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Easy Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
1645 Queen St WToronto, ON M6R 1A9
Neighbourhoods: Parkdale, Roncesvalles
(416) 537-4893
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 9 am - 5 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Breakfast, Brunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
35 reviews for Easy Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"...Huevos Divorciados or the Toast Soldiers; you will not be..." In 5 reviews -
"The Chevre & Pepper Egg-White Omelette ($11.50) was..." In 2 reviews -
"...West which pays homage to the 1969 classic film Easy Rider." In 4 reviews
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35 reviews in English
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Review from S. E.
Toronto, ON
5/7/2012
One of the only reasons why I'm writing this review is because I am an avid buyer of Huevos Rancheros (or any derivative in and around it - like Divorciados at EASY).
The front area is a pain to have to wait in - so we step outside if it's a good day and wait for a table to free. The seating is firm and straight, cramped usually, yet offers an intimacy. Don't go here on a first breakfast date, you'll be rubbing knees and getting coffee breath whiffs - although not likely any worse than the Lakeview seating.
The Divorciados is their 'house specialty', and they nail it every time. The beans and salsa, avocado and ancho-jam is delicious - pair it with green salsa, runny eggs, and the thick but bubbly bread and you've got a meal that will last until 3 or 4pm, depending on how much you drank the night before.
Fantastic coffee, although I didn't give them a 5-Star rating because of one issue: one of their waitresses is so nonchalant and blase it's a bit annoying. I don't like waitresses that are in your face - but I am annoyed at the ones who take their jobs too lightly - with or without a hangover themselves. THE FIRST REFILL OF COFFEE SHOULD COME PROMPTLY, although the 2nd could come at the end of the meal - agreed?
Also no 5-Star rating: I once ordered Steak and Eggs and unfortunately had to trade my grey piece of leather in for what I ordered - fresh and red, and grass-fed. Damn!
I love this place - for its energy, its brunch, and its great tasting coffee. -
Review from Jessica G.
Toronto, ON
5/10/2012
I gave this place a good go, you know what I mean?
I've been twice. The first time the service was bad and slow.
Second time, the service hadn't changed and the food was as mediocre as I remembered.
I'm not saying it's terrible; the food isn't bad but it doesn't exactly surpass a place like Golden Griddle, and for the price, I expected it to. The last time I went my homefries tasted like they had been sitting out for a while.
The only good things I can really say about this place is their menu is nice looking, the place is nice looking, and the coffee is good. -
Review from Jenna M.
3/3/2012
A friend of mine lives directly across the street from Easy. While some people may not think this is super cool, it actually is and I'll tell you why. I can spy on the front door of it and see when it's filling up (and it regularly does)...and if it is, I like to make a sprint for the door and plop myself into the nearest free booth. Immediately a server will come by with a menu and the offering of a coffee. Not just any coffee, but delicious illy coffee...and the refills don't stop until you put at least one hand up.
I've only ever eaten from the breakfast menu, but it is more than delightful. I especially love and often crave (when taking a Toronto hiatus) the huevos divorciados. That's a mouthful to say and I assure you, it is to eat too. This order comes with two eggs on a corn tortilla, re-fried black beans, guacamole (omnomnom), green and red salsa, and another lil treat called ancho jam. Pile all this yumminess on a piece of toasted baguette and you have officially started off a stellar morning.
If you end up at Easy, you should also be so inclined to try their smoothies. The peanut power smoothie is a meal in itself. I was full for 24 hours after consuming one and did not even consider taking another bite of food during this time. If that's not a great money saver, I don't know what is.
I can't wait to once again spy on Easy and return to kill the items on their menu that I haven't tried yet. I just need to remember not to order a meal AND a smoothie. Lesson learned and duly noted...I think. -
Review from Cassandra K.
Toronto, ON
5/7/2012
I have been wanting to go to Easy for months now and have to say, it wasn't spectacular. I don't particularly enjoy the attitude given by the "too cool for school" west end style of service, I believe in the classic friendly, go-out-of-your-way style of table service.
All of that being said no one was rude to me and my food was decent. I especially loved the banana latte smoothie I had, but I have definitely had better breakfast in Toronto. I had the herb omelette and I'm pretty sure the herbs were old because they tasted off, maybe it was the combination of flavours, or maybe it just needs to be simplified. When I asked for beans on the side my server reluctantly said "i guess so", it turned out that it wasn't even worth asking for.
It maybe sound like a mediocre review but I will definitely return and try something new to give it another shot. First impressions were alright. -
Review from Simone M.
4/6/2012
Hands down the worst (and most expensive) belgian waffles I've ever had. The description on the menu is very misleading. What you end up getting is three mini waffles with a ton of whipped cream, and three slices of strawberry on the side. For $13 you'd expect so much more. They were so bland I couldn't even finish my meal. This place is very busy and always packed however. They're other food might be spectacular and totally worth the price. But stay away from the waffles. Total let-down.
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Review from Catherine M.
Toronto, ON
4/3/2012
I went for lunch on a Monday - it was really busy though the single server was very efficient and friendly, cleaning a booth for us after a child had thrown food everywhere. The space is cosy and bright - a lot of people seemed so comfortable I suspect they were spending all afternoon there.
My quesadilla was pretty big and tasty - I liked being able to go for the half-half on sides. Definitely planning to go back to try waffles and the smoothies which I saw other tables order. -
Review from Maddie R.
1/12/2012
Amazingly , I found myself in this restaurant at 9:45 on a Sunday morning. It was already very busy (hence my companions with small baby insisting that we dine here early). It is a very cute space, and the liveliness (+ coffee) perked me up immediately.
We ordered two of the huevos divorciados and an eggs benny with smoked salmon and black caviar. The food arrived quickly and seemed very fresh!
I know everyone does on about these huevos...but honestly? It just looks like a bit of a mess of beans, salsa. eggs and guacamole- the tortilla completely hidden- with three or four pieces of toasted baguette thrown on top haphazardly. Granted, I love all of these componants, but it kind of seemed like more of a mish-mash than a cohesive dish. That said, I enjoyed my smorgasbord.
Oh, and the ancho jam?? Amazing flavour. My new mission is to recreate it at home.
Brunch for three came to $60 (not including tip). Keep this in mind if you wander in expecting greasy-spoon prices! -
Review from Rob R.
Toronto, ON
3/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
First time here, eating at many breakfast spots. This one is a great place. Had the banana shake with espresso(way better than Starbucks) had the west coast toast breakfast. Perfect portion very good home fries, eggs cooked perfectly,good sauce a must try spot
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Review from Linda M.
11/28/2011
I finally made it to Easy for brunch this past weekend. I've lived 10 minutes away for over a year, and passed it countless times thinking "oh right, I should go there sometime". And finally I did. It's very vintage movie-fan inside, which makes sense since the restaurant is themed for Easy Rider. We arrived after 10 and, surprisingly, were seated right away. Lucky us! We each ordered a smoothie, me the classic strawberry-banana, he the banana latte. Both came out in huge, milkshake-sized glasses, which was much more than we were expecting. Neither was amazing, but both were tasty enough.
I ordered the French toast croissant, he had the eggs benedict, and we ordered a side of chorizo (my favourite!). The croissant was in thin slices, served with fresh berries and a fruit compote that was similar to a berry-applesauce, as well as real maple syrup on the side. It had been cooked in a press and was delightfully crispy with great cinnamon flavour. I really enjoyed it. The bennie was quite good also, as were the potatoes that came with it. The chorizo was a little disappointing though - I've had it many times, in many ways, and I've never had gristle in it before nor such big chunks of fat. The fat was so big and obvious that I almost wanted to take my knife and take it out before I ate it. The flavour was there, but those things took away from my enjoyment.
All in all, a solid choice for brunch, but I'd stay away from the chorizo here (it hurts to say it!) -
Review from Mary D.
8/10/2011
We've been about 5 times now, always for brunch, and are definite fans. I've tried both the Breakfast Burrito and the Huevos Divorciados, and enjoyed both. The Huevos Divorciados left me so full it hurt. My husband has tried both of those, and also the Steak & Eggs, and had positive reviews of each.
Here's where I'm at a loss: I LOVE French Toast. I try it at least once at every brunch place I ever go to. And so far, the only one I've really been dissatisfied with, is Easy's. They do everything else very well. But the "French Toast Croissant" is priced at $12.95, and that's really all it is.... a croissant cooked like French Toast.... no sides except a tiny bit of fruit. If you want to add bacon, it's an extra $2.95. The price seems extremely disproportionate to the Huevos Divorciados, which is made with far more ingredients, and is only $12.75, and the Breakfast Burrito which is only $10.95. Both of those even come with guacamole (which is notoriously expensive at most eateries), and homefries! So I say, skip the French Toast. It will leave you hungry and empty-pocketed.
But other than that, we've loved the meals. Line-ups haven't been too bad, although it's a pain waiting outside. Atmosphere is that of a quick-service restaurant. You won't want to stay all day, but you'll enjoy the time you're there. -
Review from Johnny O.
Toronto, ON
Easy is the reigning King of the west end brunch circuit. It is a favourate of locals that stumble in whenever they wake up and a destination point for folks from other neighborhoods or out-of-towners who want to try somewhere "different".
Tourists and foodies visiting Toronto should put it on their agenda. Personally, when I am traveling to other cites I always look for these kinds of places to eat; the local favourate. Places like St Francis Fountain or Dottie's True Blue Cafe in San Francisco for example, remind me a lot of Easy. It's a great place to start your morning with some tasty breakfast grub, and then spend the day walking it off with a jaunt eastward along Queen Street or North along Roncesvalles.
Easy is always lively, with the din of caffeine fueled breakfast chatter often rising to a roar. Your morning background musical choice is normally some sort of classic rock or country rockabilly arrangement. Chances are you will sip your coffee to a lot of Led Zeppelin while yours eyes are drawn to the collection of biker and muscle car movie posters on the wall, such as Eat My Dust and the diners name sake, Easy Rider.
The menu is substantial enough that everyone should be able to find something, be you veghead or hard-core grease connoisseur. The Toast Soldiers is popular, and used to come with a little toy soldier, I don't know if it still does. My favourate has always been the West Coast Toast; poached eggs on salmon with sprinkle of dill and caviar on top - ostentati-licious! I like to get that little number with a side of bacon, you know, to keep it real. Easy is also known for its smoothies; Mango, Almond Milk, Peanut Butter and more.
Easy is kid friendly (if you MUST bring your brood). In fact, flip the menu over to reveal a cute maze the kids can do with some staff provided crayons. But instead of 'help Mayor McCheese find the Fry Guys gold!" it's "Help the Easy Truck find its way to the Smoothie Girl." There are generally some toy soldiers strewn about somewhere in restaurant the little punks can play with too.
There are two 'issues' with Easy which everyone should be aware of.
First, Easy is popular. If you go on Saturday or Sunday between Noon and 2pm there may be a wait. This can be a drag in winter because there isn't a lot of space inside for milling about waiting for a table, so you may be waiting outside. If this will blow your mind, it might be better if you go earlier or just remember to take your meds. Tables for 4 will take a little longer then a table for 2. Here's a tip, if you are just 1 and you want to skip the line, ask them if you can sit at the bar. There will be no wait on week days.
Second, Easy can be lacking in the 'personal space'. If you are the neurotic type of person who doesn't like sitting almost shoulder to shoulder with strangers, hearing their annoying personal conversations right in your ear, you should be mindful where you sit. The simplest way around this is just to wait for one of the booths or tables on the right side of restaurant; there is better personal space on that side. The lucky anti social type will get one of the booths for two along the back wall by the coat rack; safe, secluded, hidden and defendable. It's a great place from which to people watch the generally good looking crowd.
Now forget I said anything about crowds and waits. In the last decade Easy has quickly become a important cultural hub and meeting place in Toronto's west end, be you hipster or long time resident. Go, see and eat for yourself. -
Review from Kieran S.
Toronto, ON
3/23/2011
Well shit, maybe I should have read Yelp (Martin S.) before coming here, as we ordered TWO Mexican themed dishes: the breakfast burrito and the quesadilla. The burrito was straight up bad (0/5). The eggs were under-seasoned and the beans were straight out of the can. If you advertise re-fried beans, at least mash them up to make them look like somebody hasn't just popped open a can and poured the cold beans into the burrito with no care.
The quesadilla was a bit redeeming but still quite bad. The chorizo was okay, and there was some salt in the eggs.
On the plus side, the potatoes are actually very good here. And I had I read the reviews before coming here, maybe the other offerings would have been as good as the potatoes.
The $3 coffee is also pretty steep and kind of annoying.
With Parts and Labour open on Sundays, and a couple of other brunch places up the road on Roncevalles, don't think I'll be coming back here. -
Review from elffie t.
Toronto, ON
1/3/2011
Easy Restaurant is somewhere i would like to return to. Great food, pretty cool people, great location.
Personally I love the "endless" Illy Coffee for 3$. Not good for people who can't handle their caffeine :)
When i was there, i had the "huevos Divorciados" and it was good. I didn't like it - but it wasn't anything the cook could control. The food was high-quality and i was super impressed by the thickness of the scrambled egg. The guacamole was amazing. As were the black beans. The home-made sweet jelly stuff - the "ancho-jam" was good, but was something i didn't like too much (i also hate marmalade, so this is probably something to do with it). And then the corn tortilla at the very bottom of everything ended up being soggy and kinda unappetizing by the time i ate my way towards it.
Also, as much as i think the servers are totally cool and nice people, it is hit or miss, depending on how busy the restaurant is. When i went on a friday morning, the service was fast and attentive. When i went on a Monday morning when busy, the service was extremely slow and we had to go and ask to order our food. In their defense though, we had multiple people coming at different times, so it might have been hard to keep track.
I would like to come to the restaurant again and check out some of their other dishes. My friend's weekly special of pancakes looked phenomenal! -
Review from jenna m.
11/26/2011
Easy Restaurant is a very cool counterculture themed restaurant located on Queen Street West which pays homage to the 1969 classic film Easy Rider. This is one of my favourite films and I was delighted when my friend surprised me with this brunch spot. The décor is really fun to look at. They have a lot of movie art posters, a large chalk board menu and cool kitsch items. The menu is fairly diverse and I enjoyed my breakfast selection. I have very high expectations for breakfast and Easy fell a little short of the mark in terms of taste and execution of the meal. However, I was so distracted by all of the posters that it made up for it. It is a nice joint for sure. No, I mean it. You've got a nice place. You do your own thing in your own time. You should be proud Easy.
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Review from D P.
Toronto, ON
10/25/2010
I am re - reviewing the places I have returned to after a year away from the country.
This time I will keep things simple. No hairs in my food this time... however I have now visited the place 3 times in the last 2 weeks as I live next door. Each time the brekkie potatoes were cold. It's really really expensive and I don't ever intend going again. -
Review from David M.
Toronto, ON
1/17/2011
I had the basic breakfast - 2 eggs over easy, home fries, toast (baguette slices) and coffee. 8.95 plus 2.95 for coffee. I think the baguette may have been from yesterday...it was a tad chewy.
2 of my friends had the Huevos Divorciados and enjoyed them very much. I think my other two friends were happy with their meals.
The quality of my basic meal was very similar to those of the many "greasy spoon/diners" I've tried, (and I've tried a lot - see link to my breakfast list below), but was pricey in comparison. Perhaps I should have tried one of their specialties, as described by others. They were also having trouble with their heat (on a very cold day), so I'm still thawing out and my judgment might be affected.
Lastly, as a group of 5, they added a 15% gratuity to our checks. (15% of the food including the tax.) As one of my friends said, "if it's on the bill, it's not a gratuity".Listed in: Breakfast places, Diners, Greasy Spoons and…
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Review from Eric F.
Calgary, AB
9/22/2010
Thanks to these reviews, I knew exactly what to go for: Toast Soldiers.
Not only did it satisfy my hunger and stave off any potential hangover (along with a diner-standard mug of coffee), but I got a plastic army soldier out of the deal!
More attractive and stylish than your typical diner and food comes out in a flash - perfect for instant gratification. Even has relatively healthy options like opting for salad with vinagrette instead of fries. Not your typical greasy spoon.
Now I just need someone to teach me how to eat a soft-boiled egg properly. -
Review from Martin S.
Toronto, ON
1/21/2010 ROTD 3/28/2010
Ok, look, Yelp. We've had some good times, you know, you've recommended some great places, I've helped you out with some first reviews, its been good, its been, you know, a relationship that approaches equilibrium at times. I won't lie, there have been betrayals, there have been some letdowns, but you know, I was willing to forgive, I was always willing to move on.
And then I heard about the Easy reviews.
I wasn't willing to believe at first, you know how it is: your friends are jealous, inventing stories, malicious bitches....
but...but then I looked, and I knew.
You had betrayed me Yelp, your aggregate review of Easy was so idiotically skewed by people who had clearly wandered in off the street with no concept of that restaurant's internal logic, the beauty of its mechanisms, the harmony of its spheres: and then, with no concern, with not even a thought for the infinity of possibility that lay outside their shallow, one-off, ill informed experience, they callously tossed off a three, two, or, god forbid, one star review, most likely forgetting the experience as soon as it was done...like some sort of horrid date rapist moving on to their next victim (yes, that's right, I totally just compared otherwise awesome Yelpists to date rapists because I disagree with their review....What?)
Let me attempt to remedy the situation:
One: do not fucking order Mexican breakfast from Easy.
This should be basic people. Do you see Mexicans in the kitchen? Does a single fucking thing about the establishment even fucking suggest a possibility of being able to deliver Mexican food in a reasonable manner? No. No such fucking thing exists. Jesus. Get ANY OTHER GODDAMN THING on the menu and it will be awesome. Children could have figured this out if you showed them a picture of the place...what is wrong with you?
Second: DO NOT GET THE MEXICAN ENTREES. Seriously. Stay the fuck away.
Third: Almost everything else is awesome, the steak and eggs is wicked ( I recommend just fucking biting the bullet and going for a rare steak with poached eggs: you KNOW you want to see those yolks soak into the blood like some sort of Yellow/Red abstract expressionist piece)
Fourth: seriously, like, everything else is awesome: the toast is brilliant (if you aren't starving toast soldiers is awesome), the roasted tomatoes are perfect, the west coast toast is the best seafood oriented benny in the city BY FAR (caviar and smoked salmon), the sausages are brilliant...fuck...its all so good. Seriously Yelp, realize you made a deeply idiotic menu choice, return to the scene of the crime, and make some apologies...
OK, last time but, fucking Mexican entrees at a diner themed around 60's Hollywood film...WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!!!!????? -
Review from sarah l.
3/5/2010 5 Check-ins Here
Toast. Soldiers.
Carmen, the greatest server ever to walk the face of my breakfast, was a major hilight of eating here after a disappointing attempt to brunch at Saving Grace. Kat and I were on one of our patented "I work at home" weekday brunch adventures and we ended up at Easy after 2 hours worth of non errand related stops on the west side. I was legitimately fading into hangry (hungry + angry, tm Beth L 2001) status and after grabbing a red mocha at Ella's Uncle (which took forever but was worth the wait) we ended up at here.
The best:
- Carmen. Carman? However it's spelled... she turned my hangry into happy within 2 minutes of arrival with her surly hipster attitude towards the other patrons. I want to be friends with her and hew new lighthouse tattoo. She said that I couldn't have freshly squeezed grapefruit juice because the bastards at the other table took it all but brought me OJ instead.
The second best:
- Toast soldiers came with a SOLDIER that had camouflaged himself with my hashbrowns. Amazing. I have to say, Carmen must be my favorite server ever to top a toy soldier coming with my food. That's practically un-toppable,
The good;
- Everything was good. I had an amazing time at Easy and I enjoyed my food a lot.
- I had toast soldiers. Yes, TOAST SOLDIERS. It is my dream breakfast. It comes with soft boiled eggs (which I of course substituted for soft poached), hashbrowns, fruit and toast cut up into strips for dipping.
- We brought our coffees in from another place (I wouldn't normally do this but it was just bad timing that I still had half a coffee left when we arrived here) and they were totally cool about it - no questions, no problems.
- The people across the aisle from me and I got to chatting about the smoothies and they were heartily recommended
The bad:
- This place is in parkdale. That's really far from my house.
- Toast Soldiers does not come with bacon. You can add it, but I wish it came with it.
- I bet there is a line on the weekend and I bet it's a long line.
Would I ever go here again?
Yes I would. But not if there was a line. Maybe if the line was short line and I saw Carmen. I'm going to strive for weekdays only.Listed in: Breakfasts, Places Where I had a Great…
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Review from Kat F.
Easy does it again! (ha...I didn't mean to make a pun)
I decided to branch out and try the Eggs Benedict at Easy this morning and I am happy to say the dish makes my list of best eggs benny in the city. I ordered the Eggs Florentine (as I always do for brunch) and the spinach was perfectly blanched and not at all soggy as it often can be in an Eggs Florentine. The eggs were perfectly poached and there was just enough hollandaise - not so much that it gives you a case of the sh*ts the next day, but not so little that you can't taste it at all.
My absolute favourite part of today's brunch was the homefries. I'm going to start a homefries list solely based on Easy's homefries - they are SO GOOD. Roasted potatoes that are drenched in a tangy, seasoned spice rub that have a bit of a curry twist and the subtlest flecks of coriander on them. Mighty tasty.Listed in: Serious Brunch List: Toronto's…, Best Toronto Eggs Benedict
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/9/2009
Wow, people are really being hard on Easy, when I've never had anything but good experiences for… Read more »
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Review from Jay M.
Toronto, ON
9/16/2008
Erin H nails it. It is a weird place. It's sort of hip and alternative but also quite grungy. I haven't eaten there in at least a year, but they used to have this horrible IKEA cutlery with plastic handles, and there was always some dark grime in the space where the metal connected to the plastic handle. Eew.
Prices are high for what you get. Eggs, bacon and homefries for $8.95. $12.50 for Huevos Divorciados, which is two eggs on some sort of corn mash. Coffee is extra. If the food was local, organic or particularly tasty, then fine, but it's just kind of dull and lifeless.
The high prices don't always scare away the some Parkdale weirdos. I had a charming old lady start to paint her fingernails at the table beside me. I asked her if she could do that outside or at home, or really anywhere that wasn't right next to me while I was eating breakfast. She snarled something back and eventually put the stinky nail polish away. (I think she could see I was ready to grab the bottle and throw it out the front door.)
In short: Hip, grungy freakshow. -
Review from rowenna g.
York, ON
7/25/2011
Fun place , great decor and good service. Two quick notes their is not air conditioning so inside on a hot day it can be very uncomfortable and the home fries are really bland choose the salad.
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Review from Vivek S.
4/19/2009
Visited Easy for the first time this morning with Kat F. Though it was pretty busy we got a table for two in no time. My white-omelette with chevre gets a solid thumbs up. They serve Illy cappucinos as well which is a plus. Apparently there is extra seating on the King street side.
Obligatory Title Pun: EASY to love this West End brunch joint.
Menu Readability: Clean, well-spaced, laminated ledger. Big but not road-map big. I approve.
Need to mention: the tables are way too close together. Also, we had a hell of a time freeing the salt shaker from it's carriage. (We couldn't and didn't.)
What this place teaches me about myself: Maybe Hollandaise sauce is worth trying.Listed in: Queen Street Address, Betwixt Breakfast and Lunch
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Review from Erin H.
Toronto, ON
9/15/2008
Easy is one of those restaurants that when you walk in you expect to find a table of two ladies chatting about the restaurant's energy and the ways in which it is affecting their moon cycles and, inevitably, you do.
But all that lunar magic and inner bliss aside, Easy is also a divey kind of spot whose strange fascination with 70's Car Flicks makes an odd mix for a joint that serves Eggs Benny and Breakfast Burritos. Anyway, I know the place is good because I can keep my food down even while hearing the neighbouring ladies chat about their vulvae. If you prefer cleanliness to sucking down an amazing smoothie then chasing it with a burrito, Easy is not your restaurant of choice. The menus suffer from fossilized ketchup and the tables could use a pressurized cleaning (or two). -
Review from Eliah H.
Toronto, ON
1/1/2010
Having awoken New Years Day a little too late for Dim Sum I decided on a more local haunt for breakfast, that being Easy. I've eaten here a few times before and have been generally pleased enough with the food to make a return visit. Unfortunately my most recent visit was a rather expensive (for breakfast) excursion into blandness.
On weekends and holidays this place will be packed and you'll most likely end up in a small line up to get a table. Today, despite being New Year morning, I luckily (or perhaps not) had a minimal wait for a table. Having already tried the Easy Breakfast of standard eggs 'n bacon as well as the Huevos Divorcados I decided to entertain other parts of the menu. I chose the Breakfast Burrito with a side of chorizo sausage, expensive but I was hoping it would be well worth it. Along with with the meal I ordered a coffee, expensive again but can't complain much for bottomless illy coffee.
Long story short, virtually everything short of the guacamole was overcooked and lacking in flavor. The burrito had no kick, the home-fried potatoes were near burnt and the sausage tasted like chorizo flavored rubber. When you have to constantly reach for the salt and pepper shakers as well as the hot sauce to make a meal more edible it's a bad sign.
As for the service, in the past I've found it friendly and quick (kinda like my last relationship, har-har, but I digress...) Today I was served by what best could be described as a T-X model Terminator who was reprogrammed to be waitress. Incredibly fast and efficient (refilling my coffee whether I needed it or not), she did all the things a server should do in a timely manner except talk and smile.
The meal came out to about $20 before tip and you know I can think of a hundred places for breakfast I'd rather spend that kind of money at than for what I ate at Easy. -
Review from Anita S.
Toronto, ON
7/16/2011
I like this place - it's casual and has a nice vibe. The food has always been good when I've gone - I've had the chicken soup, half chicken, BLT, fries and paninis - never breakfast food - usually more lunch type food and it's always been quite good.
The service is always friendly - my main complaint would be that it can take awhile - go when you're not in a rush. This is near my work and I would love to go on my lunch break more often but it takes too long even though it's usually not that crowded on a weekday at lunch. The other complaint is that it's freezing in the winter with all the cold air blowing in every time the door opens. But on a spring day when I've got an extra long lunch, I am there! -
Review from sunnee s.
Toronto, ON
4/15/2011
average . unfortunately thats all i can say about easy . its too bad, i wanted to love it .
maybe ive just been really lucky in the past, but this was the longest ive had to wait for brunch, even longer than hoofs or lady marmalade . so maybe expectations that were too high . and why dont they tell you that you need to put your name down ? we waited outside, since theres no space to do so inside, in the cold for a while then realized we needed to put our names down . boo !
i got the huevos divorciados because my friend was raving about it . it was my first time having mexican for breakfast . is this an actual authentic mexican breakfast dish ? i dont even know . but i do know it was .. good . only because there were some things i absolutely loved and some things i didnt so much and they, i guess, kinda offset each other . they have AMAZING guacamole . i wish there were more on the plate . their jelly jam stuff beside the guac was delicious as well . the salsas & the eggs were pretty average but what i really didnt like, however, was how soggy the torilla got . :( and re-fried beans, arent they suppose to be mashed ? how come i just had whole black beans ? :(
maybe mexican breakfast just isnt my thing . but i will be back to try their egg benny ! -
Review from Lauren W.
Toronto, ON
6/11/2010
Great hangover food, decently priced.
I got the eggs Benedict which was pretty effin good, and my friend got the breakfast burrito which was alright. There was a little bit of a line, but we were only two so we got seated fairly quickly.
Don't really have much else to say about this place, it is in Parkdale, so I wouldn't venture too far out of my way to eat here, and would probably only do so again if I were already in the area. -
Review from Matthew S.
Toronto, ON
4/26/2010
Easy is a fairly average brunch spot, good but I didn't find it to be anything special. If I lived in the area I could see myself eating here on occasion, but I don't think it's worth going out of your way.
At 10:30 on a Saturday morning there was no line for Brunch. The decor is plain; neither sterile nor homey. Service was good. Prices are reasonable. This is a kid friendly restaurant. Believe it or not, I actually enjoy kids in a place like this -- reminds me of home -- but I can see how some might not.
The Mango Smoothie was an awesome deal at $4.50 for a HUGE glass. It was mango and banana, which meant it tasted entirely like banana since banana has a tendency of overpowering anything it's served with. I dig banana so no big deal, but worth mentioning for those that aren't banana fans.
The Eggs Florentine ($10.50) was good. The Hollandaise sauce was good and the eggs were decently cooked, though they could have been a little more runny. The Chevre & Pepper Egg-White Omelette ($11.50) was excellent. Nice, creamy goat cheese, roasted red peppers, and basil; a perfect combination. I also prefer my omelettes with egg whites since it's a little lighter and the egg doesn't overpower the filling.
Both mains came with either homefries or salad. Neither impressed me all that much. The homefries were seasoned well and could have been excellent, but were slightly undercooked. The salad was mixed greens with a vinegrette dressing. Unfortunately, some of the greens had gone a little bad and had that gross slimy texture. I'm usually not squeamish about food, but I just can't stand slimy greens! -
Review from Bryan T.
Toronto, ON
10/8/2010
The staff here are nice and I sort of like the Huevos Divorciados (basically Huevos Rancheros, and I have no idea what this play on words is referencing). HOWEVER: prices at this place are at high end for a greasy spoon: Huevos are $12,95, and coffee adds another $3.00. So we're talking the better part of $20 with tax & tip.
Now, at that price you expect exceptional coffee; here they apparently use Illy (a premium brand) but the coffee often has that dirty taste you get from not cleaning the pot/machine properly. Inexcusable when you can get a made to order Americano at Cherry Bomb for the same price.
On my most recent visit the hash browns had that dessicated quality of something that had been resting at the side of a grill for an hour or more; tasted of dirty cooking oil. The side salad was a limp handful of field greens, seemingly not dressed. Worst of all, there was a long strand of hair entwined in my eggs. Revolting. They replaced the meal, offering a sheepish, 'Sh*t happens' by way of explanation, and knocked a % of the bill. (Note to Easy: hair nets for the cooking staff would mitigate the risk of sh*t happening)
Not the worst food in Toronto, but I left today, as I have in the past, thinking there was a mismatch between price and quality here. A tastier, healthier, and more carefully prepared brunch can be had at say Fresh or Calico Cafe for less money. -
Review from tahlia b.
Toronto, ON
11/7/2010
Contrary to my pal david my experience was better there was no hair in my food. I like the smoothies they helped me heal from wisdom tooth extraction and conveniently i could get them downstairs when i lived in that building 2 years ago. so for that i am greatfull. I think it is overpriced for eggs and toast however i don"t eat eggs as i am allergic so i can't comment on if they are great or bad. i guess the prices reflect the other hipster joints in the area your other option is greasy spoon Stavros. So if hipsters and high prices are not your thing then avoid this place.
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Review from art f.
Toronto, ON
10/15/2011
i've tried a few mexican places by mexicans, but i'm not an expert on mexican food. however, the huevos divorciados tasted good to me - nice strong flavors that hit the spot. the coffee, which i drank a lot of, was also good.
i suppose the cost is high, but i can understand why. the place was packed even on a weekday. -
Review from Jennifer M.
Toronto, ON
1/20/2009
Great place to go if you want a plate of grease. I had a standard egg breakfast. My boyfriend ordered huevos ranchos (sp?). Both came in a plate of grease with a side of grease with grease to put on it. It was FREEZING in the restaurant and dirty. I won't go back
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Review from Shawn B.
Oshawa, ON
8/9/2010
Taking its name from the flick Easy Rider, this bright and airy Parkdale breakfast spot has recently expanded to serve even more of the hipster musician crowd that flocks to their tables for weekend brunch. Try the Huevos Divorciados or the Toast Soldiers; you will not be disappointed.
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Review from sean b.
Edmonton, AB
4/7/2011
I was in Toronto to visit some friends and had some time to spare during the day while she was at work and he was at school. After rummaging through their fridge, I found out there was nothing to eat in the apartment so I decided to find a nice place to sit down for a late breakfast. The Easy Restaurant was recommended from another friend, so I headed out the door and made my way to Queen west for some good eats. When I got to the restaurant there were a few people enjoying their food, and I found a nice little table and sat down to check out the menu. The selection was just what I had in mind, but I couldn't decide between the eggs benedict or the French toast. After getting some advice from the nice looking waitress, I decided on the benedict which was promised to be more filling than the French toast. While waiting for the food I pulled out a copy of NOW magazine and started reading an article about the shitty new Toronto mayor. Before I had time to read the whole article, my meal was sitting on the table waiting to be eaten. A few bites in, I knew I had made the right choice and started to worry that I wouldn't be able to finish. But I didn't want the waitress to think I couldn't handle a large breakfast, so I filled my mouth with bite after bite of eggs benedict, homefries, and house salad, and washed it down with freshly squeezed orange juice. I could tell she was impressed with my manly appetite so I left a nice tip and ventured outside to walk it off.
