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Gull & Firkin
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
9 reviews for Gull & Firkin
9 reviews in English
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Review from Kristin M.
10/15/2011
My family and I were visiting my father in Toronto for the July Jazz Festival. He lives in The Beaches, so we spent a lot of time on Queen St. E.
We must have eaten at the Gull and Firkin 3 or 4 times during the 10 day trip. We loved it! Never bothered going across the street to the Lion, because Dad said the G&F is where it's at for food. Dad knows TO.
Coming from California, and wanting some good Canadian pub food, we were not disappointed. The poutine, and perogies were amazing! I was even impressed with the spicy beef nachos (and we have no shortage of great nachos in Cali).
As for the drinks, we were fortunate to have such an awesome Ontario brew as Creemore Lager to drink. Living in a place where there is a small craft brewery in every town, we thought Creemore was excellent! The staff even served it with Creemore pint glasses on Creemore coasters, a nice touch for us tourists.
The service was also excellent, and eventually the server knew my son wanted a chocolate milk upon arrival. We also enjoyed watching golf on the big TVs.
I would go there weekly if I lived in TO, but as it stands, I know I will definitely hit that place up the next time I'm back in Toronto. -
Review from Cheri D.
Updated - 11/3/2011 10 Check-ins Here
Still a solid 4 stars for me. But i wanted to add a few things.
Sometimes i work late, quite late. Yet i'm still peckish when i'm on my way home. What to do!? Pizza Pizza?... well sadly yes, sometimes i do. But the Gull & Firkin also has a pretty good late night menu to order from after 11pm. Hoorah!
Nachos, irish nachos, curried fries, samosas, sweet potato fries all yummy after 11pm :) I think they have the calamari too, but i can't remember because i'd never order that.
The service has been great lately! Super quick and always friendly. Sometimes i ask them to make me a fancy alcoholic coffee drink, but hold the coffee, and add some hot chocolate. Now that's good stuff.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/24/2011
Mmmm... pub food. It's such a weakness for me.
I've been here a few times now and have had the… Read more »
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Review from Emily K.
Toronto, ON
7/22/2011
This place is just like any other pub on the strip. Their food is greasy and delicious if you're in the mood for that kind of thing. They have an okay selection of beer. The service here is pretty good. I have no complaints. One night I went in after volleyball down at the beach and we had most of our 8 person team with us and they were able to accommodate us inside (because it was too cold to be out on the patio). The nice thing is they do have a good size patio for the small pub that it is.
Last time I was here I didn't feel like eating the pubgrub they offer but I was hungry so I opted for a Caesar salad (knowing that ordering a salad at any pub can be hit or miss, and often a miss). My two cents on their Caesar salad is that it is way over priced for the little bit of lettuce, a few croutons and salad dressing that you get. Not worth my money, but now I know.
Like any pub I've experienced around town, if I'm in the area I have no problem going here, but otherwise I'm not going to go out of my way to go to this place. Most often when I'm out at pubs it's more about who I'm with than where I am, though what I do appreciate about this pub is the absence of live music. At this place you can actually sit and talk with the people you're with!Listed in: Good for drinks
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Review from Thuy T.
Woodbridge, ON
11/1/2011 2 photos
I've been to many places for food and drink; this was the first place where we had a waitress that really looked out for her customers.
The waitress would make sure everyone who was drinking had a designated driver and that all the ladies are ok.
SIGH....Only if I can remember her name to acknowledge her service.
Rating:
0(Too Sad), 1(Horrible), 2(Poor), 3(Ok Lah), 4(Good), 5(Excellent)
Food:
- Guinness Baby Back Ribs With Spinach, Mashed Potato and Gravy: 4
Clean: 4
Service: 4.5
Atmosphere: Casual
Will I Return? Yes
Keep in mind all food postings is according to personal preferences and taste buds. Therefore, it's best to try the places out for yourself and see if it suites your taste. -
Review from Graeham M.
Toronto, ON
4/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
It was a sad sign of the times when the Gull and Firkin opened up shop a few years back and replaced the legendary drinking hole appropriately named...well Legends. Long gone are the days when crusty owner/operator "Pete" stalked the dimly lit and hastily constructed bar, discriminating at will who he dispensed alcohol to that evening or even afternoon if that was your particular thing, and it was for many a patron at Legends.
The Gull and Firkin is yet another incarnation of the corporate pub where every menu item, color scheme and square inch is planned according to a highly disciplined corporate agenda and is based upon exhaustive market research-all geared toward getting us to eat and drink more. The Gull is no exception, and as part of the Firkin Group Of Pubs now spanning the GTA it is precisely what one would expect of a pub that is slave to the corporation. The menu comprises standard pub fare but does have some diamonds in the rough. Most notably the Irish Nachos which are essentially seasoned waffle fries with melted cheese, bacon, green onions and sour cream. If anyone is familiar with Licks Homeburgers you will probably recognize this as Taters and cream under a different name. Licks does them well, but the Gull does them better.
Another plus is the impressive patio which fronts Queen St. E. and is absolutely ideal for people watching and consuming massive amounts of alcohol in the summer months.
When in the process of completing this review I did come to ponder the question as to what a Firkin actually was. I Googled it and came across this fairly succinct Wikipedia entry. Without further ado, a Firkin is an old English unit of volume and for beer and ale a firkin is equal to nine imperial gallons, seventy-two pints, or a quarter of a barrel.
In concluding I feel that firkin moniker is apt. The Gull and Firkin is a quarter barrel pub. It does everything "ok," but nothing exceptionally well and the deliberate corporate crafting of pubs just doesn't do it for me. -
Review from Kat F.
6/23/2010 1 Check-in Here
The food here was shockingly good. My grilled cheese with fries (only $8.95) was scrumptious - the aged cheddar, Monterey Jack and Swiss cheeses were deadly sharp and perfectly melted. This is not for fans of dull, processed cheese - this cheese has SOUL! The bread, if I'm not mistaken, was half rye, and it held up really well to being grilled. Perfect. Fries were OK too, but not my favourite style of french fry (sort of McCain-ish).
Service was efficient and accommodating - I had no trouble at all extracting my portion from a 30 person tab nor was I given a hard time for asking for a separate bill. They have a great selection of beer here in full, half or 3/4 size pints. No doubt owing to the World Cup, a few of the selections were sold out. They have eleven flatscreens showing the games and a 50 person raised patio that faces onto Queen Street, and being in The Beach(es) it provides some great people watching.
For a Firkin, this place is firkin' great!Listed in: The Best & Worst of The…, Grill 'Em! Toronto's Best…
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Review from Kevin John M.
Toronto, ON
3/29/2009
My only complaint about this place is that it can be hard to get a table!
Great Fish and chips. Great sweet potato fries, fun variations on bar/pub fare (like popcorn lobster and Irish Nachos).
Last night we were greeted by a wonderful host, served by a friendly and helpful waiter, and had a couple of other passing wait staff who were equally as friendly and helpful.
Good times! -
Review from Marie F.
5/30/2010 2 Check-ins Here
After a tiring afternoon of beach volleyball, my friends and I decided to go to the Gull & Firkin. I assumed there was no way we'd get a spot on the patio given that it was a beautiful Sunday afternoon and well over 30 degrees.
I asked the waitress if she could place us on a waiting list for the patio, and she sat us down near the doors. Not even 5 minutes later (we didn't even look at our menus) she came back to say a table of four was available.
The service was great and so was the food. I ordered the Irish Nachos (highly recommended) and the calamari. My Long Island iced tea was perfect and tasted like it was actually made versus poured from a pre-mixed bottle. -
Review from Jay K.
Oshawa, ON
2/9/2010 1 photo
It's rare to find a pub these days that is both atmospheric and provides great service. I was st the Gull &Firkin tonight and u must say it lives up to all of this. The servers were friendly and swift. The food (beef dip for $10.95) was well prepared, hot and tasty. And the Creemore Springs draught when down smoothly. I was thoroughlly impressed. I highly recommend the Gull for a great evening out.
