must order their fries - perfectly crispy outside and soft inside.
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Review from Martin W.
11/19/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I really enjoyed the Montreal smoked meat sandwich platter here. It was huge! By the time I was done I could barely move. The sandwich was stuffed with smoked meat that was juicy, not overly salty, and very tasty. The fries were crispy and just the way I like them. The coleslaw was saucy, creamy, and tasty. The pickle on the side added a nice touch, but wasn't crunchy like I prefer.
Either way, I was impressed. I'll be back soon enough. -
Review from Janna S.
9/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
So yes, I've been to Schwartz's in Montréal, but I can't say this place was terrible by comparison. Not a bit. The seating is far more comfortable and I really don't care about "authenticity"...like I've said before, "real" and "authentic" lose their appeal quickly when you're talking about fruit cake, steam-powered transit, and 19th-Century public sanitation. Believe it or not, sometimes things improve with a little tweaking.
Anyhow, this place is really good if you want a massive wad of salted meat between two pieces of decent bread. I liked the salad too. I know it's not fashionable to like iceberg lettuce but the crunch always gets me. I thought the server was pretty good too, but the huge meat wad is definitely the main attraction.
The bathrooms were clean and very brightly lit. -
Review from Johnathan N.
Brampton, ON
9/28/2011 6 Check-ins Here
Corned beef on rye (with a pickle). As promised.
It's easy to miss on your walk along Adelaide. Hooters, Office Bar, and Pizzaiolo are all competing for your attention at Adelaide and John with high contrast signage. Corned Beef House sits with its frosted glass doors recessed into unadorned brick. When you do see it, you assume it must be a tiny little place.
Walking in is revelatory though. A few steps of walk up to a bright and open dining room with a few tables and some bar seating as well. Friendly staff, simple menu.
"I'm torn. Do I want a corned beef sandwich, or smoked meat?"
"Tough choice, they're both great. But go with the Corned Beef, it'll have you coming back for the smoked meat."
"Sold."
"Great. How hot do you want your mustard?"
My "huge" (by their sizing, the smallest of the offerings) sandwich on Marble Rye (hot mustard) came out quickly and paper bagged for take out, with a separately wrapped pickle. I picked up a Boylan's soda as well, tried not to feel pompous in the process.
Their slaw (the vinegar kind, not creamy) probably came out of a bucket, but it was tasty and let me believe I'd eaten a vegetable. The sandwich itself was great - stacked high, good flavour. I could have taken more mustard, but I'm sort of a strange fellow when it comes to mustard.
All in all, a solid sandwich joint with a nicer inside than you'd expect. Prices are a bit high for a takeout sandwich, but not so as to keep me away.
Pro-tip: as pasta wants sauce, deli meat wants mustard. Take it from a strange mustard fellow. Choose carefully, they have at least 5 or 6 options.
Also: don't bring a big group. 4's fine, particularly since sandwiches take up relatively little space, but I think larger groups would have trouble here. Call ahead, at the very least.Listed in: Food near Mozilla Toronto
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Review from Vivek S.
8/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Lookit: I've never been to Schwartz's in Montréal; and I don't want to hear any bulljive about how it's chemically impossible to infuse smoke flavour to meat west of Ottawa/Hull. I'm sure their sandwiches are good (possibly even great) but the endless comparisons make this chauvinstic Torontonian crave another Seven Years' War. Of brisket! Can we set that up? (/rant)
Anyway, Corned Beef House is an excellent choice for lunch. I visited here to test their claim of "Toronto's Best Kept Secret" and while it's not quite Mayor Ford's Dungeon of Doom 'n' Gravy[1], I was fairly impressed.
CBH is at the NE corner of John and Adelaide, right across from Hooters. The non-descript façade led me to believe this place was more of a hole-in-the-wall. I was wrong: it's spacious and nicely decorated inside.
Let's talk sammiches. Your options are unhelpfully sized as Huge (7oz), Gigantic (10oz), and Colossal (16oz). They might as well park a Jaguar E-type[2] in here because these names are clearly compensating for something. I reasoned that Huge would be sufficiently monstro, so I got their Corned Beef on Light Rye ($7.45) with a side of Coleslaw ($3.25). You can also choose your type of mustard.
The meat was juicy, flavourful and really tender. The Huge really is a tall pile of meat, so I can't imagine what circumstances would compel me to go larger (mid-life crisis?). It was a winning sandwich, but not the Bestest Ever. But still very good. The sandwiches came with a fat pickle, but I didn't love it. Priced about the same as their peers in the T.O. smoked meat world and they do have an evening deal after 6pm.
I shall return!
Obligatory Title Pun: She's a BEEF HOUSE/She's smoky, smoky, just lettin' it all hang out.
Menu Readability: It comes on a solid tablet. I felt kind of like a Flintstone.
Need to mention: The onion kaiser actually seems like a smarter choice of bread.
What this place teaches me about myself: I probably shouldn't libel the mayor. I'm also really hard on Montréal for some reason.
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[1] Fact.
[2] Now that's a phallic car. https://skitch.com/viv...Listed in: Pleased to meat you, Sammich Showdown, Lunch Time!
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Review from Elaine K.
12/7/2011 3 photos
Great location and service, but NOT the best corned beef in town, in my opinion.
A friend and I came here to enjoy a groupon I bought a while back. We were both really impressed with the atmosphere and decor of the place. It was very modern, but comfy. There was one guy running the show, pouring drinks, taking orders, bringing out food, and he did a great job. He seemed relaxed and was really nice.
We ordered a pitcher of beer and the corned beef and roast beef brisket plates, with potato salad and french fries. I love the fries. They were perfectly crispy and just fantastic. We got a side of gravy to go with them. It was a very good choice. I found the sandwiches were fine, but not great. I've been hitting a Jewish deli uptown for a while and found it hard not to compare the two. The meat from the Corned Beef house was lean, salty (not overly so) and had the texture closer to grocery store deli meat. My friend pointed out the problem: the meat was LEAN. It was still juicy and flavourful, but I was missing the veins of fat that I've become accustomed to. It was also not shaved paper thin, which is also how I prefer it.
It was a great place to hang out... great atmosphere and service, and awesome fries, but I'm afraid I'll be staying uptown for my deli sandwich fix. -
Review from Mel L.
2/13/2012
I absolutely love corned beef house. I would walk five miles uphill in the snow to get here. My favourite sandwich is the Reuben, but they're all good and it's honestly really good beef. The smallest sandwich is always enough food for me to be stuffed. I love going here for lunch, except if you don't go early, you won't get a seat.
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Review from Jo M.
Toronto, ON
7/22/2011
Yum! Ordered a corned beef sandwich (huge) and a montreal smoked meat (gigantic) with a side of fries. Portions are orca big. Corned beef sandwich tasted exactly like a corned beef sandwich should, the smoked meat was nothing like Schwartz's in Montreal but it was still pretty tasty for Toronto standards. Wasn't a big fan of the fries, I like mine thin with the skin on but it was still good enough to eat. And I like the fact you can order half a pint of beer while waiting for your take-out :)
Will be eating here again. -
Review from Avitania B.
Toronto, ON
5/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
The corned beef is delicious, that's for sure. It's moist, not too salty, and served in portions large enough to feed you AND your evil twin. The poutine, on the other hand, is rather meh. Granted, I only had the plain (non-beefy) version, and I'd say it's skippable -- the gravy is bland, and the fries just get overly soggy underneath the weight of the gravy. I've had much better poutine elsewhere.
The service, on the other hand, is not so great. The server was so saccharine and her tone was so forced that you could tell she didn't want to be there -- it was so bad that it made the meal a bit uncomfortable to begin with, and then went downhill from there as there were a few miscommunications that left our experience there rather sour.
So... yeah. I'd come back, but grab my sandwich to go. -
Review from Michael Y.
Toronto, ON
8/20/2011 5 Check-ins Here
I thought I missed Swartz in Montreal but not anymore. No place can take over Swartz but this place comes in very close second in my books. The new location is very nice.
Delicious! Come in and seat yourself at a empty table anywhere. I had the Reuben sandwich which is huge as stated in the menu. I don't know what the fork and knife was there for but it was tasty and messy - no other way to eat it. They've finally switched their fries from baked to fried. Nice. -
Review from Bryan G.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 3/23/2011
The special is back! $6 sandwich after 6pm...yes!
EDIT: the special might be 4-6pm. Just tell 'em Bryan G. sent you and I'm sure you'll get the hook up.
HUMOUROUS STORY
I saw the guy putting up the sign for the special while walking with my roommate and excitedly yelled "IT'S BACK! YES! THE SPECIAL IS BACK!" to which the dude (who would recognize us as the guys who used to come all the time but stopped as soon as the special stopped) looked up at me, laughed, nodded and said "See you soon" and then proceeded to tell the guy helping him with the sign that we're the motherfuckers who will only come to his shop if we can get a ridiculous deal. Everybody knows the score. Now I'm gonna get me a corned beef sammich...after 6.Listed in: Best Sandwiches in Toronto
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/4/2010
This past January I moved into a building at John and Adelaide and immediately started salivating at… Read more »
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Review from Trevor R.
Ajax, ON
Updated - 1/25/2012
Both the manager and the server mentioned in the previous review was not present when I returned. The food is awesome. The fries are crispy and delicous and the Montreal Smoked meat on rye delivers!
I just hope the people mentioned so not work there anymore...Worst food experience of my life so far..1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/31/2011
This is review is based on service, the -why- will be apparent soon enough.
My buddy and I had a… Read more »
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Review from Chris H.
The Annex, Toronto, ON
1/25/2012
This place isn't very noticeable when walking by, but is definitely worth popping in once you spot it. The massive sandwiches are delicious, especially the beef brisket. Service was awesome, our waiter was very knowledgeable and humorous. It was pretty dead during the midweek lunch, but would be a good place to go with friends at night for a drink. The atmosphere is great, it's very welcoming, and has a bar that calls our your name.
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Review from Geoff F.
Toronto, ON
4/29/2011
Go for the meat, stay for the chat you're having with the dude who makes you feel like you've known him since the early 90's. Good vibes.
The meat is really effing good, and as a former Montrealer and Schwartz's regular, my opinion carries some seriously fatty, steamed, well-seasoned weight. Although not melt-in-your mouth like Schwartz's, Corned Beef House has some of the best smoked meat and corned beef I've had outside of Habs Town.
My fave here is the Reuben, but given the tastiness of the meat, the basic Montreal and corned beef sandwiches are both highly recommended as well. Now I'm just waiting for CBH to team up with the Pizzaiolo downstairs and make a smoked meat pizza!
These dudes lose half a star as a result of a few small things: prices are JUST too high, they ditched their after-6pm deal after they moved, and their signage is just insufficient for this busy corner. I dislike that this means I have to explain their location relative to Hooters. -
Review from Jack W.
Toronto, ON
8/6/2011
Finally, a Reuben I can love!
It's taken me awhile to find a sandwich place for what I call "old fart" sandwiches... you know, the ones you generally only see old guys in old movies or in film noir books order. These are big fat sandwiches, the sides are great (garlicky potato salad FTW). I had the Reuben platter (coleslaw & potato salad) and my husband had the Brisket. They were absolutely great. The meat was tasty, and as a once in awhile salt splurge, this was really satisfying. =) Next time, I'm going to try the soup too. And some fries. The staff were nice, it's easy to find, and the atmosphere is nice and light. Definitely worth some return visits. You won't be sorry you went, ya old fart!! -
Review from Secyw W.
Richmond Hill, ON
3/4/2012
We went on a Wednesday night - therefore it was not as busy as normal days. It was in fact very quiet. We ordered the Montreal Smoked Meat and Corned Beef Platter. The Smoked Meat was a bit better than the corned beef in my opinion - perhaps it was because the sauce differed. The fries were really good - but the potato salad was so-so. The servings were huge though - I must say.
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Review from shyni y.
2/14/2011
I had my first corned beef sandwich here at least 5 years ago while I was burning time before an interview- I had another sandwich afterwards(cuz the guy was super cute). I didn't get the interview, but fell in love with corned beef & deli sandwich in general and I spent last few years trying to go back here.
Unfortunately for me, I have no sense of direction - but this inspire me to write the address down when I saw it in passing, so I may be able to look it up. Oh no, I trusted my abnormally short memory to remember where it was. Because I couldn't remember where it was, I couldn't even suggest it when my friends and I were trying to figure out what to eat. Then one day, I swear to everything that's holy - it disappeared from where it stood -and I thought I lost it finally.
But then I've been seeing a restaurant bearing the same name - I've been telling myself months now that I must find out if it was the same. Today , a perfect opportunity presented itself and I magically remembered to suggest it. It was totally meant to be - all the signs were there - and it proved to be the same love at first bite.
When I told the incredibly friendly server my search for this place, he explained to me that I wasn't crazy - they had actually moved only a couple of years ago - and crushed my hopes of living off social funding like so many capable people do.
I like the new place too. The old place was small and dark wooded - but it fit the overall theme of the place and the food was just so good I didn't care about the size of the place - I'd eat it anywhere. The new space was modern and sleek. I love the "menu board" and the food was still so delicious( I am salivating as I am writing this) - with the freshest slice of pickle...and even during these "hard times" they give you your money's worth. The sizes range from Huge to enormous(?) and they aren't not kidding. They don't give you bunch of tiny old pickles either - they give you a huge hunk of a pickle, that will last you the whole sandwich.
Their homemade cheesecake? I dunno. it's homemade - and the only thing that beats a homemade cake sold in a restaurant? is the homemade cake mama/spouse makes you with love - It's just the way cheesecake was meant to be.
I almost resent going in there today because now I'm going to have to fight to stay out of it....but if you've never enjoyed a good deli sandwich - this place will change your mind, at the first bite.Listed in: Dining quiet
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Review from Miguel G.
4/5/2009
Corned Beef House is like a two block walk from the office in Toronto. That and the fact that their sandwiches are so good means that I eat there relatively often when in town.
I've tried the corned beef and the montreal smoked meat, both of which are great. I've also been with friends who have tried the turkey and had good things to say about that as well.
You've essentially got 6 choices for meat fillings for your sandwich, then you choose from 5 bread choices and multiple types of mustard. Sandwiches come in 3 sizes, Huge, Gigantic and Collosal. With 7 oz of meat the huge is usually enough for me, especially given the 9.99 special for a huge sandwich and a beer! :) Yeah, my typical order is the special: huge smoked meat on marbled rye, extra spicy mustard with an amsterdam blonde. maybe a side of potato salad if I'm feeling extra hungry (the potato salad is good) -
Review from vivian v.
Aurora, ON
4/13/2009
To be honest, when I go here it's not because I want to. I tag along with the boys while they get their sandwiches and I'm stuck with two other choices on the menu. I'm not vegetarian but I'm not a huge meat eater and all there is to really get is two slabs of bread packed with, well meat. Not appetizing to me, but for some reason I keep going.
I was going to give it two stars, but the BLT I had today was huge and oh so delicious. Also plus points that I've found to be appealing to my lunch-mates are the free coffee(from the get-go, not just the refills) and the sandwich & beer deal (9.99). -
Review from Alex M.
Etobicoke, ON
2/24/2011 1 photo
Been coming here for the past 5 years! Jermaine the manager is always a welcome face there. Great service and the Rueben sandwich is downright ambrosia!
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Review from Erwin M.
4/5/2010
Craving for a thick, deli style, Montreal smoked meat/corned beef sandwich, my research led me to this place and this place did not disappoint. The Reuben sandwich I had was better than I thought it would be so I will boldly rate this place higher than Centre Street Deli.
For the record, I have not tried the smoked meat in Montreal which i've heard is off the charts so I might not be the best source for an accurate review. All I know is that I had a Reuben here, my wife had the corned beef, and they were both very satisfying. -
Review from M S.
Toronto, ON
4/5/2011
The place looks OK from the outside. They need to get something that would distinguish them on the street instead of having people telling you that it's across from Hooters... Nice cozy set up inside though.
First time I came here, I ordered corned beef poutine. I'm not a huge poutine fan, but they make awesome poutine. The second time I went there, I got their huge brisket sandwich; it taste fantastic!
Food price is decent for lunch
Servers were very friendly and welcoming. -
Review from Martin K.
Toronto, ON
3/28/2011
Last Monday i decided to check out the Corned Beef House on Addelaide to see what the fuss was all about. The place was busy for a Monday afternoon and the reason being is there Man vs Sandwich competition they have every Monday was going on. What I saw were 3 guys taking the challenge and in the end all had failed. What it is, is if you can eat a 40 oz sandwich in 1 hour then its free, if you can complete it then its $20 .
This sandwich was massive i cant see anyone finishing what I think is Torontos biggest sandwich. As for myself I had the best Montreal smoked meet sandwich in the city ever!!!!! As well as an amazing Poutine, This place is great, very cool looking and service was just as good.
I highly recommend this place but maybe not on a Monday -
Review from Chris E.
Toronto, ON
11/9/2009
Great spot! The owner is a very cool, friendly guy. The beef barley soup is salty but overflowing with chunky, meaty goodness. The smoked meat is fantastic, the reuben sandwichs are perfect. I'm not sure the restaurant's NAME is all that attractive, but the food is filling and fine.
Listed in: Restaurants
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Review from Kerri M.
Toronto, ON
5/1/2010
I have been coming here for years and would eat here multiple times a week if I could. I regularly order the roast beef sandwich on light rye: the bread is so soft with just a hint of crunch in the crust and the meat is juicy and delicious. Sandwiches come with a pickle, but there is so much meat that you won't need to order anything else.
This place is rumoured to be a former haunt of Leaf players, and the paraphenelia suggests that may be true. Mats Sundin was definitely spotted by my colleague a number of years ago. It had a devoted following back then but you could always get a table. Word has gotten out now and the place is packed at lunch. You'd better show up before noon or after 1:30 mid to late in the week if you're in a hurry; otherwise it could be a while - even for take out. But if you've got the time, then it's worth the wait. -
Review from Mike S.
Toronto, ON
10/3/2008
I don't really remember having corned beef for the first time but I do remember the best smoked meat I've ever had. It came not surprisingly from Shwartz's in Montreal and I have searched in vain for something in the same galaxy in Toronto. This is what lead me to eat at the Corned Beef House. Their sign outside was very tempting, they claimed to have the best corned beef in Toronto and I was intrigued. The corned beef was pretty good, but certainly not the best in town. I enjoyed my sandwich but what really made my meal was the pickle. Now the pickle is an oft maligned vegetable but in the right context (specifically any restaurant that specializes in smoked meat) it can be raised to the level of caviar. This pickle was as good as salted fish eggs and that is a compliment. I don't think I would suggest that you go out of your way to visit the Corned Beef House, but if you are in the area stop in a pick up a pickle it will be worth it.
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