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Fire on the East Side
Categories: Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Restaurants Canadian (New) Breakfast & Brunch, Canadian (New) [Edit]
6 Gloucester StToronto, ON M4Y 1L5
Neighbourhoods: Church-Wellesley Village, Downtown Core
(416) 960-3473
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 1 am
Sat-Sun 10 am - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Brunch
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
79 reviews for Fire on the East Side
Review Highlights
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"Free homemade banana bread to start is always great too." In 19 reviews -
"Steak and Eggs, Stuffed French Toast, Bennies, Omlettes." In 4 reviews -
"...on cornbread, and upgraded to delicious sweet potato fries." In 5 reviews
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79 reviews in English
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Review from Tyler B.
Oakville, ON
2/18/2012
Just call before you go...
Went for breakfast. Atmosphere is trendy, food is freakin delicious, and I would definitely recommend the Spicy Turkey Hash.
Breakfast will cost around $15 per person (with tax and tip)... which i thought is very fair because you'll probably pay $10 bucks for any dive diner.
Recommendation;
You can reserve a table before you go... do this and you wont have to wait 20 minutes for a seat. We walked right past the huge line and sat right down.
This place is just delicious in every sense of the word.
...Just call before you go -
Review from Bruce T.
4/1/2012
I read the other reviews and though this would be a good place for brunch before heading to the airport. The location is great and the restaurant quaint. In the warm months it would be great to sit outside and people watch. Service was good.
However, the food was just ok. I had the special spicy cabbage soup and spicy turkey hash. The soup had a real bitter taste to it which surprised me. The hash was underdone. The other dish we tried was pancakes with a apple-blackberry compote. It was ok. The sausage served with it ok, but a little on the dry side. -
Review from Sara K. P.
Toronto, ON
3/2/2012
Came here on a Monday evening for a casual meet-up with some foxy Yelpers and dinner. Service was slow at first being that I was first of my party to arrive, I'd waited awhile to be seated. There were only two waitstaff/bartenders working both the main and second floor, but eventually I was ushered into the cozy main room. The decor is very conducive to a romantic outting, all drapes and dim lighting, very intimee indeed. The server was very sympatico as he explained the specials and also mentions that on Mondays Martini's are $6. Although we did not order libations the server was still very attentive and made sure that the citrus tinged water was in good supply.
My meal started off with crab cakes. They arrive quite charred and dark, unlike the ones pictured online that are nicely golden brown. I was famished however so in my mouth they went regardless of their ineptitude. Flavourwise they were fair with a nice kick of chipotle, texturally however the inner contents of the crab cake took on a more mushy tuna salad consistency and made me feel like one should be sandwiching these cakes between bread instead of enjoying them as an appetizer.
My main entree is the Spaghetti Squash 'Pasta' with a mixture of kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes and feta in basil/pesto sauce. To be fair this is my first time having a squash pasta meal outside my own kitchen, but it was rather bland and nothing of great substance. My lovely companion Chris P who ordered the 'Fire' Banquet Home Burger remarked on it's excellence while she savoured it with ardent relish.
The bathrooms at FOTES are shared with Fly nightclub downstairs and atmospherically take on an industrial vibe. Sadly there were no encounters with any sweaty hardbodies thrusting emphatically to raging trance tunes as it was only a Monday night :(
I can't say it was much of a moving experience at FOTES, however I do think it is worth a return visit as previous Yelpers have mentioned that the brunch served here far exceeds their dinner savoire-faire. Fire is a great place for an intimate get-together for drinks or brunch, just don't place all your bets here for dinner. -
Review from Jon S.
5/1/2012
Not that good. My eggs were strange and watery. Everything else was bland. Also, food was a little overpriced (I guess par for the course for the neighborhood). The positives were the service and atmosphere were nice.
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Review from Joanne C.
Toronto, ON
4/24/2012
I've been here twice, the service is great and the people everyone in the restaurant itself are really nice. I like how the complementary dips always change. Just don't try the spinach salad with apples and goats cheese. The dressing is very acidic, and does not complement the spinach and cheese.
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Review from Chris P.
1/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
What do you get when one of your best yelp friends sends you tons of links of potential restaurants to check out and you decide on the one that makes the most geographical convenience to you, her and our other yelp friend who is coming out with us?
If you guessed that you get me, Sara K P and Karl R all congregating at Fire on the East Side, then you are be absolutely correct!
FOTES is a pretty funky sort of place. Its so romantically lit and has nice wide windows which provide a great view of the sidewalk traffic slowly lumbering by.
The eats here are pretty stellar. To start I went for a spinach salad which came out beautifully done and piled into a pyramid. I couldn't quite place the vinaigrette which was on it, I can only say it was amazing, not too tart like some vinaigrettes can be. I went for my time honoured classic burger and it was indeed divine. The only pisser was that I had to pay extra for a side of mayo. I wasn't expecting that. While we were waiting for our order we were served a comp basket of flat bread and some kind of hummus, it was super yummerific.
As always we hogged our table for awhile as the convo just kept flowing. The good thing though was that our server didn't hover or otherwise rush us out as some establishments will.
I didn't realize that there actually aren't FOTES bathrooms but that when you follow the signs directing you to the bathrooms that you are going into Fly next door and using their bathrooms. I've been to Fly many times and hadn't actually ever seen the bathrooms there when they are not filled with other drunken sweaty partiers. It was a very different experience as I knew I could safely assume that when I opened the stall door it would in fact be empty and I would not be encountered with 2 people in there 'getting to know each other better'.
Overall a fantastic time was had by all! Total props to Sara K P for the suggestion! Its just another true testament to how innately awesome she is.Listed in: Places I Have Been With Other…
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Review from Cynthia G.
Toronto, ON
1/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've had drinks on the patio here, but had never eaten a meal here.
Had a reservation for 8 people at 11 am for Sunday brunch today and I was the first to arrive. We were seated upstairs (kind of a disappointment). Coffee and my Mimosa arrived and was very nice. We all arrived and had ordered. Our server was very nice and accommodating throughout the brunch.
Joe and Gino ordered stuffed french toast that was really not "stuffed" but rather two pieces of bread stuck together with filling, they both seamed to liked it though. Tony ordered steak and eggs (eggs to be hard), they arrived running and the steak was not really hot as it seemed almost just warmed up, yet though it was tender and had flavour. Andre has the pulled pork poutine, and since we didn't hear him talking, I think he enjoyed it. Bill ordered the Empanadas and he said they were good, they looked nice.... I ordered the F.O.T.E.S. eggs and when they arrived they were ice cold.... I was really looking forward to this dish and it was just a bit of a disappointment. Wentworth order the quiche and he said it was very nice.
The bread they bring to the table at the beginning of the meal was apparently good - I never got any and the server never replenished the plate. The cornbread apparently was nice, but was not very flavourful and was a little overdone.
We ordered more coffee, paid our bill and all in all it was OKAY - think we will try another place for brunch next time.Listed in: YELP Shops Locally, Brunch
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Review from Dynafrom W.
Toronto, ON
2/4/2012
So I came here for lunch, ordered the pulled pork sandwich with mac and cheese side. The decor in the place is nice, but the washroom looked like one straight out of a strip club. There was some shady business down there, and I wouldn't be surprised if there is a night club in the place.
Anyways, the food was pretty good. The sandwich was yummy. But I think it was frozen? The meat was stonecold in the middle. The mac and cheese was filling, it's thick and tasty. It also came with some carrot garnishes, although I think a white carrot is pretty suspicious...
Overall this gets 5 thumbs up. -
Review from Lynn C.
Updated - 11/21/2011
Crab cake benedict - get it.
Came here for brunch on a Sunday. We forgot to make reservation, but we were seated promptly at the patio on a beautiful sunny day.
Our server was friendly and mostly available.
My mimosa was delicious; coffee was not as good as I remembered it to be, but the crab cake was AMAZING. A small hitch was that I asked for my eggs to be poached dry, but it came out wet anyway. They took my plate away and I was sad while everyone else waited. The food was worth the wait though.
Oh and the sweet potatoe fries...yum...
I love this place.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/21/2011
Came here for Brunch on Sunday at 1pm...so glad we made a reservation because this place is super… Read more »
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Review from Lauren M.
I have been wanting to have brunch at FOTES ever since the EPIC Yelp Elite party there last year (Mojitos! Hey!)
We scored a seat on the patio for Sunday brunch after a short wait at the bar inside. (Definitely worth the wait for patio seating)
Our server was nice and brought out a pitcher of water and some free banana bread to get us started.
I tried the FOTES eggs (2 poached eggs served in a dish with fresh salsa, black beans and guacamole). They came with some fries and a side salad. Food was very delicious and the eggs were cooked perfectly (I asked for soft boiled). $12.
My friends seemed equally enthusiastic about their food.
Good brunch cocktail selection too although I thought my friend's mimosa was overpriced - $8 and served in a small champagne flute.
Bill was brought out promptly upon request. Smooth service and great food, great place for brunch! -
Review from Serena K.
Scarborough, ON
11/21/2011
We were a group of 8 with reservations for dinner. It wasn't a busy sunday night but still nice to have everything ready when we arrived.
Asked the server his recommendations for appetizers and he suggested the crab cakes and fried green tomatoes. We shared amongst 7 and it was a good portion! The crab cakes were by far the best of the two and easily devoured between two people. Fried green tomatoes were okay, the topping of shrimp really made the dish.
3 of us ordered the pitcher of white Sangria, which gave each of us at least a glass and a half. Ice Tea and Diet Cokes were both charged at $3 each.
Our remaining friend arrived and ordered the special for apps that day, mussels cooked in Guiness Stout. Nice large portion of mussels shared amongst 8, where all the shells we had were nicely opened.
I ordered the Southern Fried Chicken and my boyfriend ordered the Jambalaya. The chicken was alright, I think I was expecting more heavy battered fried chicken drumsticks than a piece of fried chicken cutlet (really more reminded me of schnitzel with gravy). The cajun Mac n Cheese was quite tasty and good. Jambalaya was filled nicely with seafood and large pieces of shrimp. I feel like it may have missed the spice content of real Jambalaya.
Other friends ordered the daily special entree of prime rib stew on rice, i tried a small bite, sauce was decent, but beef seemed a little bland.
Another friend ordered the smoke duck breast, but the highlight of that dish was really the mash potatoes, nice and creamy. I'm personally not a big fan of smoked meat, so even tasting a piece was okay but I don't think I would have enjoyed a whole smoked duck's breast.
All in all, it was a decent meal, but likely try the brunch that everyone raves about instead. I left the establishment thoroughly enjoying the crabcakes more than the rest of the meal.
Also 18% gratuity imposed on groups of 6 or more is severely hefty. The service was decent but we did feel a bit rushed at the end of our meal. We were offered dessert before one of our friends even had the chance to finish his meal. -
Review from Laura C.
Toronto, ON
I've always been a huge fan of this establishment. The other day, I came here for dinner instead of my usual brunch. The food was good, and more unique than your typical Canadian fare. It was a great place to catch up with an old friend. I have to say, the meal itself is not even memorable enough for me to remember what I ordered to describe to you and it was only a few weeks ago. But I would like to go again, let's put it that way. It's one of the few choices in this area that is suitable for a good casual sit down dinner.
Last weekend, I came for Brunch. People! Instead of waiting in line for an hour, call and make a reservation! They take them!
Came here on a busy post Halloween Sunday morning, and got a table for 3. Food was excellent as always. The Smoked Turkey Rosemary hash has evolved into a Smoked Turkey and Sweet Potato Hash. Still good, with perfectly cooked poached eggs on top.
Service was frustrating. Trying to get their attention to get the bill was a nightmare and me waving my arms around wasn't doing it.
Also, they share the bathroom with a nightclub (Fly) that's around the back. It was god awful to see the club in daylight, let alone the bathroom. And I think it was unacceptable that remnants of the night before remained in one of the stalls and it was a absolute mess.
I really don't like walking back there anyday, and I understand the shared facilities, but something needs to be done in the way of a curtain or a corridor to separate this so I, as a patron, do not need to see the club.
Anyhow, wil be back, but trying to shut my eyes as I walk to the toilets.Listed in: Laura's Award of Excellence…, Great for Groups!, Brunch places I want to go…, My Fail Safes
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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12/7/2010
Came back for Brunch this weekend, and I was just as satisfied as the first time. That includes the… Read more »
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Review from Maheen M.
11/13/2011
I went for brunch today with my SO and friend today based on my friend's recommendation. I was impressed by the fact that this place takes reservations for brunch!
Service
When we arrived, we were promptly seated. Despite the place was packed, our server was quick and attentive. We ordered our drinks and food and they came out quickly.
Food
I loved the banana bread they brought out at a starter. It was a great start to brunch!
Crab Cake Bennie - this sounded intriguing on the menu but when it arrived, I was taken back by the size of the crab cakes. The crab cakes were ok, a bit underseasoned. The hollandaise sauce was mediocre. The only thing I really liked on my plate were the sweet potato fries (you can upscale your brunch for $2 extra)
Mushroom & Feta Omelette - my SO order it and it was ok. The omelette was kinda dry. He got the regular fries and they were soggy. My SO really enjoyed the salad.
Smoked Salmon Bennie - my friend enjoyed her meal but she left the fries untouched.
I really liked the refills on our coffee!
Overall, I liked FOTES, I would come back if I were in the area again. -
Review from nikki c.
Toronto, ON
7/31/2011
WARNING: delicious sugary cocktails will induce a zombie-like state of general braindeadness the morning after consumption.
So many great reviews of Fire on the East Side, yet none really pay homage to the glorious and extensive cocktail menu! I met up with a girlfriend here last night, and we did our best to sample as much as possible.
Not only does FOTES have a great selection of cocktails, but they offer them in a wide array of variations. Yes, you could have a glass of their house sangria (red or white), but you could also have their peach, mango, or raspberry sangria (the mango is great, and the peach is phenomenal). A good mojito is tough to find in Toronto, but at FOTES you can get an awesome coconut, raspberry, and I don't-even-remember-what-else mojito! A lot of their drinks include tasty fruit puree, like the "Blueberry Pie" -- very fresh, and way too easy to drink down. If you prefer martinis, they of course have a big list to choose from, along with standard mixed drinks and wines galore.
The patio is small, but very nice. Service was great -- not too intrusive, and the waitress always seemed to come by just as we were ready to order round 2 (and 3 and 4...).
The only thing stopping this from being a 5-star review, was the very gross bathrooms that the venue shares with Fly (the club next door). Please fix the toilets. Ick. -
Review from Linda M.
8/11/2011
A huge THANK YOU goes out to Yelp for introducing me to this brunch spot. My quest for the best might just have finished right here (not that I'll really stop looking).
A brunch double date was suggested, and I was put in charge of choosing the restaurant. By "put in charge" I obviously mean that I begged to choose - I need to get cracking on my insanely long list of Yelp bookmarks!! So after scouring my list of brunch places to try, I settled on this one. So glad I did!
It was a beautiful day so we sat on the patio. There was lots of room since we arrived right at opening. Our server was very friendly, but I couldn't stop myself from thinking of Zach from Saved by the Bell every time I looked at him.
Of course, I'd read about the banana bread already, but it was still a lovely way to begin a brunch. And it was really good too! I love that a restaurant would think to serve something like that, and when you think about it, it makes sense. Dinner restaurants serve bread with oil and vinegar, brunch restaurants can serve a breakfast-version!
The orders were the healthy scramble, crab cake bennie, smoked salmon and arugula bennie, and I had one of the dishes du jour - bananas foster stuffed French toast. I've never had bananas foster, but it's always sounded delicious in my mind, so I figured I'd try it out in French toast form! But I had dish envy when they came out. Don't get me wrong, the French toast was delicious, it's just that the others seemed to get so much more. I always find that I'm a little disappointed when I go for sweet over savoury at brunch.
All in all, each and every meal was delicious, everyone else was completely happy with their selections and praised the choice of restaurant (yay!). I will definitely be back, and will order a savoury option.Listed in: Brunch!
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Review from Tara E.
10/4/2011 2 Check-ins Here
We went on Sangria Sunday where a pitcher was $20. A pretty good deal, although the sangria didn't blow me away. It reminded me of the stuff at Nirvana, which really isn't the height of sangria.
I ordered the mussels with a side of fries. They were tasty, and most of them were open, a good sign.
The tilapia 'Po Boy was too much. With a thick layer of deep friend on a crumbly biscuit. It was served with cole slaw on top, but it was mayo based, and there wasn't enough of it to cut the heaviness of the sandwich. It was also served with sweet potato fries, delicious, but only adding to the overall weight of the dish. The order-ee felt sick after, which isn't a good sign.
Overall Dinner was alright, but it didn't stand a candle to brunch, which FOTES does quite well. Dinner, you get three starts. I'll have to write another review next time I'm there for brunch. -
Review from H W.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 2/13/2012
I would have liked to put 2.5 stars, because some times have been really good, but other times, have been just so disappointing.
I think you'll find the service is always solid. The people are always prompt and friendly.
I've been there for brunch, dinner and even ordered a dessert for takeout. So I think I've had enough experience to write an educated review.
On my first visit, I had the Jambalaya. Perfect. It was quite a large portion with a good mix of the meats and shrimp. Very flavourful throughout.
On my second visit I had the salmon with quinoa and vegetables. Amazing. Perfectly cooked and I had loved the sweet blend of the quinoa with the salmon.
On another visit however, I had the meatloaf and found it to be very dry and bland. There wasn't any distinct spice or flavour that made me say 'good'. It really just became a chore to eat.
And then on another visit, I had ordered the 'Fire' banquet burger and was so disappointed. This burger arrived totally charred on the outside. I know it's important to cook our meats properly (although I am a medium/rare kind of meat-eater) but this was no longer an edible patty of meat. It would've been like biting into a thick patty of saw-dust. After I cut out the outside layer, there was barely anything edible left. To add to my disappointment the server didn't even ask if there was anything wrong with the burger. I work as a server and would never have presented food in that kind of condition.
Out of the brunch menu, I really enjoyed the crab cake bennies, mushroom omelette and breakfast poutine. I was disappointed when the salad was drenched in dressing and the crab cakes soggy on one visit. I would've liked to have known who was cooking so I could avoid the day(s) when this person is in the kitchen. On this same visit, my boyfriend had the shrimp and chorizo empanadas. Uber disappointing. The empanadas were sparse of any stuffing and his plate was just really greasy, like they had taken the empanadas out of the deep fryer and laid it on the salad to soak up the extra grease.
I found the salmon bennies on cornbread interesting to try, but would not repeat, as I found the cornbread too thick, dry and overpowering for the rest. Perhaps it was lacking hollandaise sauce, I don't know, but I just found my mouth getting really dry while eating that. But again, it was also just lacking that proper fusion of flavour with the smoked salmon.
The spicy tomato mussels are definitely worth trying and I would totally repeat this one. It was quite spicy when we had it, but we both really enjoy a good kick for our mussels.
The desserts have always been quite good. They come out with new desserts on a weekly basis I believe. I find them a little pricey, but if you want to splurge now and then, you'll, for the most part, think it's worth it, if it's a type of bread pudding especially.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/20/2011
I don't know what is happening, but this restaurant seems to be getting worse and worse.
The… Read more »
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Review from Paolo D.
9/13/2011
What a yummy find, ideal for a perfect date in town. Great service and the nice decor leading into excellent Southern food...start off with classic fried green tomatoes. If that has not captured your lady's attention yet, the savory crab cakes will definitely make her smile. Top it off with ribs or with the popular fried chicken, pure goodness, will make her smile even more, and then cry because she is so full but has to keep on eatin'!
The prices are truly outrageous for what it is, po' man southern food, but that's typical Canadia, eh? what's not too typical are the portions, very south of the border, which is a good thing, y'all. -
Review from Jenn S.
Toronto, ON
9/7/2011
Three months ago I would have given a 5 - but with the change in chef I can only rate 3 stars.
This used to be my hands down favourite brunch spot in the city. From the fact that they take reservations to their banana bread (any one else notice how the recipe was different every visit?) I was there at least twice a month and confidently (yet reluctantly) recommending it to friends.
But since the spring the food has not been the same - to start, everything is just, well, a lot greasier. My healthy scramble leaves behind a puddle on the plate and even the salad isn't as good! We asked our server what was up and she told us the chef had just changed over.
We gave it about 5 weeks and went back again - food hasn't improved to it's old level of awesomeness. So sad.
That said the service is normally good and attentive, and I love their caesar with fresh horseradish! -
Review from Janna S.
6/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is an excellent choice if you want something classy and casual in the downtown core! I'm not a fan of brunch/breakfast food so I thought I'd try the dinner menu here. I ordered the half chicken with corn fritters and green beans. The portion was more than generous but everything was really delicious so I left feeling pretty full in spite of my usual restraint.
Next time I will have to try a few of the appetizers - there are several tempting options and these would make a great meal in and of themselves.
The patio seating is really lovely here and i like that the front facing window opens up onto the patio so you can sit inside without feeling totally closed off. I thought the staff here were really attentive and friendly. The bathrooms are downstairs - watch your step! -
Review from jocelyn l.
4/24/2011
If i didn't have the cheesecake stuffed french toast at Lola's yesterday, i'm pretty sure i'd be absolutely enamored with the Chocolate Butterscotch Tart stuffed French Toast here at Fire on the East side.
This was a 3.5* but service was good, so i bumped it up to 4 instead of 3.
The french toast was good, but it was a little on the dry side and i needed to drench it with maple syrup even though it was already sweet, thus making it extra sweeter. Overall, it was a good meal, but i don't crave it the way i did (and still do) the one @ Lola's.
Very good service (the host was uber sweet and polite, unlike some hosts i've run into lately (ahem, Splendido).
Also very reasonable prices for the meal. -
Review from Andrew C.
Toronto, ON
5/25/2011
I would highly recommend this spot for an intimate date or smaller gathering. Tip: Best to make a reservation during peak times as this is a spot where people will take their time and enjoy.
The atmosphere and cuisine stand out for me here.
The atmoshere is intimate, romantic, and modern. Light lounge music, dim lighting, and candlelight.
We started with the Forest Mushroom Flatbread which was tasty. My main was the Bacon wrapped Beef Tenderloin which was cooked to perfection and presented so beautifully. I didn't think it could get better, until I ordered from their homemade dessert menu. The homemade cheesecake was to die for!
$125 for 2 plus tip. -
Review from Anita T.
Toronto, ON
3/26/2011
It was a frigid Friday night - one of those nights where any restaurant with the name "fire" in it would beckon you closer.
Fire on the East Side does NOT disappoint. Where do all the plus points come from? Here is my list:
1. It was warm and we cozied into a booth
2. The service was AH-MAZING. Our server was so attentive, made fabulous wine suggestions and was always there when we had a question or needed something (like hot sauce!) - and we were able to customize a few dishes to make them veggie friendly to work for us!
3. The food was finger licking great! (Not that I ate with my hands or anything)
4. When we didn't see anything on the dessert menu that tickled our fancy, our server made a suggestion for a place nearby that we would probably like (And we tried it out and it was fab - review up next!) ;)
If you haven't already, call them up and makes reservations!! Go!! -
Review from Ashley S.
Toronto, ON
9/11/2011
Overall: food was mediocre, only 1 or 2 stars especially for the price. Service was great - so service was like 4-5 stars, but I consider the food to be the most important part . We had dinner on Sept. 10, 2011.
I had been to Fire on the East side before for brunch awhile ago, and it was great. So when I saw a groupon ($25 for $50 worth of food), I snapped it up. But, sadly I was disappointed and I won't be back.
Pros:
- Our server was friendly and attentive - we always had drink top ups and he was friendly and joked around with us.
- Got a seat on the patio on a Saturday night without too much trouble, good atmosphere
- Drinks - they have an extensive drink list that is reasonably priced
Cons:
The food!
- I ordered the fish special - it was halibut and probably one of the most bland meals I've ever eaten. I rarely add salt or pepper to food, but in this case it was necessary. The only good part of the food was the beets, but the fish and rice were meh. And at around $25 I expect to have something more edible than what I got
- My friend has health issues related to certain types of foods and has a pretty severe reaction to anything with cheese or butter. She ordered the pasta special which was in a white wine sauce with smoked salmon and capers. She asked about cheese and butter, the server said they could do it without cheese and he would check on the butter. Since he never came back we assumed it could be done with little to no butter. But there definitely was a lot of butter. She couldn't eat more than a few bites. I tasted it, and it was ridiculously salty, even for me and I like spice in my food. All you tasted was salt rather than any of the food. So it seems the food was way bland or way over-salted, neither is ideal. And I felt extra bad because this friend just moved to Toronto and this was her dinner out experience.
- My other friend had the jambalaya which he said was decent, but nothing special.
The general consensus at the table was 'thank god we had a groupon' because the food was mediocre and (we felt) overpriced for what we got. So if we had paid full price we probably would have been quite annoyed. With so many great places in Toronto to get good cheap eats when you're spending around $20 a plate, you expect it to be decent. Don't get me wrong I will drop $40+ on dinner if the food is amazing, but this was not even close.
It's a shame because the patio is great and the service was stellar, but since food is the most important ingredient of eating out, I won't be back to Fire on the East Side.Comment from Ian M. of Fire on the East Side 9/17/2011
Hi Ashley, I promised I would get back to you once I looked… More » -
Review from S D.
Toronto, ON
1/13/2012
This is one of my favourite southern restaurants in T.O. The food is appropriately spicy (though, I could definitely handle a bit more), the ambiance is great, and the staff are very friendly.
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Review from Shannon F.
Toronto, ON
1/5/2011
Oh. my. god. I bring my parents here. I bring my friends here. I would bring my cats here if I could... although I can't imagine they'd get much out of it, seeing as there is no menu for the kitties (but I think they DO have a small thing for kids). I usually come here for brunch, which is incredibly incredible. I've done dinner at FOTES, as my dad likes to call it... that was also very tasty.
For brunch, I usually get the Crab Cakes Benedict and it's just to die for. Seriously. I could go on and on and on about the menu items but I think it would suffice to say that everything is mouth-watering and delicious.
As one of my friends says, they serve bacon with EVERYTHING. Salad, would you like bacon with that? Fries, would you like bacon with that? Bacon, would you like bacon with that?
Beware - if you come here, you may never do brunch anywhere else again. -
Review from Tammy Y.
1/10/2011
At last, I've found dependable (and affordable) brunch EAST of Spadina!
If you plan on having brunch here on the weekend, reservations are definitely recommended. The lineups here are teensy-tiny compared to the brain-explosive queues to be found at Aunties & Uncles or Hoof Cafe, but hey, why wait if you don't have to?
Our party of 6 swung by here for a birthday brunch (family friendly!) on a Saturday morning. The place was bustling with activity, and the added bulk of our winter parkas certainly didn't help! Tables were buzzing as girlfriends were catching up with girlfriends, and boyfriends were catching up with boyfriends - close to Church Street, baby! - and thankfully, while noisy, it was still at a perfect level for decent conversation at our table.
The brunch menu left all of us scramble-ing (har har). Everything on there looked delicious, and with every dish coming out of the kitchen we found ourselves changing our minds. Definitely noteworthy are their great selection of Eggs Bennys served up on cornbread, and upgraded to delicious sweet potato fries.
I went with their stuffed french toast special of the day, which on this particular morning happened to be strawberry and fig stuffed french toast, with a side of sausage. This dish was pure heaven - super soft bread (egg bread maybe?) with a layer of that fruity filling in between, drizzled with maple syrup. Magnifique! The rest of our table had no complaints about their food - except for mixed reviews about the cornbread base on the benny - and all in all, a success!
Pros:
- Sweet potato fries
- Poached eggs
- Coffee was always refilled!
- Most mains come with salad and fries
- Complimentary banana bread as you mull over the menu
Cons:
- Service was a tad lacklustre. Perhaps because it was because they were so busy?
- Mandatory tip of 18% on parties of 6 or more. Hm... see above point.
- Atmosphere - the buzz of people around was great, but other than that, the decor is a little ho-hum
- Washrooms: suddenly you feel like you're at 751.
That being said, definitely a reliable brunch spot for we downtowners who can't always make out it to the far reaches of the east and west. And uh, did I mention that you don't have to feel like an idiot for waiting an hour for eggs? -
Review from Mike H.
North York, ON
8/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Finally made it here after seeing all the great reviews on yelp. Definitely NOT let down, had a great meal and really like this place.
I had the southern fried chicken dish, and loved it. Decent portion too. Wife liked her dinner, and was happy to have to decide between a few good vegetarian options
Reserved a table for 12 mid week and it wasn't an issue with them at all. The wait staff is more than friendly and were great about making sure you had another drink if you wanted one. -
Review from Alison I.
Mississauga, ON
5/16/2011
Brought my boyfriend here for his birthday and it was a wonderful night. The restaurant felt warm and cozy - perfect for the occasion. The wait staff was prompt, polite, helpful and attentive.
We started with the baked brie. We both agreed that the meal could have stopped right then and there and we would be fully content. It came with a blueberry compote and bread crisps, and the brie was mixed with pistachio and baked in a phyllo pastry. - each bite was better than the last.
My boyfriend ordered the southern fried chicken and would not stop talking about it the whole evening. Quote "it's like instead of putting breadcrumbs on the mac and cheese, they put a deep fried piece of chicken and gravy!". He was so pleased with his mean, and I was quite impressed as well by the few bites I was able to wrestle away from him. The chicken was juicy and flavourful and the crust was perfectly crisp and not oily. It came with collard greens and cajun mac and cheese. I'm not the biggest mac and cheese fan, but I do know now that whenever I have it, I will INSIST that it is cajun style! SO GOOD!
I had the jambalaya. It was very tasty and filled with delicious seafood - crab, mussels and jumbo shrimp! It was very much a treat to eat. I only wished that the rice was just a little more cooked, but that's just personal preference.
I would definitely come back again... based on the other yelp reviews of their brunch, it'll be sooner than later! Can't wait! -
Review from Nandan F.
Ottawa, ON
12/1/2010
I had brunch here on a Sunday. The place opens around brunch and I am glad I made reservations as it was packed by the time I got there. The service was attentive and friendly. If only they had offered me a dessert menu at the end :(
I ordered the poached egg on turkey hash. It was good. I can't believe I didn't try their famous eggs benny on turkey hash...well next time. Their coffee is really good too.
I enjoyed the experience and would definately recommend it. -
Review from Fabiano P.
Toronto, ON
10/28/2010
I'm new in Toronto, and yeah really fresh in Yelp too, but yesterday I went to Fire with some friends and I have to say we had a really good time.
First the waiter was reading my friend's mind, he always knew what she wanted even before she asked for it (weird and funny).
We had Guinness and mojitos, and some snacks that I forgot to take a picture.
Wasn't expensive for what we had and is a really nice place to go as a couple too.
5 stars! -
Review from Zainab K.
Toronto, ON
2/27/2012
i've been frequented this place for brunch. and as a brunch place it is laughably bad.
1. so so loud
2. they don't have white sugar. i mean COME ON. how full of of yourself do you have to be not to offer white sugar. they also don't have bread. THEY DONT HAVE BREAD AT A BRUNCH PLACE.
3. food is average. hits and misses.
4. i just don't like like the ambiance - it's too bar-ish for me
my suggestions - go to the newly opened smith... or even lola's is a better alternative... -
Review from Luis M.
Toronto, ON
11/26/2010
I've been here a few times and this is one of my favourite places for brunch, especially if you get a table on their nice front patio. Good for dinner too.
There's something magical about the food in this place. No matter what I've ordered, every bite is a festival of flavours in my mouth. Love it!
Although a bit on the pricier side, the service is excellent and the portions are a fair size.
Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area. -
Review from Erika P.
Toronto, ON
6/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here on two occasions- brunch and lunch.
Get there early for brunch because it gets pretty busy quick. I love the free banana bread! I had the chicken quesadilla and the hubby ordered the crab cakes benny. Equally delicious! The quesadilla had a distinct taste which I can't quite pinpoint. Crab cakes were cooked well and were a good size.
For lunch, the hubby had the pulled pork sandwich, which was nice and juicy and the bbq sauce was tangy. I had the tilapia po boy on a cheese biscuit. The biscuit was way too huge and a little too crumbly for my liking. I wouldn't have eaten the fish had I eaten the entire biscuit. The fish is battered but still tasty.
The garden salad here is amazing! I love the sweet from the candied pecans and the slightly sour from the vinaigrette. I had never finished a garden salad until I ate here.
Not baby friendly (no high chairs) but the service was more than friendly and they did everything they could to accommodate us.
Strong contender in the brunch department. -
Review from Cindy C.
Toronto, ON
11/6/2010
4 stars for the ambiance and the service, 3 stars for the food.
I been wanting to hit this place up because of Yelper reviews and because I'm a brunch fanatic. Despite it's reviews, the food was mediocre at best. Maybe it's because I haven't tried everything on the menu...
First off, the ambiance was modern yet chill, very relaxing for a Saturday morning. The service was attentive and great, so I agree with other Yelpers that this was top-notch! Our poor fella had a dislocated arm and was still serving up a storm! They started out with the COMPLIMENTARY BANANA BREAD, which was cold but quite delicious.
I ordered the traditional BENNIE, which was different because it was layered with cornbread, rather than your boring english muffin. The cornbread was hard and flaky, so it was an interesting concept, but needed to refine it's cornbread recipe. The whole dish had wayyy too much hollandaise sauce on it, made everything soggy. The fries were cold and salty.
The other dish we ordered as per the waiter was the CRAB CAKES BENNIE, it came highly recommended so we had to jump on it. It was your traditional egg on a crab cake. The crab cake tasted fishy (which is weird because it was crab cake, not fish cake) and it was also very saucy and soggy. The fries, came from the same batch, was cold.
Overall, we would dine there again. Maybe it was really busy, maybe we didn't try to right things. I have total faith in my fellow foodies and I don't doubt that this place is good. It is right in my neighborhood so it gets bonus points for proximity. The waiter gave us 15% off dinner coupons because it was our first visit there so that was an extremely nice gesture.
Good good, but not great. -
Review from Ian C.
Toronto, ON
11/13/2010
Busy place for brunch but I can't really figure out why! I had the eggs benny on crab cakes which I liked, if only for their novelty. Eggs were poached perfectly, which is a beautiful thing.... But!
Fire on the East side disappoints in the simple side dishes - fries and salad. My fries were a bit undercooked, cold and overall didn't seem fresh, and the salad was wilted. The flavours are nice, but I think its just badly executed. Perhaps they just make a huge batch of the sides at the beginning of the morning.
Tis a shame! I would go to Hair of the Dog till they get their act together. -
Review from sunnee s.
Toronto, ON
9/6/2011
solid 4 stars
one of my favorite things in the world is having brunch on a patio on a breezy sunny day (before noon so i feel productive!) and thats what we did over the weekend (except breezy. more like humidity!!)
i admit, i like cutesy little french brunch cafes more than modern looking brunch restaurants. so judging books by its cover, i didnt have much expections. and maybe thats why i was so pleasantly surprised . they first gave us some banana bread. kinda like they do at dinners. except its banana bread, more breakfast-y! i dont even like banana bread and i finished it all. so good! i ordered the smoked salmon & arugula egg benny . NOT what i was expecting at all! to be honest, i was expecting something on par w cora's . its sooo much better than cora's. i liked how they used cornbread for the bennys instead of english muffins . oh and their fries. mmmm their fries were pretty good!!
i refuse to sit inside when the weathers warm enough in toronto to sit outside. we dont get that too often!! but still, it was soooo hot & sticky that day. i asked the server if they had ice coffee instead of hot coffee, which they didnt BUT he made it just for me :) OH . i realized this after we were served but there is a little space INSIDE, RIGHT beside the patio... kinda like a sunroom. i was so envious since the 2 tables there gets the best of both worlds, patio & the A/C. something to remember for next time :)Listed in: i do brunch amazing
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Review from Bo M.
Toronto, ON
11/1/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Went in and had the smoked salmon Benedict. Nice combo with cornbread as the base instead of the usual English muffin... Great flavour, great value, and great service. My one complaint was that the quality of the coffee was a bit meh... Still, well recommended!
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Review from Allison T.
Toronto, ON
11/7/2010
Great service, delicious (brunch) food.
I felt so-so about my drink order - just tasted watery. Coffee refills were prompt & the server was welcoming to the entire party (baby included)
Fun atmosphere & was a great time!Listed in: Ladies Who Brunch
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Review from Nikhil S.
Toronto, ON
11/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great brunch menu, but when I went back for dinner I was left disappointed. Food wasn't very flavorful and kind of bland for a soul food joint. Though the brunch really is awesome. The eggs benny on corn bread was delicious. Free homemade banana bread to start is always great too.
