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Hardy's Hogtown Brasserie
Category: Restaurants Canadian (New) Canadian (New) [Edit]
992 St Clair Ave WToronto, ON M6E 1A2
(416) 901-4100
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 6 pm - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- 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:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
9 reviews for Hardy's Hogtown Brasserie
9 reviews in English
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Review from Ira L.
York, ON
Updated - 2/19/2012
I wanted to update my Hardy's review- this time for Brunch.
The wife and I had children in tow for a walk to another establishment for a Sunday brunch. As we walked past Hardys' they had a bunch sign out front. so we looked at the menu and the wife humored me by saying "lets go"..
Never one to pass up an opportunity for BBQ establishments i obliged:).
I had the biscuits and gravy - and they were really really tasty...my only complaint was that they were a tad on the small side...when you go for southern cooking i would expect heaps...but flavor wise they were delicious!. I also had a side of their home cured apple-wood smoked bacon , which was incredible. i don't get to eat bacon alot so when its that good you just want more and more and more..it was thick cut, juicy, woody soo yummy!.
Now here is the kicker - my wife, the vegetarian decided to have the pancake's she was there to humor me, she was not expecting alot..
her exact quote upon trying the pancakes:
"these are the best pancakes that i have ever had in a restaurant". then she devoured them, along with my sons home fries...
For a southern style meat establishment, having my wife tell me that if we ever wanted to go to brunch with friends, she would want to go there, makes me very happy!. i have enjoyed everything i have tried there.
Unfortunately the place wasn't busy when we walked in, but a couple other tables filled up while we were there. There are other brunch places in the neighborhood that seemed much busier...and i do not understand why...
everything at Hardy's is prepared in house..no boxed, frozen ingredients (this per john hardy, the proprietor who was serving us). I really think people should give this place a try - the dinner menu has expanded and he was telling us they were also going to start making their own steaks and sausages..
Wychwood/Regal heights has some really good establishments and talented chefs up here...lets keep it up - and make it a foodies paradise!!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/30/2011 First to Review
Did a pick up order on Friday fully expecting the soft open menu, but luckily it was their full… Read more »
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Review from neesa r.
2/9/2012
we came her in a group of 8 for a super late dinner at 930pm after one of the capoeira practices.
the owner kept the kitchen open for us and was generally very welcoming and friendly.
so it won't be one of my fave places as it's definitely meatery and the only food (excluding appetizers and salads) a vegetarian can eat is mac&cheese (which is pretty good with smoked cheddar in it).
the beer selection was very unfamiliar to me and so i made lots of discoveries on that night (we asked for few samples to taste and they were readily provided to us). generally very good selection.
my meat eating friends were not super excited about the burgers but everyone liked the wings. and that's as much as I can say about the non veg food.
it's definitely a good place for drinks and chat with friends. -
Review from Jing K.
Toronto, ON
10/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
I very much wanted to really like this new kid on the block, but after two take-out orders I can only go with three stars for now.
The decor is pretty cool, sort of rustic urban. Ample seating with an area for live music at the back. A good selection of microbrew beers on tap. They are open until midnight so were I not homebound with a kid most nights, I could totally picture having a late evening pint and nosh here.
Now regarding the food. It was adequate. Between me and my husband we've tried the three sliders (brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken), the burger (twice), the brisket sandwich, the mac and cheese, the collard greens, the coleslaw, the fries and the potato salad. (This is over two visits, although the first time we ordered they provided us with an embarrassing four sets of plastic cutlery.) The burger is very big, an inch thick at its highest point and the meat itself is tasty. It was slightly overcooked and not as juicy as desired the second time we had it. The brisket was fine. The pulled chicken and pork were good, but a bit over-sauced for my taste. I felt that at $6, the little side of mac and cheese was overpriced. The highlight of the list of things we've tried so far is the potato salad. Classic picnic style done really well.
It's impossible not to compare Hardy's with the Stockyards, which I would give the edge to for food. Hardy's, to its credit is open late, has lots of seating, is licensed for beer, and looks like a promising venue for events like their Oktoberfest coming up. -
Review from tamatem t.
Toronto, ON
11/4/2011
We also live in the neighbourhood and were looking forward to having another go-to favourite. The following is our experience from three separate visits:
We went for dinner in the first week or two that Hardy's opened and loved it. We had the Caesar salad w smoked pork loin, brisket sandwiches, collards, Apple Pilsner, and bourbon bread pudding. Each thing-- save the Caesar which was only so-so--was quite perfect, and we were looking forward to coming back again and again. The perfectly cooked brisket was nicely sauced and flavoured, the collards were caramelized loveliness, the Pilsner was ideally-chilled and flavourful--a perfect complement to the meal-- and the dessert was just divine. The portions were adequate, not over- the- top like you would expect in a Southern establishment, but adequate.
The second time, we had a take-out order which we quite also enjoyed but again found to be a bit expensive for what and how much of it was offered: brisket sandwiches, collards, potato salad, mac n cheese. The standard of the brisket and collards stood, but the potato salad was just like whatever. The mac n cheese was, however, awesome.
Our third experience with Hardy's was also take-away, and sadly, it was quite poor, in taste, quality and value. We had a trio of sliders, ie. meat on buns--brisket, pulled chicken, and rib tips. Two of the three meagrely-portioned meats were dried out and inadequately sauced. The buns were mediocre at best. Three mediocre buns w a wee bit of meat on each for $17, really? The side that came w the entree--we chose collards--was exactly three forkfuls, no longer caramelized and flavourful, just kind of limp and drippy.
We also had mac n cheese that was happily still great. We tried the Caesar again, hoping for some salad evolution, and it was still just so-so. Could we do something zippy w those croutons? Do they really have to taste like they come out of a box? The cornbread was ok.
Don't know what is going on w the kitchen in Hardy's, but the early promise has disappeared, for us anyway. The portions are tiny, and the price is just way too steep on what is now being offered. -
Review from Meaghan D.
Ottawa, ON
10/23/2011
I really wanted Hardy's to be awesome - we've walked past it a bunch of times and were waiting for a night when we had some time to sit and really enjoy the food and atmosphere... and were sadly let down.
First, the positives.
The beer selection was great - definitely something for everyone (I'm a HUGE Flying Monkeys fan so obviously I was happy).
My partner and I shared the onion rings to start and they were perfect. Exactly what we'd been craving.
And, the let downs.
I had the ribs with coleslaw on the side, my partner had the pulled pork with the collard greens, and we also shared the mac & cheese.
The ribs themselves were ok - definitely not "fall off the bone" by any stretch - there was no getting into those things without a good knife - perhaps just bad butchering? However, they were barely warm - the meat in by the bone was actually cold. And the sauce is waaaaaaaaay too peppery and too heavy. I can handle my pepper, and yet I found myself scraping all the sauce off and using half my napkins for blowing my nose.
The "creamy" coleslaw was practically bone dry, and very obviously from a bag that had been open to the air for a while as there was some obvious oxidation going on.
The mac & cheese was good, but $6 for that little portion is kinda pushing it.
The pulled pork (according to my partner) was good, kinda sucked that the topping on the sandwich was the same bagged coleslaw and not something a little more creative, and the sauce did not seem house-made, which was also disappointing.
The big let-down came with the collard greens and the kitchen's handling of the problem.
They were dirty, plain and simple. When you bite down and there's a sandy CRUNCH, there's a problem. When you bite down again, feel a bigger crunch and pain and spit out a ROCK (and yes, it was indeed a rock - it was dark grey and given the sound it made when dropped on the plate, couldn't have been anything but a rock), there's a serious problem.
Neither of us is the type to complain about food ever, but being that we also both work in the culinary world, we thought that such a comment was worth being heard by the kitchen as they'd probably want to ditch that batch of collards.
The server was lovely and really apologetic, but after coming back from the kitchen, she told us that their explanation was that the collards are made with pork and it was likely a piece of bone....
a) There's no way that was a piece of bone.
b) Would a piece of bone mixed in with the collards somehow have been better?
After all that, we sort of expected at least a comped drink or something (ummmmm I bit down on a rock), but, nada.
Hardy's, I REALLY wanted to like you... Maybe if I start hearing better things in the future I'll consider going back, but honestly, after being told that I was basically wrong after biting down on a rock and even showing it to the server and leaving it on the plate she took with her to the kitchen and being offered nothing other than an "I'm sorry, but...", I'm staying away. -
Review from Jon T.
York, ON
10/30/2011
Really terrible experience. Waited an hour for a sandwich. And then didn't even give me what I ordered. When i politely asked for the correct order, the kitchen just repurposed the same sandwich - gross!! Too bad. I love BBQ. But won't come back here Stay away.
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Review from Jeff H.
Toronto, ON
2/22/2012
Like an earlier reviewer said, it's hard not to compare this resto with Stockyards with them being both focused on southern food and relatively close to each other.
I've been to hardy's twice. The food was competent but not terribly inspired -- ribs were well cooked but the sauce lacked depth; the chicken was similar, seasoned in a way that was okay to eat but not particularly memorable. Not bland but not particularly exciting. The mac and cheese (with smoked cheese) was the standout. the portions are a bit on the small side.
Though the wait staff were friendly on both occasions, i ended up getting my first meal comped due to a series of miscommunications on the order and the delays in getting the food to the table (rare in toronto in my experience but bespoke real integrity in my mind). So i decided to try again. The second service experience was much better (we came before the big dinner rush), but my sense was that the kitchen was having trouble handling the tables as things got busier.
Anyway, as much as i like to support the underdog, i think i'll be sticking to the stockyards from here on in... -
Review from Neil A.
Toronto, ON
11/7/2011
I have been wanting to try out this new place, and I was not disappointed. The Southern Pulled Pork sandwich was delicious -- the bun was perfect, the sauce was not too sweet, and the pork was tender and tasty. I tried the side of homestyle potato salad, and was pleased. I liked the old-fashioned bottled root beer ($2), too. Great atmosphere, interesting menu/beer selection and specials, and very friendly service. I look forward to going back with friends and family.
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Review from Jr. Bob D.
Toronto, ON
10/2/2011
Unfortunately they were sold out of ribs on Saturday night-not their fault at all as it was 8pm when I got there and I wouldn't factor that into the review. I will say that this place has the best battered onion rings I've had in this city. And the macaroni & cheese was quite good but I was sadly disappointed in the rest of the meal. I had ordered cajun mashed potatoes that were a 'special' of the night and I found it pretty much bland and surprisingly tepid (temperature AND non-spicy). Cole slaw, for $4.00 was kind of tiny and nothing out of the ordinary. Mrs.Bobby ordered collared greens that seem to have been doused in copious amounts of brown sugar. We also were going to split the 'slider platter' thinking that it might actually make the amount of food we ordered a little much but sadly, it was lacking. $18 for 3 tiny sliders that seemed to barely contain meat but were loaded down with more cole slaw is a bit expensive and it was hardly enough for a serious 'main' for one person, much less sharing any amount with another person (which I'm usually vehemently opposed to in the first place). I will go back to try the ribs after hearing good things about them. Oh, to end on a positive note: the peach cobbler for dessert was very good. And nice and hot.
