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Fred's Not Here
Category: Restaurants Canadian (New) Canadian (New) [Edit]
321 King St WToronto, ON M5V 1J5
Neighbourhoods: Entertainment District, Downtown Core
(416) 971-9155
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
30 reviews for Fred's Not Here
Review Highlights
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"We also order the baked lobster crab soup." In 3 reviews -
"...we had a chocolate banana mousse and a berry shortcake." In 2 reviews -
"So creamy and sinful with baked puff pastry on top." In 3 reviews
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30 reviews in English
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Review from Monica L.
East York, ON
2/11/2012
I went here for dinner during Winterlicious, 3 course meal for $35. The regular menu is reasonably priced as well. The service was great, our waiter was very nice and helpful in accommodating to various food restrictions. The portions were a good size, I left the restaurant satisfied without feeling overly full and the food came out at a good pace.
I'm a huge fan of their Famous Baked Lobster & Crab Soup, the flavour was amazing and it made me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside :) I also had their Lobster Tail served with Jalapeno pasta, which was a little on the spicy side but would be tasty if you can handle it. I couldn't eat the pasta and I expected more flavour in the lobster, so that dish was OK. Finished off with dessert, and everyone at our table thought each of their orders were overly sweet and couldn't finish it. Had a little bit of steak and scallops from other people's dishes though; they were both very tender and the flavour was not over the top - they let the meat shine through rather than masking it in a lot of sauces, rubs, etc.
I'd definitely go again and try more things on their menu. I'll stick to their meats and seafood, maybe not the pastas. -
Review from Kristy P.
Toronto, ON
2/2/2012
This place will always be a "Meh" in my book. I first tried it a few years ago and it wasn't a good dining experience. Our waiter was ignorant, moody, and borderline b*tchy (did I mention it was a MALE waiter?) The service was so bad that I can't even remember how the food tasted. This year, I decided to give it another chance after a couple of my girlfriends convinced me that it's a good dining place and it's one of their favorites. So I went back for the Winterlicious event with my boyfriend.
I ordered the Lobster soup (obviously), Lobster Tail fettuccine, and the Belgian choco mousse cake for dessert because they ran out of the mixed berry shortcake I originally wanted (my dining experience started to decline at this point). The boyfriend ordered Grilled calamari stuffed w/ risotto, Rib eye steak, and tiramisu for dessert (they misspelled tiramisu as "tiramusi" on the menu, which was such a turn off). I also ordered their special cocktail for the event, called Cabana. It tasted like a fruit punch. WHERE'S THE VODKA?!?!?!?!
1. Appetizers: I have to admit that their Lobster soup was yummy. It's the best part of my sub-par dining experience. My boyfriend's stuffed calamari was also good and the portion was quite generous.
2. Main entrees: My lobster tail was quite big and grilled to perfection. The only thing I disliked about my main was the fettuccine. I like my pasta well done and it was al dente. It's just my personal preference and it's definitely not their fault. My boyfriend asked for a medium rare rib eye and when it came, he thought it was more of a medium to medium-well. Anyways, it was still a good piece of steak. My only itch about his dish was the veggie side. They used bokchoy out of all the greens out there! Believe me, I love my bokchoy, but NOT with steaks. It's like pairing BBQ pork with arugula. How do you like that?
3. Desserts: I was still upset that they ran out of the mixed berry shortcake and didn't have a fruity-type dessert as a replacement. I couldn't really enjoy the chocolate mousse cake because my first two dishes were already very creamy. I swapped my dessert with my boyfriend's tiramusi (haha!) and I definitely preferred that over the mousse cake. In the end, we didn't finish our dessert because the overall dining experience was just... underwhelming.
A couple of things worth mentioning:
- Our waiter was nice, attentive, but not annoying.
- I noticed that a couple of other tables had some issues with their main courses. The guy beside us didn't finish his steak (1/2 of it was still on the plate) and when the waitress asked whether or not he would like to pack up the rest, he said no. THAT'S NOT A GOOD SIGN. Another table complained about one of the steaks being tough (overcooked?) and asked if they could get a replacement. The waitress tried to defend herself by saying that the steak looked overcooked because of the dim lighting in the restaurant. WTH?!? The patron said it was tough! She didn't even say it looked overcooked, she already tasted it before she complained! Oh boy...
Anyway, I wouldn't go back to this place.
Well, maybe for the Lobster soup. MAYBE.
That's all, folks! :) -
Review from C D.
Toronto, ON
5/6/2012
I went to Fred's for winterlicious - we were kind of disappointed that they no longer were having seating after 9pm (as they had had in the past). That's not the way to drum up potential business to those who like to try new restaurants.
The steak was good - I really liked their lobster bisque. The desert selection was great! The selection was good for winterlicious - wide variety. I don't know if I would go back when it's not summerlicious or winterlicious though because I think it's a bit pricey. -
Review from Mimi C.
Toronto, ON
2/13/2012 3 photos
I was told that this place is quite good but it turns out to be average only. I came here for winterlicious and did not find my food exceptional for sure. I especially didn't like my steak. It was mainly fatty and certain sections were overcooked (I had it.medium well). I did like my dessert the tiramisu. The soup was also not that good in my opinion, it was mainly salty I didn't taste much more else. There service was pretty good. I came early and was seated first. For the high price you pay for good service but don't expect high returns for the food. I do think the portions were good though. In some restaurants they serve way too little portions for winterlicious.
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Review from Lilliane G.
Toronto, ON
7/10/2011
Alright, this was another restaurant that my mom wanted to try while she was here last week. We opted for their $25, three-course menu and I have to say that though my mom enjoyed it, I was disappointed. We both ordered the grouper dish with a salad appetizer and for dessert we shared a chocolate cake thing.
The salad was fresh, but nothing spectacular. The grouper was served with over cooked vegetables (so over cooked that the colour had been drained from the vegetables and they were nothing but a soggy, mushy, oversalted mess). The fish itself was served with a creamy spinach sauce, but the fish was undercooked and swimming in this gloppy green sauce that was definitely not appetizing to look at and the texture when eating it was a little disgusting. I left most of my fish and the vegetables untouched.
Our server was nice, and the service itself was fast. However, given the quaility of the food, I found that even the $25 price was too much to pay. -
Review from ViviMar Val C.
9/14/2011
Tried the 2 course lunch. Ordered samosa for appetizer and the steak for entree. Meal was under 20 CAD which so cheap for the generous portions.
The restaurant is a little run down but food was great. I will return on my future visits to Toronto. -
Review from Payal D.
Brampton, ON
2/7/2011
The food arrived and I found myself critiquing mostly in Food Network Top Chef style fashion - looks good but tastes blah.
I came here as a part of our 20+ team project successful release celebration but was truly disappointed. I had the vegetable soup to start with Ricotta and Spinach ravioli. Here's my biggest issue - if you are loud enough to state an ingredient in the title, ensure you can actually taste it, not just see it sprinkled like parsley along with the ricotta.
But it doesn't just end there- who puts the sauteed veggies along with ravioli in a broth? Both me and 3 of my other colleagues felt the same way - no sauce?!? broth?? really?? there was no saving this dish , not even with the fresh cheese or black pepper on top.
As for the soup, tasted like can of chick peas mixed in with another can of Campbell's vegetable soup.
Gourmet? I think not. Yes, Fred was right to flee. Wish we'd caught onto the clues sooner. -
Review from Jenny T.
6/8/2011
A friend booked this restaurant as a surprise birthday party for her bf, but even though reservations were set the tables were not ready until the very last minute, and we were all worried that the birthday guy would show up and everybody would still be scattered in the bar area. Luckily we all finally got seated by the time he came.
The food at this restaurant was really good though and their portions were huge. I had the ribs and they were nice and smokey and their fries were fried in animal fat, but was nowhere near the level of awesomeness that the Beer Bistro fries were at. One of the guests had an overdone steak too, but it was replaced after the waiter inspected it.
Although I said I liked the food I would say that it is comparable to The Keg, nothing more, and pricier than The Keg. I just expect more when the restaurant is a bit pricier. I also found it weird that their menu had a mismatch of items from curries to steaks. I'm not sure what to think of that.
I like that this place does not charge a cake cutting fee and was more than happy to serve the cupcakes that I brought for the party. A 20% gratuity was added to our bills, but the waiter was happy to split the bills individually amongst all of us. Overall, I'd say it was a good choice of restaurant for the birthday party but only because they serviced the group quite well and there are some decent bars in the area. -
Review from Ash N.
8/26/2011
On my recent visit to Toronto, my work friends took me here for Lunch. I ordered the 2 course lunch special. I had the lobster crab bisque to start with. It was pretty good as most folks have noted.
The real surprise came when my Thai style vegatable curry came. Now just to clear something up, I am a meat and potatoes kinda guy. It was one of those rare days when I didnt feel like having meat. I am so glad I had this dish. It was just a perfect blend of spices with coconut milk and basil. The vegetables were done perfectly, not too soogy. I could not believe how much I enjoyed this dish. I like Thai food and can easily say this curry was one of the best I have ever had.
Now a few days later, I find myself craving that delicious vegetable curry and thought the only thing I can do is Yelp about it :) -
Review from m n.
7/20/2011
I was really excited about trying the Summerlicious menu at Fred's and was ready for a delicious meal. Unfortunately, after a great appetizer of the famous lobster crab bisque with pastry top my prime rib entree sucker punched me with a overcooked under seasoned punch.The sides of buttered green peas and yukon mash were undercooked and sickly-looking. The dessert was a creamy slice of cheesecake with raspberry sauce.
Our server was a bit creepy and did everything very slowly including refilling water glasses. The restaurant design itself is a mish-mash of very-tired looking 70s wallpaper, kitschy statuettes and one weird solitary puppy picture. Compared with other Summerlicious experiences it was definitely not worth it. -
Review from Traci C.
2/28/2012
Helpful staff and ok food. the filet wrapped with bacon reminded me of soemthing that came from Omaha Steaks - prepackaged. It wasn't horrible .. but it wasn't the best steak i've had either. the sirloin strip looked better then the filet .. and i ordered it medium, however it seemd more medium well.
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Review from Gracee B.
Markham, ON
9/14/2010 1 Check-in Here
We came here to celebrate a family member's 27th birthday. We were pretty excited since we hadn't been to this place before and the ambiance of the place seemed pretty nice. My husband and I ordered the coconut shrimp with thai dipping sauce. Anything shrimp and coconut is a MUST HAVE FOR ME. It was pretty good but nothing I'd go crazy over.
My main dish was a vegetarian dish of stuffed ravioli with butternut squash and a really rich creamy sauce topped with bits of macadamia nuts. Had I known this dish was going to be real heavy I might have passed on the appetizer. Also the dish didn't seem like much at first, but it'll definitely fill you up. I definitely loved this dish and would recommend it to anyone, especially since i'm normally a carnivore and I hardly choose vegetarian dishes over meat, but this was well worth it. My husband chose the 6 hr beef brisket and he thought it was good but not the greatest.
Overall everyone in our party of 11 seemed to enjoy their dinner. The place is a bit pricey, so if you have that extra cash to burn and want to just try a new place then i say give it a shot. -
Review from Ayelet B.
11/1/2010 1 Check-in Here
I had not been here in years and so I was going on memories. We got there on a chilly night. It was busy and we did not make a reservation. We put our name down and headed downstairs to the bar. It was packed and we found two seats.
We ordered a glass of wine from a very distracted bar tender. We waited since they said it would only be 20 minutes. I finally called the bar hostess over and she said she would check on us. Our table was ready. She told us that we need to close the tab downstairs and we had to ask the bar tender a few times. He forgot us and didn't even remember what we had ordered.
We headed back up stairs. There were so many empty tables. I was starving. The food was good but the service was just insane ... -
Review from Brooke R.
12/31/2009
Fred's was recommended as a convenient bite before our Toronto broadway show.
They were promoting a steak and lobster dinner on the night we went. Steak and lobster, in Canada, means steak OR lobster. My dad ordered this and had the lobster. This came with a caesar salad for 30 dollars. The lobster was good but not anything to write home about. I had the 30 dollar lamb which was on the dry side but were served with a chipotle BBQ sauce. Smother the sauce over the lamb and you can barely tell that the lamb is dry.
The waitress told us that the creme brulee and bread pudding were their specialty so we ordered both. The sugar on top of the creme brulee was burnt more than I cared for but my dad liked the extra bitter taste. The bread pudding is homemade.
One would expect that a restaurant with $30 entrees would care about the bread they serve. There were three breads presented to us, cornbread, brown bread, white bread. They were cold. The butter was cold and stiff.
The service was slow and it took a long time for our food to come out.
Unless you're like me and need to try every restaurant in existence, pass on this one. -
Review from Christian P.
Toronto, ON
8/20/2011
A really good place, good starters (Fred chopper salad), excellent entrées (halibut and soles). Only desserts could have been better. It is also a nice and quiet place to chat or have a romantic date. A little bit pricy, but it worths it. Would go again.
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Review from Rana L.
8/9/2010 5 photos
Went here as my bf & I were in the area for a show. I've been here 2 times prior to this & always enjoyed the food. The waitress we had was nice & even recommended which dish to order. My bf couldn't decide between the appetizers (scallops) & she said get smth else as it wasn't worth it! Imagine that... :) We really appreciated her telling us. In the end we both had the crab cake which was(about $ 9) delish!!
My guy ordered the ... 6-hour oven slow roasted Alberta certified "high river" angus beef brisket w// yukon gold & celeriac mash ($18.99). I had a taste and thought it was just a little bit on the salty side & joked it must've cuz they cooked it for '6 hours' :) But it was very tasty.
I had the ...Roasted deep sea scallops w/ beef short rib risotto w/ mixed truffle scented field mushrooms & baby spinach ($ 24.99). So worth it! The scallops were juicy & perfect. As was the risotto.
Overall, we liked the place. Def one of those special occasion restaurants as it is on the pricy side. -
Review from Jon L.
Scarborough, ON
7/21/2009 10 photos
I went to Fred's Not Here on Friday, July 17, 2009 for a Summerlicious Dinner with my friends, and I had a really good time.
I ordered the famous baked lobster & crab soup as an appetizer, the ribeye steak with yam fries as the entree, and the mixed berry shortcake as the dessert.
The famous baked lobster & crab soup came out first and I was pleasantly surprised. It was creamy and rich, and tasted divine. Like I said when I was eating it, it's like a party and my mouth and I don't want anyone else to be there. The pastry that initially covered the bowl added a great texture to the soup that I thoroughly enjoyed.
The ribeye steak with yam fries came out next, and I was VERY surprised because of the huge portions it came out in. My steak was done perfectly, and the fries had two onion rings on top, and it was just one of the heartiest meals I have ever eaten. Definitely no complaints from me.
The mixed berry shortcake came out next, and when tasting the chocolate mousse my friend ordered, I was very pleased with my choice in dessert. There was a hint of sour about it because of the berries, but overall it was delicious.
Fred's Not Here had delicious food, fantastic service that kept our glasses full, and I would definitely come back during regular dining times. Well, if I had the money. -
Review from Tyler B.
7/5/2010
I came here with my girl friend for lunch and found the restaurant to be underwhelming. My main course was a calamari dish that found to be mostly flavorless and of a poor texture (too rubbery, even for calamari). On the opposite end, my girlfriends dish was very flavorful (I am forgetting exactly what she had but remember that it was a fish).
The bread was cold but tasteful and I really like that they give several types of bread. The service was slow and seemed distracted with our waiter disappearing for part of the meal.
Overall I feel the restaurant is over priced for what you get. I could and would overlook the issues if this were a $$ restaurant but as it is I expected more for the price. -
Review from Yvonne T.
12/21/2010
Grabbed a quick bite to eat here last week because it was late and we didn't feel like driving around downtown. I had the Seafood Mixed Grill and it was nothing special. The bed of rice that it was served on was quite flavourful, and it was a generous serving of seafood. The restaurant was pretty busy as there was a private function going on, so the service lacked. I think if you want quality food before a show, you should avoid the theatre district altogether as most of the food is mediocre at best. I'm of the mindset that if the food is good, I don't mind if it's close or far from my next stop. There are much better restaurants downtown.
Listed in: If I had a choice...
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Review from Tom L.
Belleville, ON
10/5/2009
We loved our visit to Fred's Not Here. The waiter was pretty funny and very friendly.
I followed the advice from one of the previous reviews and order the Rib Eye Steak. Mmm, very good and very large. We also order the baked lobster crab soup. Amazing! Big puff pastry top with soup below.
I gave this place 5 stars we loved it. -
Review from Anon O.
Toronto, ON
10/3/2011
came here with girlfriends and was seriously disappointed. not only in the food but the horrible service. first of all, the place was hardly packed so i am confused about the slow service. it appeared that only two people were working and both looked like they were having the worst day of their lives- unfriendly, slow and generally uninterested. we opted for the $25 2 course meal with a drink. while the drinks were nothing special, we were hoping that the food would be much better considering the menu description was relatively tantalizing.
our appetizers were small and i could have swore i had seen (&eaten) the exact same samosas from evergreen health food store on roncesvalles. there was absolutely no difference in taste & appearance. my girlfriend ordered some dumplings (3 of them) that were tiny, greasy and came with a hot sauce that was not mentioned on the menu. through-out our meal the waitress barely visited us, never refilled our water (despite empty glasses) and didn't bother asking us if we wanted more drinks (the bartender had to serve us originally because she was nowhere to be found). actually, the whole night she was nowhere to be seen except only occasionally popping out from the back looking miserable. the atmosphere sucked, no music, you could hear everyones conversation, bartender shooting us evil looks, waitress gone, etc. even our main course was disappointing- over-cooked meat, sub par pasta, my gf found a HAIR in hers (nasty) and bland seasoning.
what a disappointment, won't return here again. -
Review from Jason B.
12/8/2010
Invigorating ambiance- deep red romantic murals and warm white chandeliers set the perfect mood for enjoying a special occasion- and the incredible intricately constructed menu only aids in the appreciation of the atmosphere, as trying to decide on which dish to order could take all night- the food, the wine and service were all certainly spectacular! I especially loved the lobster and crab bisque with the dome of puff pastry, which steamed as you pierced the pastry- highly recommend!
Listed in: Most Memorable - Food &…
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Review from Chantal m.
Scarborough, ON
6/18/2010
To be honest w/ you, my main course meal I don't even remember, the main star my of my day was the baked lobster and crab soup!!! Omg YUM this is theeeee best soup ever. So creamy and sinful with baked puff pastry on top.
Just go, order it, you'll see what I mean. Make sure you make a reservation or else you'll be waiting for awhile, or possibly not get in at all. The place is small and the lower portion is another rest. so seating is limited. -
Review from Bijan V.
2/6/2009
I really wonder where Fred is sometimes.. actually maybe it's a good thing that he's not here, otherwise I wouldn't have this great restaurant to go to!
I've been here twice and both times I've been satisfied with my meal and VERY satisfied with the service. I unfortunatley can't make a comment about my first meal as it was 2 years ago but I just came back here for Winterlicious lunch and well it was worth it.
We tried the lobster and crab soup, it was reaallyy good, especially the pastry covering the bowl (I think its philo?). The mains however were a tad dissapointing. The scallops were over cooked and rubbery a bit and the duck I had was good but I was expecting a bit more. Dessert was also very good, the apple strudel was exactly what I wanted (taste and texture) and how can you beat this for $20! (Warning: Normal prices are usually double this)
Regardless I'm guessing their slight lack in meal quality this time around was due to Winterlicious but most people I know have a great time here and enjoy their meals. I'd even go as far to say that Fred's Not Here is one of the better restaurants on this restaurant filled King street strip. -
Review from Scott B.
8/31/2010
There's a reason Fred's not here...the food sucks. Overpriced and booooring. A friend had the lobster thermador and I swear something in it was rancid. It was sour, bitter and gritty. One of of the most disgusting thing's I've eaten to date. My strip steak was average. The waiter was an arrogant dickhead. Save your money and go find Fred.
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Review from Ivan S.
Markham, ON
2/9/2010
I've been to Fred's not here a few times with friends and family. My last visit was pretty good. It's got a nice scenery there, great place to go right before you hit the Mirvish Theatre across the street. I ordered the steak as my main course and loved it, it had flavour and was cooked the way I wanted: medium rare. I had a food coma right after with the amount of delicious food I had lol.
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Review from Steve M.
Oakville, ON
7/21/2011
We came for a Summerlicious lunch yesterday on very hot day! That the restaurant was nice and cool that is best we could say about the fare offered up here. We both had crab and lobster soup. It was well presented and flavourful but alas there were none of those little pieces of shellfish we all have grown to love. My wife had the Honest Ed's roast beef and mashed potatoes. It Dejas Vu All Over Again. 30 years. That meal was why we started coming to Fred's Not Here. We thought they could improve on Ed's main menu item. No such luck! I had grilled Baby Back Ribs which tasted baked and dry. There was an awesome corn and black bean salad or salsa flavoured with chipotle and cumin. We come to restaurants to eat meals that we can't do at home. We have done way better at home and would never serve food this poorly prepared to our guests.
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Review from rob d.
Toronto, ON
9/23/2009
Food is excellent...location great if going to a show downtown...nice wait staff...I wouldn't make a special trip...but if you need to find a place to eat in the theater district...this is as good a choice as any.
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Review from Secyw W.
Richmond Hill, ON
11/29/2010 1 photo
I've been to Fred's Not Here many times; but this was a last minute choice as we were watching a musical play nearby. The only specialty I think they have is the Lobster Soup that had puff pastry above; it was delicious. I had the Jumbo spinach & ricotta ravioli w/ artichoke, asparagus, king oyster mushroom, roma tomatoes, arugula & grana padano for dinner and it was so-so. Overall, for the price $27 for both - not sure if it was worth it. Although the soup is recommended.
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Review from Tina N.
Toronto, ON
1/30/2010 4 photos
Went to Fred's Not Here for their Winterlicious Lunch Special today with a friend and were sat promptly once inside the restaurant. The server came over with a basket of bread and took our drink orders within two minutes of sitting down. My friend and I both had the Passion Martini which was very tasty and strong of vodka! As for our appetizers, we started with the grilled calamari which was very flavourful and the caesar salad which was amazing as they were not shy with the garlic (yum!). For our mains, I had the Lobster & Shrimp Risotto and it was cooked perfectly with large helpings of the seafood and very savoury. As for my friend, he had the Stilton Burger which he said was nice and juicy! (I believe him because I noticed him eating sloppily after each bite as the juices from the burger began to drip out and the buns becoming all soggy, hehe). For our two desserts, we had a chocolate banana mousse and a berry shortcake. Good sizes, not too big which ended the meal wonderfully. We both liked the berry cake better as it was a little lighter than the chocolate mousse. We certainly enjoyed ourselves and left the restaurant satisfied and full because the food was good with great value (3 course meal for only $20!) I would absolutely love to go back!
